All Glories to Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara
All Glories to Sri Sri Gaura Nitay
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Please Dear Gurudev, accept my humble obeisances
First of all, this report with questions about the congress ends huge. I know that is no the idea, but, i'm sure that with your always essential answers we can do a service much better and we don't bother you too much after this.
·After your last reply we have had two god brothers meetings and the followers news came from it.
· The devotees here are very enthusiastic with the idea to manage this symposia. So, according with our talking with Param Padam and you, the final date for the “I Latin American Congress on Education in ISKCON” is Friday 30th January to Sunday 1st ,ie, your last weekend in Chile.
The updates now:
1) Name and Generals Points
Just for the time I thought quickly in a slogan to accompany the title, and even put the slogan larger than the original title, namely, I Latin American Congress on Education in ISKCON, and is:
“Experiencias y Propuestas en el arte de cultivar el espíritu.”
We thought that this slogan may help to give a general guideline due is the first congress, so in that way we can at least, guide this international meeting, first of all, to the details about what`s really happening right now on the education in ISKCON in this far region of the world, sharing experiences and according these experiences; what is the general proposal for improve, and everything and always in a unity spirit.
But, now I think that it could be a little ambiguous, not too much tangible. So, what do you think about the slogan idea?, Maybe you can propose other one.
HpS - ASA --- AGTSP! O.K. Date is on our Calendar. What about ISKCON and Education: The Oldest Educational System in the World, Meets the Newest Educational Challenges in America.
2) Financial Issues:
Due the enthusiasm of devotees like Priyasakhi, Sri Pati, Raga Sindhu and others, arise different good ideas to get money for bring here the suitable exhibitors and lecturers. For examples, music concert, festival, prasadam, and even, caps and t-shirts. Actually, Raga Sindhu did a budget already with the tickets of the speakers, is more or less USD 3000.
On the other hand, i'm curious with one sentence of your last reply to me: “We can even get outside participation and sponsors because Education in ISKCON is a Premier Program for Global Perspectives in Education..” With outside participation you are referring to other devotees communities or to non-devotees institutions, like enterprises and foundations???? Premier Program for Global perspectives in Education... “in the world”, you say? Excuse me gurudev, I did'n understand that part. But, I agree with the idea to get sponsors.
HpS - ASA - I am not sure exactly what I meant, but as we develop we could ask people like the GBC to suggest sponsors for some of the expenses. In Texas we charged $50 for each participant and gave Becas, Scholarships for poor people.
Finally, in relation with this point. We could see the fees in the North American Symoposio (NAS) were $51, so, our question is: We should reply this system; to ask fees and give a CD with all conferences?. May be $40 here. My other question: Is the same price to the tele-conference participants, international visitors and local devotees? The prasada were included?
HpS - ASA - Aaaah! We are thinking the same way. Prasadam and accomodations were separate, so teleconference and gross presence were the same fees.
3) Speakers:
[Suggestions withheld until they are contacted]
In relation to speakers we have some proposals and questions:
The titles and topics of their conferences should be suggest by us or is their decision?
Is possible to have for this Congress some of the speakers from the last NAS in Houston? With Ambarish we talked that there is a special interest in Urmila, and his [her] experience with school children. Is possible that she can visit Chile in that time?. Or Sesa Prabhu or Prana das?
Also, i'm starting a contact with IES (Iskcon Educational Services ies.iskcon.org) from London to other teleconference if is possible. They have a experience in formal education but, maybe the devotees from Canada also can.
What is your opinion, considering that the topics will cover all educational level, pre-school, et al, to Invite some leader in Education from the Adventist church, famous here for their vegetarianism and to win the chorus contests and other arts. In just one presentation we can know more deeply their success experience (www.educacionadventista.cl) and some of the legal issues to install a school here.
Other Points
In relation with your question: Also, so many people can attend if it is done well by tele-conferencing. Are you familiar with that in Santiago? Honestly, we are not familiar with tele-conference system here. Just webex thank Param Padam and you, Starmeeting thank you, and the new and improved hangouts from Google, and a little ustream. Is just that.
I designed two ads. One of them is for webs, lika a banner to put in iskcondesiretree webpage, and other local ISKCON websides. The other one is bigger and include the faces of some speakers. (I'm sending the last one poster to your mail now because like I told you, we don't want post publicly the names and either pictures of the speakers yet. Also, I will send in that mail a tentative general program).
Mainly the publicity of this event will be on internet but we are thinking other methods like to send physical invitations to the congregations from other temples in the region.
Excuse us guru maharaj for our over dependence of you, clearly we are a third class of disciple :'( .
Finally, and on complete other hand: in relation with the external programs (between 26-29 january). It will be two, and our dear and kind Rodrigo is responsible. We had a good interchange of ideas and information in the last meeting, the last sunday. But we will notify you about that after this Congress issues.
Thank you very much for your patience, time and attention.
My eternal reverences to you dear gurudev,
Jagad Guru Das
HpS - AGTSP paoho. How is the Brother/Godbrother. San Carlos????
From our Experience in doing this with BSDamodara Swami, BI et al.
1. Make a formal Organizing Committee. I nominate you as the Working Chairman and local GBC as Honorary Chairman.
2. Get a responsible Communications Secretary that you can work with.
3. Get a Treasurer.
4. Get and Advisory Board. I recommend us, Param-padam and anyone else who agrees to help.
5. I would focus on the theme of a) Identifying who "we" are and "what are our personal passions in education", b) How we can communicate effectively eg. letters, blogs, web-page, periodicals, meetings and c) make a calendar for planning a better meeting next year.
We only have a little time for this first event, so we should only try to do a little: Meet each other, make ways to effectively communicate. Plan the next meeting with more details.
Friday evening - Reception. Get to know each other.
Saturday morning - lectures
Saturday Afternoon- Workshops
Saturday Evening - Entertainment
Sunday morning - Closure. This is one model.
We can present "Philosophy of Education: Basic Goals and Methods".
Have summary of local, regional and international education realities in ISKCON.
If outside people want to come or are needed then O.K. Other wise, next time.
Next time Thurday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
Is O.K?
In Peru Laksmana agraja Das is President of NIMSAR and Candramukhi Devi Dasi is very active. Patraka Das can get you in touch with both of them.
You need three major presenters and three workshop leaders and many people who can make short, 5-minute presentations and ask questions. Record it well. Edit it a little bit, get it out and start planning next year.
