Guest:
HG Mahadyuti dasa

Quorum: 11/19

2005/II-101 Recovery plan for German and French yatras
Sivarama Swami concluded that the ELM and Euro-GBC cannot really do much unless Europe is united and marshals its resources. He suggested an emergency plan for recovery of those yatras.
That emergency plan needs a three-day meeting in November.

[Action Point]
This body will send Sivarama Swami's letter to the GBC EC for endorsement.

________________________________________
Dear Members of the GBC Executive Committee,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The Euro-GBC, at its meeting on Monday, September 26, discussed the plight of the German and French yatras. The European Leaders Meeting, held for three days prior to our own meeting, also paid a great deal of attention to these problems. We all concluded that it is the priority of ISKCON Europe to put these two yatras on the path to recovery. By "recovery" we mean the re-establishment of healthy, thriving devotee communities engaged in the preaching activities ordained by Srila Prabhupada in these two countries.

Considering the present conditions of the German and especially the French yatra, bringing about such a turnaround requires more than platitudes, blessings, or even requests. It also requires more than band-aid solutions or minimal contributions. It requires focus, sacrifice, and selflessness. It requires the authoritative stance that we believe Srila Prabhupada would take, or would have taken long ago - doing the needful. For the GBC-EC and the GBC body, "authoritative stance" means to decisively and bravely wield its mandate as the ultimate managerial authority for ISKCON. What does this mean?

It means that at present the GBC Executive Body, and later this year the GBC body, order members of ISKCON, and European temples and yatras, to unconditionally cooperate with this worthy effort.

What are examples of that co-operation?

From the period of Gaura Purnima 2006 to Gaura Purnima 2007:

a) Sivarama Swami stays in Paris for the entire year to co-ordinate the development of preaching. He will be a co-GBC of France for that year.
b) Indradyumna Swami brings the Festival Tour to travel between France and Germany for the entire year.
c) Kadamba Kanana Swami come to France for the year.
d) Parama Gati Swami not leave France for the whole year.
e) Mahadyuti dasa come to Paris to preach for the full year.
f) The UK yatra, including Scotland, make available €500,000 euros forthe development of Germany and France.
g) NE BBT write off Germany's bad debt completely, rather than half of it, as already agreed.
h) Praghosa dasa comes to Paris and help set up and run a restaurant, partly financed by 10,000 euros from the Dublin restaurants.
i) Merudevi, Krsna Lila, and Mahaprabhu set up a communications office in Paris and work there. They will also help coordinate Germany's communications.
j) Ten ISKCON sannyasis, of our choice, stay full time in France and Germany to preach.
k) Gauri dasa moves to New Mayapura for one year
l) Kripamoya dasa helps set up a congregational network in France.
m) Danavir Goswami comes to France and Germany to do harinama and recruiting.

These are some of our ideas. They are not yet rock-solid or formulated into a comprehensive plan, but they give you an idea of what we want.

We will hold an emergency three-day meeting of the Euro-GBC and all concerned devotees in Abentheuer, Germany, on November 13th-15th. At that time, we will develop a full strategy concerning the required manpower and money.

We, the Euro GBC, see this effort as our primary service for the upcoming year. While the situations in Germany and France are nightmares, recently there have been some positive signs: A donor has just promised €200,000 euros for France, and last week a UK patron member agreed to give Germany a loan of £150,000 pounds.

However, for us this is an all-or-nothing program. All devotees must be ordered to take part, putting aside all other projects, and give their full time - not part time - to this effort. Similarly, all yatras must also cooperate. Of course, there may be some valid exceptions and very exceptional circumstances to exempt devotees from such unconditional surrender. In any case, this is an opportunity for the leaders of Europe and the GBC body to act decisively and selflessly. By so doing they will gain the confidence of the devotees, and they will get Srila Prabhupada's blessings. Indeed, such action will usher in a new era of cooperation and empowerment in ISKCON worldwide.

We await your full empowerment of our mission.

Your servants,

On behalf of the Euro-GBC: Sivarama Swami, Smita Krishna Swami, Paramgati Swami, Ravindra Swarupa dasa, Tapas dasa, Mahadyuti dasa, Dina Sharana dasi, Sri Prahlada dasa, Narakriti dasa, Hanuman dasa, Merudevi dasi, and Praghosa dasa.
________________________________________

2005/II-102 Euro Judiciary Panel

[Action Order]
Narakrti dasa will liaise with Sita-Rama dasa about heading the Judiciary Panel. Praghosa dasa assembled a list of volunteers at the end of the ELM meeting:
Bhaktin Helen - Germany
Caitanya Candra dasa - Denmark
Citrarupini devi dasi - Italy
Dina Sharana devi dasi - Germany
Gopaswami dasa - France
Parividha dasa - Holland
Tapas dasa - Sweden
Vasudeva dasa - Holland
Manohara dasa - Belgium (considering)
Smita Krsna Swami - Sweden (considering)
Varnasrama dasa - Czech (considering)
Sitarama dasa - UK (yet to be asked)
Vipula dasa - Germany (yet to be asked by Dina Sharana devi dasi)

2005/II-104 Amsterdam - Raghunatha dasa

Raghunatha dasa (BCS) feels that the Netherlands has been colonized by Radhadesh and Hrdaya Caitanya dasa. A meeting failed to resolve the issue; Hrdaya Caitanya dasa is not interested in mediation. An investigative team of two or three is needed.

[Action Order]

The Euro GBC empowers Mahadyuti dasa and Narakriti dasa (and perhaps Pranabandhu dasa) to investigate the conflict between Raghunatha dasa of the Netherlands and the local ISKCON authorities. The investigative team will report to the Euro EC with recommendations.

2005/II-105 GBC for Bosnia

The Bosnian devotees have requested Jayapataka Swami to become their GBC.

[Action Order]

The GBC has asked Jayapataka Swami not to take any more GBC responsibilities; thus the GBC-EC will be in touch with the Bosnian devotees regarding other options. Bir Krishna dasa Goswami will be asked to temporarily be the GBC, since Bosnia is just a few hours' drive from countries for which he is now responsible.

2005/II-106 Co-GBC for Portugal

Radha Govinda dasa in Portugal, on his own and for the second time, has asked for a co-GBC. But his proposal is not taken seriously by local leaders and devotees.

[Statement]

Though the Euro GBC appreciates Radha Govinda dasa's concern for a co-GBC for Portugal, it is not Euro GBC policy to facilitate a request for a co-GBC if it is not supported by a substantial number of local devotees. The Euro GBC feels that the situation in ISKCON Portugal is normal and should be dealt with by the local GBC.

2005/II-107 Election for Euro GBC Executive Committee

[Action Order]

Madhusevita dasa is in Italy, though he is actually supposed to be chairing this meeting. The secretary will draft a letter to him expressing the body's disappointment. Praghosa dasa will send the letter.

[Resolved]

The following Euro EC officers were elected:
Chairman: Sivarama Swami
1st Vice-Chairman: Praghosa dasa
2nd Vice-Chairman: Narakriti dasa
Special Duty Officer: Mahadyuti dasa
Secretary to the Euro GBC Dina Dayala dasa

2005/II-108 Budget for 2005/2006

The budget will remain as it is, though with an increase of five percent.

[Resolved]

The 2005/2006 budget was accepted.

2005/II-109 ELM Budget for 2005/2006

[Statement]

The ELM budget next year (eight hundred euros) will be in the hands of the ELM organizer, not subject to the Executive Committee's approving every expenditure.

2005/II-110 Date and Place of Next Euro GBC meeting

The next Euro GBC meeting will be included in the France-Germany emergency meeting in November. The members should be prepared for additional meetings because of the emergency. These will be scheduled at the meeting in November.

[Statement]

The next Euro GBC meeting will be in Goloka-dhama, Abentheuer, Germany, from the 13th-15th on November.

2005/II-111 The Sankirtana Allianz - Germany

[Action Order]

Mahadyuti dasa will speak to Brahma Muhurta dasa on behalf of the Euro-GBC body, saying that the current situation of encouraging independent distributors is unacceptable. We want to integrate these distributors into the plan for France and Germany and want them to coordinate their activities with the National Councils.

End of meeting.