Written by Dina Dayala Dasa Thursday, 09 March 2006
We are pleased to invite you all to this years ICELT (ISKCON Communications Europe Leadership Team) meetings.
Merudevi dasi and Jean Francois Mayer, ICELT 2005, Abentheuer, Germany
They are at Radhadesh from 18-22 April.
This year we give special focus on our relationship with Europe and European culture. For most of us this is our prabhu-datta-desa - most of us come from this culture. Do we understand it as well as we think we do? How much of it do we carry with us? How does it affect our understanding of Vaisnava philosophy? What are its guiding principles and what is our attitude towards these? How well do we need to understand these issues if we are to preach successfully here?
These questions and more are being asked with special reference to the events and history of ISKCON in France and Germany, but have implications for all of us.
We will also be examining one of our most important preaching tools — consideration of time place and circumstance. We'll also take a day out to visit the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) to hear a Catholic perspective on the issues at hand and we'll visit the European Parliament.
ISKCON Communication Europe Leadership Team (ICELT) meetings are an annual sanga and think-tank that provide thoughtful analysis in a devotional atmosphere. These meetings are for anyone involved in preaching and who would like to share heir thoughts and experiences. It is an opportunity to step back from the hurly-burly and consider the implications and direction of our preaching.
We will give further details as we progress, but wanted to make sure you all get the opportunity to mark it into your diaries now.
For registrations or any other queries contact me.
Sacinandana Swami during the one of discussion in 2005.
The programme, in brief, is as follows.
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DAY ONE
(1) Introductions and orientation
(2) ISKCON in Europe: Where am I and what am I doing here?
Session: What is our relationship with European society?
What are the guiding principles of Europe?
What are our values?
To what extent are they the same or different? Why?
Do we understand Europe? Or do we just think we do?
Session: Integration, isolation?
What is integration and what are the alternatives?
How European are we?
Session: Preaching
Do we serve Europe or wait for Europe to serve us?
What is our relationship with Europe? Is it what we think it is?
Plenary: 60-90 mins
Group work, ICELT 2005, Abentheuer, Germany
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DAY TWO
Morning
Retreat: Trnad api sunicena
How do we apply respect, humility and tolerance as the basis for our preaching.
Afternoon
Time, Place, Cynicism
What is our understanding of time, place, and circumstance. ?
Session: Am I a Hindu? Yes, no, when it suits me.
Session: Opportunity or opportunism?
Our campaigns sometimes lean on values such as democracy and equal rights or our role as representatives of Hinduism. After the campaign, what is our approach to these values? Do our former allies view us as opportunists?
Session: Overview and discussion
Where is the balance between "time, place, and circumstance" and integrity? Is there a conflict? Should there be a conflict? (External audience)
Do we use time, place, and circumstance as an excuse to avoid our duty? (Internal audience)
Discussion
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DAY THREE
Beware Brussels!
Prof. Rick Torfs at Catholic University of Louvain. Catholic church's historical response to the concerns we are dealing with now.
Picnic lunch at Louvain or near
Meet Win Burton (Soul for Europe, advising the European Union on spiritual matters) at Euro Parliament.
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DAY FOUR
The Clash of the Cultures!!!
On day four we focus in on France and Germany.
Session: Clash
To what extent is the difficult history due to cultural clash?
Which cultures? Is it as simple as Vedic vs. Western? How Vedic is the West and how Western are we? How Vedic are we and how much of what is proposed as Western culture is actually accepted?
Session: Willy Fautre (from Human Rights Without Frontiers)
What are the latest trends in France, Belgium and Germany in regards to government attitudes to religions and the cult-issue? What can ISKCON do to develop a productive dialogue with these governments and what should ISKCON avoid? In what way can we help
shape society?
Session: Preaching
We all agree it is the essence, but what does it mean? Are we preaching effectively to our audiences? Are we even preaching to the choir?
Session: IC course
One of ISKCON Communications' best offerings to ISKCON.
Session: Plenary
Field trip 2005
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DAY FIVE
Morning
Reports, trends, and direction
Afternoon
Wrapping it all up
Open session
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LOGISTICS IN BRIEF
Radhadesh. Tues 18 till Sat 22 April 2006.
Cost 100 Euros including all accomodation (shared guesthouse room), prasadam, and meetings.
Transport. Very easy. Trains to Marloie, flights to Brussels International or Charleroi (Brussels South) with Ryanair.
To register, contact me, Lal Krishna Dasa.
Your servant
Lal Krishna Dasa