| Events & Activities |
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Additionally, in coordination with HSC’s Global Hindu Youth Activities Network (GHYAN), a Global Freedom Prayer Meet will be held at midnight (Indian Standard Time) August 15, 1997 in campuses, temples, and community centers around the world to salute Mother India and to pray for freedom, peace, and prosperity of India and the world. The prayer meets will pay tribute to the great freedom fighters and to the innocent millions who suffered and lost their lives with dignity trying to win freedom for India.
As part of Freedom Festival 1997, 50 campus seminars of half a day to two days will be held throughout North America throughout the year. The seminars will include presentations by scholars and students, discussions, exhibits, and cultural programs. They will provide a great opportunity to learn more about the achievements, trials, and tribulations of the people of India. Speakers will include community leaders, scholars, religious leaders, and civic and political leaders of the US and India.
Regional conferences of 1-2 days length will be held in 10 major metropolitan areas across the US and Canada to bring together people from various walks of life to celebrate life and liberty. The conferences will invite more prominent speakers than the campus seminars and will seek to draw many more people including much of the community, The regional conferences may be held in Detroit, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York, Boston, and Toronto.
At the campus seminars and regional conferences, HSC will have art exhibitions and multi-media presentations called "India Darshan." India Darshan will seek to show the history, culture, arts, contributions of India to the world, and the contemporary state of the nation to people, It will also attempt to portray the long struggle Indians had to go through to preserve their life and culture from the hands of foreign invaders, and the courage Indians showed against all odds and the sacrifices they made to obtain freedom from oppression and slavery. As one of the oldest living civilizations, India is rich in traditions and natural beauty. Indians have made great advances and contributions in various fields such as science, mathematics, astrology, astronomy, philosophy, arts, language, architecture, medicine, and yoga. India Darshan will show all that.
Freedom Festival 1997 will include programs to reach out to the younger youth as well. HSC workers and members will visit local high schools and talk and India, trying to remove misconceptions that students may have. North American essay and art competitions will be held for elementary, middle, and high school youth on the themes of Freedom Festival 1997, and prizes will be awarded to outstanding entries.
Additionally, campuses may have regular study centers, surveys and opinion polls may be conducted, and public and school libraries will be provided books and book lists that portray India in a positive light. HSC will work closely with other organizations that have similar interests, the media, the Indian government, and community leaders.
HSC invites everyone to participate in the celebrations of Freedom Festival 1997. Let us collectively and individually rejoice in our freedom. Let us come together and offer our time, energy, and mind for a better future for us and the world. Let us salute all those who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
HSC is an international forum for the promotion of Hindu culture and heritage.
For more information about Freedom Festival 1997, please write to Freedom Festival 1997 Committee, P.O. Box 9185, Boston, MA 02114 USA. Phone (617) 742-7193, fax (617) 444-8725, or email ff97@freeindia.org HSC will also announce a web site dedicate to India's Freedom Movement and history soon.
