For five days, more than 175 youth from across North, South and Central America met to explore how collective, global peace begins with inner peace for each person. The gathering was for AYUDH Americas’ sixth annual youth summit—the Ripple Effect 2019. Youth from different walks of life, be it students to young professionals, learned to harness inner strength, self-love and awareness as the first steps in achieving a harmonious community.
VIDEO: Saukhyam means happiness and well-being in Sanskrit. We chose that name for our reusable pad project because we believe menstruation has been undervalued and ignored for too long. Women give birth to every human being and menstruation makes that cycle possible. When you switch to reusable pads, you are respecting the environment, celebrating the life cycle and honoring your place in it.
Three hundred young people from all over Europe participated in the 15th annual AYUDH Europe Youth Summit. The week-long gathering in Germany focused on the theme of Celebrating Diversity. This included exploring ideas around diversity in cultures and communities, diversity in our world’s biosphere and environment, and diversity within our own emotions and personal identities.
VIDEO: The Amrita Institute for Differently Abled is dedicated to providing an education to children with intellectual disabilities that will help them live independent and dignified lives. The students include children with Down’s Syndrome, epilepsy, autism and developmental issues. The therapy is based on teaching daily life skills so that as adults, the students will be able to function as independently as possible.
The Mata Amritanandamayi Math will give ₹100,000 to families who have lost a member in monsoon flooding hitting the state again this year. Amma said that her heart goes out to those families who have lost their loved ones and that we all need to reach out to those in need with compassion and service. As well, the Math set up relief camps in flooded areas, an emergency phone line, and an app to connect flood victims with essential services.
VIDEO: Vast organic gardens and nature sanctuaries are now flourishing upon what used to be barren land in Amritapuri. Because the fields were built over swamp filled with sand and red clay, neighbours warned it was unlikely anything could grow. But the perseverance of a few people dedicated to reviving the land has now resulted in these beautiful habitats.
India’s University Grants Commission has named Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as one of 20 universities in its prestigious “Institutions of Eminence” list. Meanwhile at the end of July, the sixth campus opened just outside Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The location offers students an array of engineering programs and is a Wi-Fi enabled campus that combines human interaction with emerging technological communications.
Hundreds of people gathered to plant more than 100,000 seed balls in the Rajokri and Ghitorni forest areas. According to the World Health Organization, Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world. AYUDH, our youth wing, organized the planting drive as a way to take action for the city’s pollution problem, as well as honor World Nature Conservation Day.
Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri gave the keynote address at AYUDH Europe’s 2019 Youth Summit. In his speech, Swamiji emphasized the need for people to be open to “emotional diversity” across its entire spectrum. He explained that all emotions, good and bad, are tools or skills that can be used to elevate ourselves. They are like rungs of a ladder. Use them intelligently and step-by-step you can increase your level of happiness.
During Amma’s Chicago programs, US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi honored Amma for her humanitarian initiatives and conservation efforts across the globe. He especially emphasized her work to build bridges of love, peace and understanding not only to the people of India, but to all nations.