| Young
Jains of America Convention Report
The 6th Biennial Convention of the Young Jains of America, hosted
at the Westin Santa Clara in Northern California, was more than
just a gathering of almost 800 young Jains across North America
ranging in age from 14 to 29; it was where numerous young adults
came together and prepared to broaden their knowledge and develop
a deeper understanding of Jainism. Each attendee was provided
with sessions along a focused track following the convention theme
through reflection, education and application of Jainism in their
daily lives while also enjoying themselves among the nightly cultural
events. The convention provided an excellent way to blend religion
and culture while also exploring and expanding on the theme of
the weekend: YJAin? To See, To Know, To Realize.
The success of the convention was due to the implementation of
many new ideas. For the first time the convention provided an
age-specific track system, where nine different tracks were designed
with unique topics that address Jainism from various angles. Each
track was composed of a list of topics that related back to the
track theme. Each theme was a targeted audience of three distinct
age groups: high school, college, and post-college. The various
sessions held each day allowed people 1. to see situations that
exist in their everyday life experiences; 2. to know that relevant
aspects of Jain principles that apply to these situations and
3. to realize how to implement these principles in everyday life.
Young Jains of America is also proud to have had participants
and many knowledgeable speakers not only from the US and Canada
but from the United Kingdom, India and Australia. It was the speakers
who succeeded in providing a strong base for this year’s
convention and making the track system a success. Each track topic
was unique with presentations ranging from Forgiveness: the Power
of Humility featuring Dr. Tara Sethia discussing the importance
of forgiveness over obstinacy to Fashion Faux-Pas in which Rina
Shah, an executive of an animal friendly footwear company, provided
young Jains with an alternative to wearing leather goods. The
2004 Convention was also honored to have Sadhvi Shilapiji, who
led sessions on Progressive Jainism while also addressing hypocrisy
in religion. Samani Unnata Pragyaji and Samani Sanmati Prajnaji
also contributed their knowledge in a session entitled Can’t
we all Just Be Jains?
As an added perspective to the convention, attendees are invited
to enjoy cultural events. From the moment they entered the hotel
until evening, they were enthralled with the booths of an Indian
Mela. The first evening, attendees were delighted by a Culture
and Talent show. With participants from across the nation, this
show proved to be diverse. While some showed the mastery of traditional
Indian dance, others chose to showcase their moves to a hip-hop
beat. Vocally talented individuals sang and even beat-boxed to
the melody of a talented violinist. The show was a great display
of the variety of people and talent that was present at this year’s
convention. The cultural festivities continued the second evening
where the attendees were treated to a Garba/Raas. Dressed in tradition
Indian garments, participants arrived to enjoy an evening of music
and dance. Armed with dandias, the crowd ignited the dance floor
while keeping up with the escalating pace of the band. To bring
a taste of the West, YJA stepped away from it’s typical
formal dinner and dance, to feature a Luau the last evening of
the convention. The scene was set as an island paradise complete
with palm trees and tropical leis. The crowd was pleasantly surprised
by the arrival of professional Hawaiian dancers who attempted
to teach on-lookers their fine art.
To bring focus to the many convention activities, two exceptional
speakers provided wisdom and guidance to the attendees. The highlight
of the opening ceremonies was Dr. Dipak Jain, Dean of the Kellogg
School of Business at Northwestern University, who urged attendees
not to forget the role of religion even as the youth embark upon
their various career paths. To conclude the convention, the attendees
learned from the experiences of Dwarko Sundrani, a disciple of
Mahatma Gandhi, who spread the message of living with each other
in harmony. His conclusion provided an exceptional end to four
days of self-realization.
Quotes:
This experience was extraordinary. It exceeded all over our expectations.
The hard work and dedication from parents, volunteers, and especially
the executive board was exceptional. The response from attendees
has been truly positive. We concluded the July 4th weekend looking
forward and expecting great things from Jain youth across America.
- Arpan Shah
Co-Chair, Young Jains of America
As a speaker, I saw a lot of camaraderie among the youth people.
There was a singular objective of learning about Jainism and mutual
support from the values each attendee brought with him or her.
This event provides a profound foundation for the future of Jainism
in the US.
- Kamal Shah
Speaker, The Practicality of Jain Tradition in America, YJA Convention
2004
Our goal was to discuss, analyze and encourage a lifestyle that
promotes respect for others. Being a Jain and living in the modern
world don’t have to be two separate things, and Jainism
is even more relevant today than ever before. “
- Samir Ajmera
Co-chair, Bay Area Convention Committee
This convention in California was a great time. I especially
enjoyed the interactive sessions and lectures from scholars. It
was also great to see many of my friends from around the country.
I look forward to the next YJA convention in 2006"
- Sonal Shah
Participant (Houston, TX), YJA Convention 200
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