Purpose and significance:
As a pure spirit soul, everyone naturally deserves absolute happiness and a comfortable life. But as a result of the recent unhealthy and extremely competitive lifestyle, people, especially the young, have been plunged into various misdeeds and frustrations. Mischievous activities, committed by young, have been occurred at a high rate, is easily conceivable now a day through the daily newspaper. This sad situation has been arisen due to persuading modern society and imitating western world. To distribute a healthy and meaningful lifestyle among the youth, the ‘Youth Forum’ performs the following rewarding tasks:
- Keeping body and soul healthy
- Making students’ institutional knowledge meaningful
- grooming the young generation as the main asset of society.
University Programs:
Spiritual awareness and message of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita (As it is) are now synonymous with the Youth Forum (IYF).
IYF has been developed in response to hundreds of thousands of students of colleges and universities of the country including Dhaka (BUET, Dhaka Medical College, DUET, Dhaka University, Jagannath University, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Titumir College, Bangla College, etc.), Chittagong (Chattogram Medical College, CUET, Chittagong University, Veterinary University, Polytechnic University and Polytechnic), Sylhet (Sylhet Medical College, Shahjalal University, etc.) Comilla (Comilla Victoria College, Comilla Polytechnic, other distinguished Colleges) Barisal, Khulna, Habiganj, Rajshahi and Noakhali. Its adopted programs help students to develop a constructive vision and have a leading role in the development of the country and the nation. For this purpose, the students are trained individually and collectively in the spirit of Krishna consciousness.
Weekly Camp:
On a scheduled day of each week (usually Thursday night), students arrive at the temple and receive specific guidance for progress in spiritual life through participation in various devotional activities in the temple, religious classes, association with devotees, etc.
Monthly Motivational (Prerona) Festival:
At the monthly motivation festival, ISKCON youth forums and students discuss contemporary social issues and youth issues and encourage them to work out ways to overcome them. The present generation of young people is fascinated by the glazing western cultures and they will be attracted towards spiritual practices once they are encouraged and be witness the action of Krishna consciousness. So this motivating festival provides the youth a golden opportunity to see a complete package and enlightenment to the youth to have Krishna conscious spirit.
Annual Youth Conference:
ISKCON Youth Festival’, participated by the ISKCON leaders like the representative of GBC, IYF-India, is organized for 2 to 3 days each year. Students from different colleges, Universities, are participated actively in this program, enjoy different seminars, Srimad Bhagavad Gita discourses, Vedic dances, religious quizzes, thematic lectures, Hare Krishna bands and finally, certificates and awards are distributed amongst the winner.
Seminars:
Seasonal seminars are organized on topics, related to youth community like “Art of mind control, getting the eyes to see God, Power of Association, Overcoming Fear, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People, Overcoming Depression, Stress Management, Public Speaking etc, are based on basic spiritual concepts and Truth theory tested in scientific ways. At the same time, through slideshow, video presentation, interdisciplinary and systematic programs, IYF ensures proper knowledge based on Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (As it is) and its proper application in daily life, essential in creating the eternal roadmap of individual life.
Six-day course:
This course is called Discover Your self course. This spiritual science-based course discusses the answers to basic questions like life, the existence of God, the soul, the meaningful life and so on.
Session 1: The Mysterious Universe Behind the Mastermind
Session 2: Access the Truth Beyond Four Defects
Session 3: Practical Vedic Solutions to Problems of Life
Session 4: Science of Soul
Session 5: Substance and Shadow
Session 6: If God is one, why so many religion
Training for youths such as personality-development, character-buildup, public-speaking, leadership and management, discipline course are also conducted. Furthermore, there are training programs for the development of devotional merit such as bhajan, gentle learning, cooking, worship education, etc.
Travel:
After the annual conference, members of the IYF organize a tour to different spiritually important places like Pundarikdham, Cox’s Bazar, Sitakunda, Sylhet, Dhaka, Kolkata, Mayapur, Jagannathpuri, etc. Senior Vaisnavas coming from India and people related to ISKCON Youth Forum have a nice tour together. As a result, the members get the opportunity to acquire Vedic knowledge including observation of the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna from very close to nature.
Voice (VOICE):
Vedic Oasis of Inspiration of Culture and Education is a residential institution where students can develop discipline, practice of noble qualities, develop spiritual activities and consciousness.
One of the purposes of the voice is to lead a spiritual life as well as to improve worldly education, thus to lead a balanced life. Here, the devotees, know the philosophy of Krishna-consciousness deeply, observe the rules of devotion, and are careful to improve their respective studies.
Contact:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
Swamibagh Ashram, 79, Swamibagh Road, Dhaka-1100
Updated: 24th December, 2021