My experiences at the One Asia Youth Council Mongolia

 It was a heart warming experience for me to be there, to be with bright men and women from different parts of Asian continent. The warm reception at the Chingis Khan airport is almost unforgettable for me. Around 60 - 70 young people greeted me with claps and slogans. Mr Ayush, who is the president of Mongolian Youth Federation was present to welcome me to Mongolia. I was sent to my hotel in a car and a young girl accompanied me to the hotel. She remained my guide in Mongolia for the entire event. The entire city of Ulaanbaatar, was decorated with the flags of different Asian countries to welcome the foreign delegates. The landscape captured my eyes, as well as my heart as I was driven to my hotel. From Chingis Khan airport to the Chingis Khan hotel, I had a royal reception followed by a royal lunch, which was again followed by a royal stay.

The council was organised by the Asian Youth Council, the World Association of youth in partnership with Mongolian Youth Federation and the government of Mongolia. There were delegates from different parts of Asia who represented their country at the prestigious forum. The main objectives of the forum was to bring the young people together to exchange ideas for the betterment of youth of Asia. The forum also aimed to help young people build good relationships with each other. Harshit was the only Indian at the prestigious meeting.

Banner of One Asia youth Council near Chingis Square

The aim of the General Assembly was to foster relationships between delegates from member countries, promote inter-country dialogue and provide a platform for delegates to develop a proposal for submission to the SDG Working Commission on Youth’s Role in the future Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals that have been identified by the One Asia Youth Council General Assembly, which are :

1. End poverty in all its forms, everywhere

2. End Hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent actions to combat climate change and its impact

14. Conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

THEME: Youth’s Role in the future Sustainable Development Goals

Sub-topics

 · Education

· Employment

· Health and Gender

· Youth’s Role in the SDGs

· Youth Policies and Programmes for achieving sustainable development Additional Sessions:

· Youth Entrepreneurship and Business Leaders Conference

· North East Asian Conference for Regional Cooperation As the global community transition from the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), significant consideration needs to be given to youth’s role in shaping and achieving these future targets.

 Despite significant progress in many Asian countries towards achieving the MDGs, significant gaps remain, in particular relating to youth issues. As young people aged between 10-24 years account for 1.8 billion of the world’s population, the input of young people is essential to devising sustainable and targeted measures to foster more inclusive practices of decision-making and deliberation on sustainable development issues. The 2015 Assembly was built upon the 2013 AYC Assembly theme of Youth and Peace: Strengthening Peace, Stability and Development through Education, by addressing the causes and challenges to achieving peace, stability and sustainable development and defining Asian youth priorities for the future SDGs.

OBJECTIVES

 · Development of an Ulaanbaatar Declaration of Asian Youth Priorities in SDGs

· Development of a proposal for submission to the SDG Working Commission on Asian youth priorities to feed into the intergovernmental process the for development of SDGs

· Development of an action-oriented Action Plan for future AYC collaboration and activities

 · Strengthen connections between participants, share knowledge and experiences

 · Improve youth involvement in decision-making processes

Paying homage to the great Chingis Khan at the Chingis Square, Ulanbaatar

My experiences in Mongolia

The event began on  19th May 2015. A cultural program was organised for all the foreign delegates at the Parliament House of Mongolia. The wonderful event was followed by the speech of President of Mongolia. In his speech the President of Mongolia encouraged young people from across the Asian continent to share their ideas freely so that Mongolia could learn from them. He further said that around 40% percent of Mongolian population is young, thus exchanging ideas to form policies for young people is crucial. In his speech the President also told us about what Mongolia can offer to the world in terms of minerals and fresh water. The speeches of dignitaries were followed by a lunch in the parliament house and group discussions.

Many people were curious to know about my life coaching profession. They were curious to know about India as well. While the discussions were going on, I was able to get media attention. I must say that our Prime Minister's visit has made a positive impact on Mongolian people.

Some of the questions that were asked to me were :

a) What does India offer to the world in terms of the potential of youth?

answer. India is the youngest nation of the world. We are 1.2 billion people and 50% of our population is aged between 18 - 25. 65% of our population is between 18 - 35. Our young people are skilled and can speak good English. We have huge work force that is serving the world in so many ways and lot of people from around the world can make use of it.

b) What kind of profession attract Indian people?

answer. Mostly, Indian young people aim to be in good engineering colleges and then they want to top up their engineering qualification with Business administration degree. There is a tough competition to be in good engineering college or a Business school. Engineering and business administration is followed by medical profession, many young people aspire for it. Joining the defence forces is also very popular amongst the Indian youth.

c) Does government of India supports the young people to become self employed or to be business entrepreneur?

answer. Yes, there are effective policies that support young people to start their own ventures however most young people prefer to take job experience before starting their own business and they use their own money as well as bank loans to start their business. Not many people make use of government schemes due to lack of knowledge, trust and also because of the complicated processes of the bureaucratic system

d) Are their people who do not have sex relation with their wives in order to practice Yoga?

answer. Yes, there are some people in India who do not have sex relationship with their wives after few years of marriage. Thereafter, both husband and wife practice some form of Yoga. These days, percentage of such people is not very high.

e) What is Yoga? Why do some people in India stay single and do not marry.

answer. Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means - 'Union'. The purpose of Yoga is to help mankind achieve union with their source. It is a science and it demands discipline. One of the discipline of Yoga is abstinence from sex. Some people in India relate with yoga so profoundly that they choose to follow the discipline of abstinence from sex throughout their life. Yoga is not just about abstinence from sex, it is about making an effort to realize our true potential and be free from the attachments and fears that bind us to this relative existence. There are other disciplines such as truthfulness, non-violence, cleanliness of body, mind and speech which should be practiced to achieve the main goal of Yoga - i.e. 'union with our source or union with God'. However, there are very few people who follow yoga so diligently. Most  people follow the discipline moderately.

f) We are told that condition of women is bad, rapes and domestic violence is very common in India. Can you tell us more about that?

Answer. Yes, we are facing this challenge, but people around the world are also facing this challenge. However, women in India are getting educated, they perform better in academics than boys and many of them are successful entrepreneurs. The CEO of Pepsi, Indira Nooyi is from India. Our ex President was a woman. The head of Congress party, which is one of the main political party of India is a woman. Currently our foreign minister is a woman. The good news is that the young people have started to talk about sensitive topics quite openly in India, and they want to change things. India or any other country cannot prosper until the condition of women improves.

My interview by the Mongolian National TV

Likewise, there were many other questions that were asked by different media houses. One thing is for sure, that all of them wanted to know about India. I remember one episode while I was having coffee with one of my dear friend in a cafeteria some girls came to me and initiated conversation with me. 'Oh! we know about India, we have seen that movie - Slumdog Millionaire', they said. It wasn't really nice to hear that all that these women knew about India is the infamous dharavi slum of Mumbai. Is India a poor country? they asked me. My reply to them was Yes and No. However I told them about the bright side of my country, about the chadrayaan( Satellite that India sent to the moon) and mangalyaan (Satellite that India sent to the Mars) . They heard me with amazement. I also told them about the IT sector and competent doctors. But India is a hot country, isn't it? Many people over there wanted to know this. Fortunately or unfortunately these people do not know that much about India as much they know about New Delhi. I said yes New Delhi is a hot city of India but do you know that the second coldest place on earth is in India, and the temperatures over here can go down till -50 degree? This surprised many people in Mongolia.

My profession helped me to get closer to the people of Mongolia and many of them made a choice to share their heart with me. As in India, so in Mongolia - It is not easy to talk about personal matters. There are so many great things about the people of Mongolia. They can go out of their way to help you. If they like you then they just give their heart away. Most people in Mongolia were cautious of the fact that I was their guest. They would repeatedly say to me - 'you are our guest and it is our duty to take care of you'.

With the foreign delegates outside the Parliament house, Mongolia

In Mongolia, I also got the opportunity to do a life skills workshop with the young members of the Rotract Club. A young lady, Soyombo invited me to the famous Department store of Ulaanbaatar to do the workshop. It was a heartening experience to interact with the young, energetic and motivated people of Mongolia.

Workshop for the members of Rotract Club at the Department Store, Ulanbaatar

The One Asia Youth Council was a platform to meet with so many young people from around the continent. For the first time in my life I met Kazak nationals. They were so sweet and kind towards me and were curious to know about India. They told me that although Kazakhstan was the third nation of the world to have a nuclear bomb, they have opted to discard it. The Russians wanted to know about India and its culture, there were young boys from Afganisthan and they were so fluent in hindi that many Indians would be awed. The most interesting episode was to meet Gilbert from Philippines. After he heard that I am from India, he greeted me with namaste and started talking with me in Hindi. Gilbert is studying doing a masters degree to study about Indian sociology. I was the only delegate from India and it was a humbling experience indeed.

The forum organised a group discussion to form policies to execute the 17 goals as described above. I shared some of my ideas on the challenges faced by the youth. Many young people liked my idea that the youth should not be judged and they should be treated with empathy and respect. Youth does not like advices and lectures and every individual has a unique potential, the elders should be the facilitators and not the advisors for their welfare. On the second day of the meeting we also learnt about what Mongolia can offer to the world in terms of business opportunities. Netherlands in investing the most in this country. I could not see much Indian investment except some bajaj motorcycles and Himalayan products. Nevertheless, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has an art of living centre in Mongolia as well. I also saw, Mandala yoga over there.

Another moving experience was to go to my friend's Suren's house. She is a very bright girl, who is studying clinical psychology in New Delhi. Her father is a monk, but lives with them in their house. I taught some yoga and pranayam to their family members and they loved it, especially Suren's father. He was so thrilled with the breathing exercises. I also explored the country side of the great country and it was a breathtaking experience.

With Suren's family after the yoga session

My journey in Mongolia ended after 10 days but the memories are going to be with me forever. 

ASEAN - Association Of Southeast Asian Nations, AYLA - Asian Youth Leaders' Association in collaboration with Tvam

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a political and economic organisation of ten Southeast Asian countries. It was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership of ASEAN has futher subsumed Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam.

The aspirations of ASEAN encompasses, accelerating economic growth, social progress and sociocultural evolution amongst its member Countries, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to regress and resolve differences peacefully.

Touchstones of the aspirations of ASEAN: 

·         To accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development in the region

·         To promote regional peace and stability

·         To promote collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest

·         To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities

·         To collaborate for the better utilization of agriculture and industry to raise the living standards of the people

·         To promote Southeast Asian studies

·         To maintain close, beneficial co-operation with existing international organisations with similar aims and purposes

                                                      ASEAN member Countries

 ASEAN is an initiative, whose purpose aligns with the purpose of Tvam; we at Tvam believe that likeminded people and community are inevitably destined to confluence in unexpected hour.

Our sense of purpose and wisdom gave us(Tvam) the privilege to collaborate with ASEAN and promote humanity.

Tvam is the only representative of ASEAN in India; Tvam has actively and sprightly worked for the ASEAN community and has been an active participant in all the initiative taken by ASEAN.

Tvam has helped the citizens of the ASEAN countries to introspect and impeccably fathom the relevance of life in many domains; Tvam has raised many issues in the conferences and conclaves of ASEAN.

Tvam has participated in various initiative commenced by ASEAN ,which has invariably helped its citizens to fathom India and its diversified culture, it has even helped them strengthen their purpose by the pedagogy of our altruistic founder Harshit Sahdev.

  Harshit Sahdev ( The founder of Tvam) during his visit at the The one Asia youth council, Mongolia

Tvam has been enthusiastically involved in the attainment of the purpose of  ASEAN, Our founder has sprightly worked to impart his wisdom to ameliorate the youngsters of the ASEAN Countries.

                         Tvam in Association with AYLA - ASEAN Youth Leaders' Association

AYLA is the outcome organization of the International Youth Leaders’ Summit which was established on February 14, 2014 in Manila by mutual consent of the committee who handled the summit’s operations. The organization is expected to collect potential youth leaders in ASEAN to join / form a peak that will cover all aspects of the ASEAN 2015 (touching economic aspirations, social-cultural and political-security), and also raise awareness to all young leaders on the upcoming integration while harnessing stronger relationships and communication in the ASEAN region. Through the formation of the organization, the role of young leaders is to participate and contribute for the progress of ASEAN, which is evident and clear as they are the backbone of each nation.

Since the establishment of ASEAN as a regional organization in 1967,  the ASEAN economic cooperation has been laid down as one of the main agenda that needs to be developed. In the 9th ASEAN Summit which was held in Balion 2003, the leaders of the ten (10) member-statesagreed upon to establish the ASEAN community tackling 3 pillars, most importantly, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). AEC aims to create a single market and production base characterized by free flow of goods, services, investment, skilled labor and capital movement of goods more freely.Moreover, in the 13th Summit held in Singapore in November 2007, ASEAN had agreed upon to create a blueprint for the ASEAN Economic Community which will be used as a policy map to transform ASEAN into a single market and production base, an integrated area competitive with the global economy.

Through the formation of AYLA, there will be a better access to world class leadership trainings as the organization envisions to provide the youth with the best quality of leadership, the AYLA brand of leadership, the organization would empower the ASEAN youth to participate and get involved with the development of ASEAN, sensitize the younger generation in ASEAN development measures both in the social and economic culture. The event hosts a certain number of delegates coming from different ASEAN member states and each should be able to give an opinion on the many issues tackled in the region. In addition, the said, is devoted in empowering potential youth leaders who have high interest in future regional developments.

AYLA will also gather creative youngsters who can compete well for the progress of ASEAN member-states, with the said activities, the organization seeks collaborations with other youth led organizations all throughout the region. An established network of communication will be helpful in dealing directly with each other. We, as young people  should participate with the development of our country, work hard academically and internationally, share our skills, on the virtue of which the next generations which are yet to come would follow our footsteps and properly utilize theirs skills and inventiveness to transcend the economy to newer levels of ACME.

ASEAN Youth Leaders' Association along with its various associates, which subsumes Tvam, is taking myriads of initiatives to provide a versatile platform to youngsters towards ASEAN community building. One of the up-to-the-minute initiatives taken by AYLA is ASEAN Info-Cultural Camp, 2015, which is moving farther in full swing in Philippines.

ASEAN Youth Leaders’ Association (AYLA) as mentioned above is an organization which provides youth a profound platform to experience and given in-depth learning on ASEAN in anticipation for the ASEAN One Community. As the future leaders of the region, AYLA is fully dedicated to growth and development through social services like youth empowerment, volunteer programs, and other international activities. In line with their vision, they are holding the ASEAN Info-Cultural Exposure Camp 2015 from July 4-6, 2015. This event will encompass a gathering of young delegates from different ASEAN Countries that will highlight the culture of the different countries and the economic implications of the ASEAN Integration. The Camp will involve three (3) days in which two (2) days will be allotted for the team building and conference, while the remaining one (1) day will allotted for a talk to be held in known a university/institution in Manila. Participants numbering over 70, confluence from various AYLA Countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei, Darussalam, Singapore, Laos, and The Philippines.  ASEAN Info-Cultural Exposure Camp 2015 with the theme “Cultural Unification: Fostering ASEAN Community diversity in Advancing for a Common Goal” serves as an avenue for the youth to learn more about the ASEAN community which will promote ones ASEAN identity. This serves as a means to strengthen the bond and unity among the ASEAN Community by allowing the delegate to become more knowledgeable about the culture of other ASEAN countries and about upcoming ASEAN Integration 

A still from the ASEAN Info-Cultural Exposure Camp, 2015

                                    The founder of Tvam, Harstil Sahdev amidst his presentation

                               Tvam believes that we all have the potential to captivate an ecstatic life. We all have the courage to achieve great things and live a life inundated with joy, accomplishment and pure bliss. In some of us this potential is slumbering deep inside, waiting only to be tapped and tested, Tvam plays the role of a tapper, it makes you tap and resuscitate your true potential and achieve great levels of jubilance. Tvam is all about you; it's a support to ameliorate you - a voice which tells you that you are not alone, a voice of the conscience, a voice from the depth of heart, a voice that aims to fetch your hand in difficulties and pull you out from the contingencies of life, Tvam is a voice that discourses: dear friend, we are with you, We are willing to be receptive to all that you have to say and share,  to give you all the space you need. 

Tvam along with ASEAN Youth Leaders' Association aims at integrating the youngsters and tap the slumbering house of infinity within them, as we believe that the future of all the Asian nations lies on the shoulder of the youngsters and our responsibility is not just confined to confide in them but to train them, to tap their true potential, to prepare them and consequently ascend them in the path of being virtuosos; 

Tvam and AYLA believes that leadership is not only essential but it is also a prerequisite if ASEAN aims at fostering relationships amongst the youngsters of the member countries, the future of the ASEAN  is on the shoulder of its youngsters and if the youth has to transcend ASEAN to new levels of acme then they have to imbibe the qualities of good leaders.

Tvam believes that if you want to lead a company, an organisation, an initiative or in totality a Nation then you need to first learn the discipline of leading  your true self and by doing so you would unleash the slumbering powerhouse of a great leader which is resting inside you. To impart the qualities of leadership amongst the youth of the ASEAN  member countries, our founder, Harshit Sahdev , shared his wisdom on the role leadership in preserving the ASEAN culture in the ASEAN Info-Cultural Exposure Camp, 2015.

              

  

s   The founder of Tvam, Harshit Sahdev conducted an interactive session on the role of leadership in preserving the culture of ASEAN, he further gave his views on the initiative that ASEAN along with its associative should undertake to corroborate their goals towards ASEAN community building, he also gave his views on the mission of the AYLA-ASEAN Youth Leaders' Association which encompasses:

•       As an organization, the mission of AYLA is to gather youth who are new, inclined and professional in the field of leadership, community development, education, transformation regardless of belief, culture and race.

•       As a youth organization, their mission is to keep ASEAN’s youth community responsive to the challenges of a changing world by providing proper training where they can practice their knowledge and skill.

•       As an ASEAN-Based Organization, their mission is to create a strong connection among all other member-states of the ASEAN. Enhance people’s awareness, most especially the youth, on the ASEAN integration.

                 Stills from the presentation of the founder of Tvam, Harshit Sahdev  in the ASEAN Info-Cultural Exposure Camp, 2015

                               

                                 

It's an event to dote on, Tvam on the of virtue of the glorious initiative taken by AYLA (ASEAN YOUTH LEADERS' ASSOCIATION) is delighted to put forth our association with ASEAN. Tvam is the only organization from India to be sprightly involved with ASEAN. Our hard work, perseverance and the zeal, to bring about a change in the society took us to myriads of platforms, Tvam believes that when you've a purpose and the hanker to actualize your purpose then in the course of action, you come across various platforms; platforms that appreciate your work and provide you a frontier through which you can corroborate your aspirations and ascend in the path of, actualizing your purpose.

Tvam in the course of action came across ASEAN(The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) who adored the work of our valour founder, Harshit Sahdev; ASEAN, the purpose of whose is to efface the walls of confinement between the Asian countries and consequently bring them together, confided in founder to help them attain this purpose.

Our founder,Harshit Sahdev has been sprightly involved with the ASEAN community, he has represented India in the ASEAN disability forum, Myanmar, wherein, he was invited as a resource person in the forum where he gave a presentation on Effective and Efficient Education and Public Services for ASEAN Disability Society.

Our founder even represented India in the one Asia youth council, Mongolia, wherein, he was the only person who was representing India.

                                                     Chingis Khan square, Mongolia

It's a proud and gratifying moment for Tvam to inform you all that, Harshit Sahdev, once again is representing India in the ASEAN Info-Cultural Exposure Camp 2015, Philippines. Tvam is the only organization from India, who is participating in the event.

Athah Yoganushasnam : Now the discipline of Yoga begins.

                Athah Yoganushasnam : Now the discipline of Yoga begins.

                Yoga chit vritti nirodah: Yoga is the cessation of waves of mind

The above two sentences are known as sutras written in the most ancient language of the world - 'Sanskrit'. Sutras in sanskrit language is called 'condensed thought'. It was a tradition in India to write and transmit our knowledge in the form of sutras.  It was for the student to critically reflect on these sutras to find out the meaning behind them. Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means, 'to unite', in sanskrit we also call it 'Samadhi'. It is a powerful method which helps us to unite with our source. Yoga boldly declares that our source or 'God' is not outside of us, 'It is within us'.

What is the use of getting connected with our source?

The Yogis say that, 'there isn't any joy that can be co-related with the Joy of 'Self'.  All of us want to be happy and contended, but in our pursuit we make a mistake. We yearn for happiness outside our self, we seek happiness in 'relationships, in materialistic possessions like car, house, etc., we seek happiness in sense gratification, in sex' and we do find happiness in these things but the Yogis say that this happiness is 'illusionary'. They declare that happiness is always derived from within. 'Husband is not dear to the wife for the sake of husband, wife is not dear to the husband for the sake of wife. It is for the sake of Self that the husband is dear to the wife and wife, dear to the husband'. In other words, it is our own self that gets reflect back to us through different media - be it money, wife, sense gratification, sex, etc.

There is this famous musk deer that is found in India. It is famous for its beautiful smell. All throughout its life, this deer keeps moving to find the source of this beautiful smell but it never discovers that the source of the smell was within it. Such is the case with us, we are running around to seek happiness and joy without even stopping to think that the joy is always within us. 'As the seeds when burnt, never become plants again. In the same way the fire of knowledge burns all our desires and sets us free'. It is Ignorance of our true self that gives us pain and sorrow. The Yogis say that 'Our real nature is Sat - Chid - Ananda i.e. existence, knowledge and bliss absolute'. 'Why do you cry my dear friend for you are the omnipotent one'.

Yogis do not deny the existence of sin, but they declare to the world the existence of much greater truth than the sin. They say that what you call sin is illusionary and unreal. It is out of ignorance that a man wants to find joy outside himself and thus makes a mistake. The tragedy of human existence is that somehow we have forgotten our real nature and we are assuming that we have to depend on external things to be joyful and happy. The one who experiences the joy of self can never sin.

Yoga is not a belief system, it is the only system in the world which is not based on any personality, it demands us to be critical and analytical, as we would be while practising any form of science. If we want to learn chemistry we will have to perform some experiments to discover the truth about the elements. Similarly, if we want to learn Yoga we will have to practice the discipline of Yoga to find out what it says is true or not. Yoga destroys all miseries and the fear of death and rebirth.

Forms of Yoga

Do you know that there are many forms of Yoga or in other words many ways to unite with our source. Though there are many forms of Yoga but in general we can categorize Yoga in four ways viz.

1. Karma Yoga i.e the yoga of action

2. Jnana Yoga i.e. the yoga of knowledge

3. Bhakti Yoga i.e the yoga of devotion

4. Raja Yoga i.e the yoga of mind control

That which is popular all over the world is Raja yoga. Asanas(yoga postures) and pranayams(breathing exercises) are a part of Raja yoga. However Raja yoga is more demanding that just performing asanas and pranayamas. In our next blogs we will write more about different forms of yoga and how we can utilize them to make our life better. We shall also write about Yogis of India.

Thank you for reading this blog. We salute your real nature i.e. Sat - chid - ananda 

Introducing the National Youth Icon of India to the delegates of One Asia Youth Council Mongolia and to the youth of the world

May I be born again and again, and suffer thousands of miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum total of all souls—and, above all, my God the wicked, my God the miserable, my God the poor of all races, of all species, is the special object of my worship.
                                                                                         - Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda way in Chicago

12th January, is celebrated as the national youth day in India. We have chosen a unique personality to represent the youth of India, his name is Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902), a young monk who took the ancient wisdom of India to the nook and corner of the world. All of us know about infamous 9/11, however not many of us know about Sep 11, 1893. This is a historical date in Indian and American history. On this day this young man from India spoke about the ancient Hindu religion at the august Parliament of Religion that was held in Chicago. He started his speech by uttering 5 words. The first 5 words of his speech got imprinted in the hearts of all the delegates and US nationals. These 5 magical words were, 'Sisters and brothers of America'. Such was the effect of these 5 words that 7000 people present in the parliament stood up from their seats and applauded this young man for two minutes. He was a prince amongst all the delegates present in the meeting. After his two minutes speech he became a popular man in America. His posters were on the walls of the streets of USA and even those who did not know him, would stand in reverence to his majestic presence. Even his photo transpired purity and holiness and people would stand in awe to just have a glance of him. An American friend of Swami Vivekananda, who was a professor, wrote about him to the parliament of religion - 'this man is 20 times more intelligent than all the intelligent people of America put together'.

 During America's bicentennial celebrations in 1976, The National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution included Swami Vivekananda among the 29 eminent foreign visitors described in its book, Abroad In America. This is what they wrote about him:

 Crowds gathered in the streets of Chicago to see the picture posters of Swami Vivekananda placed on billboards around the city, and lecture bureaus vied with one another to enlist him for lectures in different cities. Leading newspapers and journals published his words in bold letters. Some of these newspapers described him as the "cyclonic Hindu," some as "prince among men" or "Brahmin monk," while others chose to designate him by such epithets as "warrior prophet" and "militant mystic." Contemporary leaders of American thought who met him were entranced by the radiance of his spiritual personality and his powerful message. Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University told Swami Vivekananda: "To ask you, Swami, for your credentials is like asking the sun about its right to shine." After hearing Swami Vivekananda, the correspondent of one journal wrote: "The impertinence of sending half-educated theological students to instruct the wise and erudite Orientals was never brought home to an English-speaking audience more forcibly." Professor William James referred to Swami Vivekananda as "the paragon of Vedantists." The Parliament of Religions, which was an afterthought of the planners of the Columbian Exposition, became a focus of historic importance because it served as a pulpit for the presentation of the message of Swami Vivekananda to the American public. Recalling this event, Romain Rolland (a Noble Laureate)wrote: "His strength and beauty, the grace and dignity of his bearing, the dark light of his eyes, his imposing appearance, and from the moment he began to speak, the splendid music of his rich deep voice enthralled the vast audience.... The thought of this warrior prophet of India left a deep mark upon the United States." America thus had the blessing of directly hearing a person of the stature of Buddha, radiating purity, compassion, and love. 

If you want to read Swami Vivekananda's speech at the parliament of religions, you can see the following link:

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/news/index.php/2013/09/vivekanandas-speech-to-1893-parliament/ 

If you want to read a short biography of Swami Vivekananda you can see this link:

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/news/index.php/2013/09/vivekanandas-speech-to-1893-parliament/

 Swami Vivekananda on India :

 If there is any land on this earth that can lay claim to be the blessed Punya Bhumi (pure land), to be the land to which all souls on this earth must come to account for Karma, the land to which every soul that is wending its way Godward must come to attain its last home, the land where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness, above all, the land of introspection and of spirituality — it is India. Hence have started the founders of religions from the most ancient times, deluging the earth again and again with the pure and perennial waters of spiritual truth. Hence have proceeded the tidal waves of philosophy that have covered the earth, East or West, North or South, and hence again must start the wave which is going to spiritualise the material civilisation of the world. Here is the life-giving water with which must be quenched the burning fire of materialism which is burning the core of the hearts of millions in other lands. Believe me, my friends, this is going to be.

India's Mission:

 Each race has a peculiar mission to fulfil in the life of the world. Each race has to make its own result, to fulfil its own mission. Political greatness or military power is never the mission of our race; it never was, and, mark my words, it never will be. But there has been the other mission given to us, which is to conserve, to preserve, to accumulate, as it were, into a dynamo, all the spiritual energy of the race, and that concentrated energy is to pour forth in a deluge on the world whenever circumstances are propitious. But there is another peculiarity. … We never preached our thoughts with fire and sword. Slow and silent, as the gentle dew that falls in the morning, unseen and unheard yet producing a most tremendous result, has been the work of the calm, patient, all-suffering spiritual race upon the world of thought.

Back in 1893 on Sep 11, the great Swami had said this : 

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

 What will Swami Vivekananda say to you, if you happen to meet him? 

"Children of immortal bliss - what a sweet, what a hopeful name! Allow me to call you, bretheren, by that sweet name - heirs of immortal bliss - yea, the Hindu refuses to call you sinners. Ye are the Children of God, the sharers of immortal bliss, holy and perfect beings. You divinities on earth - sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is a standing libel on human nature.

Thank you for reading this post. We salute the infinite potential within you.