Introduction to the Gurukul Conference, Taiwan
July 13-17, 2018
After women, teenagers consist of the second most vulnerable group in society with regards to violence. It is also the most challenged group with regards to suicide and mental health issues. In fact, suicide in many countries is one of the top three causes of deaths among youths below 21. And yet, as the recent events in America have shown with the March for Life movement, it is the dynamism of youth that can spur a society forward towards a more human and compassionate society. At this conference we want to encourage all participants to consider starting activities for adolescents to encourage them for such a role of change and hope based on Neohumanist values.
The Role of Youth
The nature of life is to change and to grow. Where there is no change, it is just like the condition of death. In all living structures, the young are resilient and open to change. If a limb of a child is broken, it heals quickly. If a child is mentally wounded, he or she soon recovers. When new ideas and technology come forward, it is the young minds that can grasp them. The old become fossilized. To move the old is an effort; for the old to adapt to change is difficult.
Our world needs a great change in order to move forward and progress. A new order, a new wave, will have to take the place of the old to remedy all the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual ills of the world. As the vanguard of this new movement, the youth are indispensable. It is the youth, and the youth only, who have the vigor to bring about the necessary change. It is the youth who have the resilience to change and adapt and implement the vision of a new society. Without this vision, without the youth, the world will continue in the morass of suffering, injustice and exploitation that is our present social condition. It is the youth of the world only who can help bring about the new world order and the vision of a new humanity.
Shrii P. R. Sarkar
Yolande Koning is also a key note speaker and will present on the “Development of Children for Future Challenges”. Founder and Director of Zonnelicht in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, with 340 children between 0 and 12 years of age, she also founded, and is training teachers in NHE at, Lotus Centre which is a training centre for educational renewal.
Conference Program
In this conference we offer different topics on the first two days, related to adolescents and their development:
- Some dealing with Neohumanist core principles: Yoga and Biopsychology, Meditation and Moral Concepts for Teenagers.
- Extending compassion with regards to nature study, social activism (PROUT), art and service.
- We also have included workshops for special needs education, the ecology of joy and the STUVOL model we apply currently in S.E. Asia.
On the third day we focus more on the development of Neohumanist activities for teenagers. How to start STUVOL activities, how to support and reinforce each other (Neohumanist Network) and ways to develop the skills for managing youth activities.
The overall aim of the conference is to stimulate an ongoing spirit of STUVOL activities around the world. Even though today we are in the mountains on a small tiny ‘green island’, we are not alone: the world, nay, the universe is watching to develop the spirit of universal love in all aspects of life.