Dialogue on "Culture, Philathropy & Hamonious Society: Past, Present and Future" in Kiev, Ukraine

5 March 2015

14 January, 2015 in Kiev, Ukraine, in the conference-hall of the Taras Shevchenko National Museum a dialogue on ‘Culture, Philanthropy and Harmonious  Society: Past, Present and Future' took place on the initiative of NGO the Social and Cultural Centre, founded by Brahma Kumaris students, Kiev. The participants touched upon imperishable values of culture; there was an attempt to analyze the present situation in Ukraine, to find the reasons for the decline and the ways of developing culture in general. The moderator of the meeting was Nikita Vasilenko, professor, College of Journalism of the Shevchenko Kiev State University, and the facilitator was Olga Baidarova, professor of the faculty of psychology of the Shevchenko Kiev State University. B.K.Sudha R.Gupta, Director General of the Centre of Spiritual Development, Brahma Kumaris, Moscow, was the guest of honour of the meeting. 

Among the participants of the dialogue there were: Oksana Melnichuk, consultant to the Director of the State Strategic Research Institute by the President of Ukraine; Anatoliy Kusch, sculptor, national artist of Ukraine, member of the State Academy of Arts of Ukraine, author of the Monument of the Independence of Ukraine; Natalia Shulga, Chairwoman of the Commission of the Kiev Municipal Council on Education, Science and Innovation Policy; Dmitriy Stus, Director General of the Taras Shevchenko National Museum; Lyudmila Uskova, Director of the Institute of Psychoanalysis Development; Otto Stoika, Chief doctor of the Kiev Health Centre, nominee of the rating Top-100 of the Ukrainian medicine; Zhanna Savrilova, Rector of the University of the Third Generation; Igor Alekseenko, Director of the Naukova Dumka Publishing House; Alexandr Afonin, President of the Association of publishers; Darya Bondarenko, programme director of the International Centre of Development and Leadership; Svetlana Zinevich, Deputy Director of the Centre of German culture "Widerstrahl"; cultural figures, representatives of NGOs and art professionals.

The speech of B.K.Sudha R.Gupta was the key one and was cited by many speakers. Speaking about spirituality in culture she said: ‘Thinking of the past, I do not only mean the past described in schoolbooks, but even the more distant past that has no reference in any historical document. But it is mentioned in myths and legends of all cultures of the world. It was time when a divine culture existed; people understood each other at a glance and words were unnecessary. As it was culture of purity based on mutual love and respect, at that time charity was not needed. Then there was past we know from textbooks; the culture of words and exchange. Later it turned into the culture of ‘if you give me, I'll give you'. Today it seems the culture has become devilish. This is the culture of senseless words, vulgar language and mutual accusations, the culture of division and competition, the urge to get everything just for the self. But the night cannot last forever and now it is time to awake our dormant divinity. That is why we gathered here, because everyone should take this responsibility'.

Rostislav Lukach, ex-president of the Rotary club, Kiev, noticed: ‘Everywhere people want justice and love, both in business and in State organizations. As Ms.Sudha said we should come back to our original values and faith. If we considered any person as our brother on the Earth, everything would be different'. 

For many speakers culture is associated with freedom. Andrey Khalpakhchi, Director of the Youth Film Festival, said that culture is the freedom to speak the truth, and Zoya Garkavenko, Director of the Centre of Social Technologies underlined: ‘For me freedom means ‘no fear'. Why we are aggressive and divide – because we have fear, because we are dependent. I think all we have said leads us to one word our guest Ms. Sudha was speaking about and that is harmony. Harmony can only be when we are different but have no fear. And the responsibility means to look at the self, to what I can do'. Anatoliy Shengait, Director of the Kiev Jewish Community said: ‘People are free when they acknowledge the authority of the Supreme. To bring up a person who would had a free personality is the main task of any culture.' 

Vladimir Spivakovskiy, President of Grand Corporation, a writer and a pedagogue-innovator, as well as Galina Kozlova, Director of the Kiev Family Centre, said that culture should be not past-oriented, but directed towards future and to raise the level of culture we have to increase the level of spirituality.

The outcome of the dialogue was summed up:

1. Now it is time to change. The time of barricades gave its way to the time of spiritual self-awareness.

2. No superficial reforms can please today's society; they will not lead to real achievements in social and cultural sphere.

3. Real deep changes require time, but it is not time of expectations, but of investments in future.

The meeting ended in performance by the folk band Roksolania of the Centre of Folklore and Ethnography from the Shevchenko Institute of Philology.

click here for detailed report in Russian language.

 

 

BK Letchu Manan of Malaysia Visits Ulan-Bator, Mongolia, 12 January 2015

20 Febuary 2015

Brahma Kumaris Centre in Mongolia is back up and running again after two years. BK Inna Kim from Moscow came to Ulan-Bator and BK Letchu Manan, Director General of the Department of Biosafety of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Malaysia, President and National coordinator of Brahma Kumaris in Malaysia visited the capital of Mongolia.

BK Letchu took part in the conference held by Mongolian Government. He also had a meeting with guests of Brahma Kumaris Centre. An expert in public speeches, BK Letchu Manan travels a lot, carrying programs on positive thinking, personal growth, self-respect, etc. He has simple personality and wonderful sense of humor. His open heart and well-wishing attitude immediately win hearts and create trust.

Nowadays peoples are in the state of stress, depression and uncontrolled emotions. 28 visitors came to Brahma Kumaris Centre for the lecture on "How to control emotions". There was not enough room, so younger guests were sitting on cushions and mats on the floor. Waiting for BK Letchu, guests became familiar with Brahma Kumaris activities and got the knowledge about soul. So when Letchubhai came in and bid welcome to everyone by saying "Om Shanti", all together replied with "Om Shanti" too. There was a feeling that it was just a friendly conversation with questions and answers, laughter and cheers.

In the end of the meeting participants received blessing cards and sweets. Warm Mongolian slippers were presented to Letchubhai, and he immediately put the slippers on. All guests where invited for three- days course of Raja Yoga meditation.

Just Look Skywards and Others will do the Same! - Launching of "7 Billions Acts of Goodness" in Belarus, 1 February, 2015

4 Febuary 2015

The Brahma Kumaris International Initiative "7 Billions Acts of Goodness" has come to Minsk, the capital of the Republic of Belarus. At the launching ceremony held in the conference hall of the "Belarus" hotel, the audience was greeted by Mr. Manoj Bharti, Ambassador of India to Belarus. "I extend my best wishes to this movement of 7 Billions Acts of Goodness. The initiative offers practical and emotional logic of why to do good and how to do good", he said. "The essence of spiritual effort is to get power to do good actions without getting attached to them. When we perform an act of goodness, we should firmly believe that the act has been done through us, and not by us."

BK Santosh, Brahma Kumaris director, St. Petersburg, highlighted the basic philosophical principle behind the project. "In essence, we can say that every one of us is a sentient being made of goodness and for goodness. Goodness is our internal and eternal nature. Meditation is all about reminding myself of this truth by means of which it becomes easy for me to exercise the attitude of gratitude, sympathy and compassion. It's like tying a knot in order to keep remembering something of utmost importance. This higher awareness becomes a seed from which the Tree of Goodness grows in a very natural way. Just don't stop the wave of goodness in your heart, and you'll be a winner"..... Click here for detailed report and photos.

 

 

 

Festival in honor of the winners of The Third International Contest ‘Fairy-Tales of a Beautiful Heart: Life as Wonder'

26 January 2015

The Third International Contest of children's creative works ‘The Fairy-tales of a Beautiful Heart' was held under the aegis of the UN Commission of the Russian Federation. Thousands of children from 48 regions of Russia and 8 countries took part in the contest. During the whole year, the children were making up stories, writing essays, creating wonderful illustrations for fairy-tales. As a sign of finishing the contest, the Award Ceremony was held at the Centre of Esthetic Education ‘Musseyon' affiliated to the Pushkin State Museum of Arts....

Click below links for detailed report and photos.

Report in English

Report in Russian

 

 

Share Goodness If You Want to Become Richer - Launching the Brahma Kumaris World Initiative "7 Billion Acts of Goodness' in St. Petersburg, Russia

23 January 2015

It seems that the initiative designed "to exponentially increase expressions of benevolence in the world" is truly producing a "ripple effect" spreading across the globe! Starting from the US, India and Malaysia, the project has now reached Russia. It's symbolic that people from all walks of life joined hands in their commitment to lead a life of goodness and inspire many others to do the same. The project was launched in the presence of the special guests:

Pavel Soltan, deputy chairman of St. Petersburg Parliament,

Elena Berezhnaya, Salt Lake City Olympic champion in figure skating,

Ivan Krasko, theatre and movie actor who has starred in more than 100 films,

Father Roman, chief priest of Georgian Orthodox Church in St. Petersburg

and many others.

Official partners of "7 Billions Acts of Goodness" in Russia:

St. Petersburg Charity Organization "Nevsky Angel",

NGO "Information for All"

and the largest Russian bookstore chain "Bookvoed" (information partner).

Highlighting the special feature of the new project, BK Santosh, Brahma Kumaris director in St. Petersburg, said, "Conversation about acts of goodness is not something new. BKs are not the first or the only organization to touch this issue. Thousands of individuals and hundreds of institutions have been engaged in inspiring people to be good and to do good things. So why is the Brahma Kumaris bringing this up now? Because for majority it is not difficult to decide to be good. However only few are able to sustain their decision, and even fewer succeed in doing good things on a permanent basis. So this is where the philosophy of "7 Billions Acts of Goodness" comes in useful. The project is about exploring the significance of regular practice of silence, positive thinking, or meditation. Now and then throughout the day I should make a pause and reinforce the awareness of myself as an innately good, pure and divine being. This awareness will enable me to maintain positive attitude and vision towards myself and others. In this case my very presence will be loved and appreciated by everyone, and it will act as a washing machine removing all the dirt and giving cleanliness and freshness!"....Click below links for detailed report in the respective languages.

Report in English

Report in Russian

 

 

International Seminar on Spirituality in a Multipolar World - Astana, Kazakhstan

16 January 2015

On November 28, 2014, in Astana, Kazakhstan, the international seminar: Spirituality in a Multipolar World: Social Challenges of the Time was held on the premises of the Kazakhs University of Economics, Finances and International trade, within the framework of realization of the Address of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan ‘The Kazakhstan Way - 2050: one goal, one interest, one future'. Participants: Askar Konakbayev, Pro-rector of Kazakh University of Economics, Finances and International trade; Azhar Tulegalieva, Director of the Social Services Department, Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakshtan, Almazbek, Senior expert of Nur Otan party; as well as teaching staff, Graduate students, and students. 

The problems of reviving spirituality and moral values in a family, society, professional activity and training of students were discussed.

Representatives of the Center of Spiritual Development and the BK organizations actively participated during the seminar. Prof. Doctor Roza Abzalova, Director of the Family Health Center Demeu, in Astana gave a speech on the topic ‘Spiritual and moral aspects in the activity of social worker'. Margarita Vladovskaya, Head of Center of Spiritual Development, Novosibirsk, Russia held a class on the subject ‘Self-improvement and self-renewal of the personality in modern society'. Seminar participants filled in questionnaires on values and character traits; and created the ‘Purpose Tree' to achieve optimal results. The seminar concluded with an active exchange of opinions, and wishes in view of another meeting.

Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakshtan, with a population of about one million inhabitants, is a rapidly developing city with ultra-modern architecture, a lot of universities, and features the well-known emblematic monument ‘Bayterek', which means ‘Tree of life'.

 

 

International Applied Sciences Conference "Spirituality, Society, Medicine, Social Challenges" - Karaganda, Kazakhstan - Service news and photos

16 January 2015

December 3, 2014. The International Applied Sciences Conference ‘Spirituality, Society, Medicine, Social Challenges' was organized by Karaganda State Medical University, which gathered professors, scientists, future doctors, representatives from the Assembly of the Kazakhstan people, and specialists from the applied healthcare professions. Prof. Vilen Molotov-Luchanski, Pro-rector Dept of Educational Services, opened the Conference.

Margarita Vladovskaya, Prof. Roza Abzalova and Dinash Autalipova, Head of the Production Center (participant in the Peace of Mind Retreat, 2006) took part in the plenary session. Prof. Abzalova made a speech on ‘Healing power of spirituality in the medical practice of doctors and nurses'. She spoke on the issues of: the patient and doctor's approach to health; personality traits of doctor and patient; the socio-psychological challenges of modern society and their impact on our mind and body; and how promoting false priorities leads to spiritual degradation, and may even cause global cataclysms and disasters.

Representatives of the Center of Spiritual Development and the Brahma Kumaris organizations actively participated in different sections: Margarita Vladovskaya – ‘Role of spirituality in the system of values of the young generation'; Sariya Nazarbayeva, founder of medical company Aigerim, and Chairperson of public fund Bilik Zhikan, Aktobe – ‘Illness as lack of inner peace and harmony'; Elena Kovalyeva, psychologist, Pavlodar – ‘The ‘Kovelanas Method': a comprehensive method for enhancing the interaction of physical exercises and psychological practices'; Zauresh Khasenova, Ph.D. – ‘Experiences from Finland in the practice of nursing'; Prof. Abzalova – ‘Critical thinking and social activity as the basis for a successful practice of nursing'. Each speech emphasized the importance of: aspects of the soul, the law of karma, the role of the Supreme, spiritual values, and different methods for transforming negative into positive. Participants listened very attentively, asked questions and commented on the importance and urgency of spirituality in our world, and the purity and health of the soul. Prof. Roza Abzalova and Sariya Nazarbayeva gave an interview to two TV channels.  

To end the conference, Prof. Dosmagambetova, Rector of the University, expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the input of each participant, presenting them souvenirs and certificates of gratitude.

Karaganda is a big industrial, scientific and cultural center of Kazakhstan; and third biggest city in the country.

Click here for news report in Russian language.