Announcing 2019 JAINA Convention July 4-7, 2019 in Metropolitan Los Angeles, California

“Celebrating Jain Religion in the 21st Century”

The Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) hosts its biennial convention in a major city of the United States of America, where more than 5,000 Jains gather from across the world. JAINA will be celebrating its 20th Convention on the Fourth of July weekend — from July 4 to 7, 2019. The Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California, located 40 miles east of Los Angeles, is the selected venue for the 2019 JAINA Convention. The members of the Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) and the Jain Temple of Los Angeles are excited to lay the foundation for designing a successful convention.

Convention Convener and First Vice President of JAINA, Mr. Mahesh Wadher of California, proudly announced the start of convention planning with hundreds of volunteers from across the nation offering their contribution. The discussion tracks planned at this Convention will offer attendees a deeper understanding of the Jain principles and values and provide a roadmap for seamlessly integrating them into a daily lifestyle. Youth participation, through JAINA’s affiliate organizations, Young Jains of America (YJA) and Young Jain Professionals (YJP), will be strongly promoted and encouraged. There will be focused programs for all age groups: children (ages 5-12), youth (ages 13-20), Jain Networking Forum (ages 21-29), and adults.

The theme of the 20th JAINA Convention is to explore the Jain Religion – i.e., Jainism or Jain Dharma – in the 21st Century. Jainism is a religion and a way of life for Jains around the world. It originated in India, at least five thousand years ago and where it has its largest number of followers. The primary purpose of JAINA is: to increase awareness of the principles of the Jain Dharma, to unite all Jains, to provide a platform to project the voice of Jains, to promote the feeling of amity and brotherhood among Jains and to encourage interfaith understanding of Jain Dharma. Most discernibly, it has influenced world peace through its message of non-violence and forgiveness. A message which Mahatma Gandhi took to his heart and churned it into a movement named ‘Ahimsa’ [non-violence] for achieving India’s independence from the colonial
rule. Mahatma Gandhi’s adoption and unwavering practice of this very basic tenet of Jainism also influenced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who, followed the same in his quest for equality and civil rights, for minorities in the USA.

[For thousands of years, Jains have believed in meditation, yoga, compassion for animals, vegetarianism, environmentalism, equal rights for women, respect for other cultures and forgiveness, among other virtues. Lord Mahavir, born in 599 BC in Bihar, India, is stated to be the last known perfect Jain soul to have attained “Nirvana”. Jainism emphasizes non-violence by encouraging amity, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity. The three jewels of Jainism are – Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct. It emphasizes the equality of both sexes and respect for all life forms. It encourages kindness and tolerance for multiple points of view, some of which may even appear to be contrary to other. The convention will highlight these topics along with devotion, compassion, and transformation and create opportunities for dialogues on global issues and the role that Jainism can play in mitigating them.]

Public Relations and Media Committee Chairman, Mr. Dipak Doshi of Chicago confirmed that distinguished keynote speakers including President Barack Obama, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, President Bill Clinton, Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijaybhai Rupani and Guru Shri Jaggi Vasudev, have been invited. Yogi Baba Ramdev has also been invited to bless the community with the teaching of Yoga. Further, scholars such as Gurudev Rakeshbhai Jhaveri, Acharya Shree Lokesh Muni, Acharya Chandanaji, Sadvhi Sanghamitraji will grace the convention with their wisdom and showcase the significance of embracing and spreading harmony and peace through our journey of life. The featured highlights of this convention programming will include: six parallel tracks of sessions and discourses led by more than 80 distinguished speakers, exhibits and an expo, and cultural programs comprising of: a musical evening of raas-garba [traditional Indian folk dancing], an entertaining drama, and daily opportunities for yoga and meditation.

Convention Co-Convener, Dr. Jasvant Modi and Dr. Nitin Shah stated that in the coming eight months, more than 300 volunteers will be diligently working to design this convention for success and to make it memorable for every attendee. The convention will make focused efforts on communicating ways to achieve peace and adopt non-violence through personal empowerment as well as by creating vibrations that bring communities together. With the challenges we face every day, renewing our commitment to practicing the essential values of non-violence [Ahimsa], multiplicity of viewpoints [Anekantavada], and non-possessiveness [Aparigraha] will bring a balance in everything we do.

For additional information about this convention, please visit us online at: www.jainaconvention.org

For Further Information, please contact: Mr. Dipak Doshi, Chair of Public Relations and Media Committee of 2019 JAINA Convention at dipakginni@gmail.com or Co-Chairs, Mr. Hemant Shah at hemantil@yahoo.com or Dr. Manoj Jain at mjainmd1@gmail.com.

About JAINA

Founded in 1981, JAINA is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization. JAINA (www.jaina.org) is the umbrella organization of 70+ North American centers / temples in the USA and Canada. Operated by a staff of hundreds of volunteers, it functions as a philanthropic, educational, and service-focused organization. JAINA is certified by USAID as a non-governmental humanitarian organization and was awarded Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in 2006. Its member Jain Centers routinely organize free wellness clinics, hold classes on healthy lifestyles, conflictresolution, inter-cultural dialogues, volunteering at animal shelters, food banks and homeless shelters, and partnering with civic groups such as Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society, Rotary, Lions and Boy/Girl Scouts. JAINA partners globally with humanitarian organizations to render disaster relief, medical aid, polio eradication, restorative limb camps, as well as organizing annual Legislative Conferences on Peace, Harmony and Non-Violence on Capitol Hill.

About JAINISM

For thousands of years, Jains have believed in meditation, yoga, compassion for animals, vegetarianism, environmentalism, equal rights for women, respect for other cultures and forgiveness, among other virtues. Lord Mahavir, born in 599 BC in Bihar, India, is stated to be the last known perfect Jain soul to have attained “Nirvana”. Jainism emphasizes non-violence by encouraging amity, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity. The three jewels of Jainism are – Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct. It emphasizes the equality of both sexes and respect for all life forms. It encourages kindness and tolerance for multiple points of view, some of which may even appear to be contrary to other. The convention will highlight these topics along with devotion, compassion, and transformation and create opportunities for dialogues on global issues and the role that Jainism can play in mitigating them.