More than 110 devotees in leadership and youth with leadership capacity across the US and Canada met over the May 15-16th, 2021 weekend to strategize and plan how to bring to life the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) North America (NA) vision.
The essence of the summit was that any leader, wherever they are located, can become the positive change they want to see in both: their temple community and nationally.
Some of the vision statements about ISKCON NA that were developed through the conferences leading up to the summit were: “ISKCON North America is at its best when …”
And “ISKCON North American Leaders are at their best when they are….”
The vision of NA was then brought to specific initiatives based on these vision statements, that was then further developed into initiatives groups that leaders volunteered to convene. There were more than 20 new initiatives created, including:
During the summit, groups created the basic framework to begin these initiatives and continue meeting after the summit to do so.
Initiative/Project Groups Created During the Summit
Bhaktivedanta Financial Foundation | Indresh Dasa |
Revenue Generation: Bhakti Yoga Studios | Kalyan Dasa |
Process to Match Devotee’s Propensity to Service and Occupation | Caitanya Kishor Dasa |
Men’s Mental Health and Counseling | Dhira Krishna Dasa |
Making Srila Prabhupada’s 7 Purposes Specific | Urmila DD |
ISKCON NA Tech Ministry | Mahasundari Madhavi DD |
Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive ISKCON Environment | Yasodamayi DD |
ISKCON National Youth Department | Kumari Kunti DD |
Govinda’s Global Food Franchise | Adi-Kurma Dasa |
Worldwide Mentoring Program | Gopisa Dasa |
Karuna Care Education: Increased Self Awareness and Interpersonal Relationships | Rambhoru DD |
Young Yogis | Nanda-braja Dasa |
Organizing a Movement for Simple and Natural Education K-12 | Yogendra Dasa |
ISKCON Relevance to Local Society | Nrtya Kishori DD |
Devotee Access to Home Health Care, Residential Care, Hospice Care | Sri Rangavati DD |
Structural Models for Farm Communities | Salagram Dasa |
Keeping Srila Prabhupada in the Center | Narada Muni Dasa |
ISKCON 3.0 Initiatives Support | Ananda Vrindavan DD |
Cow Protection | Laxmi Nrsingadeva Dasa |
Creating a Culture of Radical Personalism | Sudharma DD |
Supporting Arts + Artists in ISKCON | Gauravani Dasa |
About the Organizing Team
Этот North American Council (NAC) appointed a Conference Committee in September 2020 made up of Ananda Vrindavana dd, Jaya Krishna das, and Praharana dd who worked closely with Gopinath Bloch as visionary organizer and facilitator. He in turn recruited 12 volunteers to assist with graphics work, promotions, technical assistance with the conferences. There were four preliminary conferences targeting different demographics: NAC, temple presidents, second-generation including other youthful devotees, and the older, experienced devotees. The Summit united all of these groups to create projects and initiatives for North American yatras.
About the North American Council
The NAC is the ISKCON management entity for the USA and Canada, now made up of five ISKCON zones. It’s members are NA GBCs, zonal supervisors, ISKCON Ministers or Ministry representatives and other leaders.
The NAC funded the ISKCON 3.0 conferences and The Summit partly with donations from the participants.
The Summit was considered a success by the NAC, attended by more than 100 devotees in a leadership capacity, and twenty initiative groups were formed; including the “The Initiative Support Group” that will provide support and resources and will liaise with the NAC to facilitate successful implementation and roll-out of action items.
“The NAC is very grateful for the overwhelming devotional enthusiasm of all the teams and is anticipating excellent outcomes to move ISKCON NA to an amazing future,” said Praharana Dasi, Chair of the NAC.