ISKCON Youth Forum (IYF):
IYF has been preaching to youth community in and around Kolkata since 2001 and hundreds of students have participated in different courses. It also has local centers close to the various colleges and companies for offering the systematic spiritual training program to empower the modern youth. These local centers near the colleges are called VOICE (Vedic Oasis for Inspira
tion, Culture & Education) centers. VOICE (Vedic Oasis for Inspiration, Culture & Education):
VOICE represents ‘Spiritual Sound of Vedas’, Shabda Brahma’ or ‘Voicing concern’. For a sincere human being to live a life of pure principles is a great challenge. The ‘Vedic Oasis’ conveys the idea that it is ‘life-giving’ center in a stress –ridden fast-paced rat race society’ that is like a desert. Thus VOICE will provide a facility like an Oasis in the middle of desert to keep oneself surcharged in remembrance of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna always. The inspiration is spiritual inspiration to practice devotion to God with full enthusiasm. The motto of VOICE is ‘Rekindling Wisdom, Reviving Love’. Intellectual education influences the head and value – based education influences the heart. In fact, education that does not train the heart can be dangerous. If we want to build character in our offices, homes and society, we must have the wisdom to live a principle – centered life based on honesty, compassion, courage, responsibility etc. The goal of VOICE is to rekindle the innate wisdom about meaning and purpose of life. Community, security, protection, sharing, care and concern for one another – all these are possible only when people learn to lead a selfless God – centered life. Such a life awakens the dormant love in our hearts that manifests as respect for elders, compassion for youngers, friendliness towards equals and surrender to the laws of God that matures as love for God and towards all.
