Delegates From 32 Countries To Participate In Arya Samaj Convention In Delhi

National capital New Delhi will be playing host to the four-day-long 11th global Arya Samaj convention between 25 and 28 October.

The global convention will be inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rohini Jayanti Park, Rohini, Delhi, and will be attended by eminent representatives from 32 countries, including from Pakistan and Bangladesh, governors and chief ministers of several states and several Union Cabinet ministers, besides other dignitaries from various walks of life.

Apart from host India, the other countries that will be represented at the event include the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia,, Canada, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, The Netherlands, Guyana, Trinidad, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Mauritius, Armenia, France, Germany, Japan and Jamaica.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest on October 28, the final day.

Apart from Rajnath Singh, other prominent personalities attending the event include Dharam Pal (He will deliver the welcome address), Alok Kumar, Vijender Gupta (BJP Delhi unit president), senior RSS leaders Inderesh Kumar and Krishan Gopalji, Devratt Acharya (Governor of Himachal Pradesh), Ganga Prasad (Governor of Sikkim), Satyapal Singh (Minister of State, HRD), Sumedh Anand Saraswati (Member of Parliament from Sikar, Rajasthan), Sudanshu Trivedi (General Secretary of the BJP), Arvind Kejriwal (Chief Minister of Delhi), Meenakshi Lekhi (Member of Parliament, New Delhi), Yoganand Shastri (Former Delhi Government Minister), Acharya Balakrishna (MD, Patanjali Group), Rakesh Thukral and others.

Organised by the Sarvdeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha (SAPS), this global convention will see personalities affiliated to the Arya Samaj expressing their points of view on a host of socially relevant issues to the country such as the divisiveness prevailing within the Hindu community in the name of class and caste, or in the name of socially underprivileged and backward sections and movements like the Dalit ( a class of people subjected to untouchability; people who have been declared backward, broken and scattered), Patidar (Gujarat¡¯s agricultural-dominant Kanbi community) and Gurjar (a pastoral agricultural ethnic group with populations in India, Pakistan and northeastern Afghanistan).

According to SAPS, the main objective is to spread the message of human welfare as originating from the ancient Vedas, promote principles of universal brotherhood, take steps to eradicate discrimination and enmity between various sects and religions, and to make the whole world ¡°Krinvanto Vishvamaryam¡± i.e. ¡°Noble¡±.

Participants and followers would also be given the opportunity to broadly exchange ideas and experiences, and share various aspects of Vedic thought.

Other issues likely to be raised and deliberated upon during this globally significant event will be the importance of environmental conservation and to develop an action plan to stop the devaluation of the family and ensure the safeguarding of social morals.

During the course of the four-day event, a Yagna (religious sacrifice or offering) will also be organised and attended by at least 10,000 Arya Samaj followers.

Previously, ten International Arya Mahasamelans (IAMS) have been held between 2006 and 2017 in various parts of the world. There was a gap of three years between the fifth and sixth IAMS i.e. between 2010 and 2013.

This year¡¯s IAMS will be held in 16 halls and will dwell, teach and demonstrate advanced technologies, innovative methodologies like social media and information technology platforms, discourses on the Vedic scriptures, training in Yoga and meditation, historical aspects of the Vedas, the life, times and teachings of Arya Samaj founder Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, discourses on the dangers of addiction, non-vegetarianism, slaughter of animals, cow slaughter, significant aspects of various languages, lessons about historical and revolutionary figures and a laser show to redefine, rejuvenate and groom the present generation of Arya Samajis to lead and guide the world to a better tomorrow.

The Arya Samaj was founded by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati more than a century-and-a-half ago. Today, the movement has a presence in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia,, Canada, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, The Netherlands, Guyana, Trinidad, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Mauritius, Armenia etc.