Press release email to 600

We received 600 names from Kulimela in NV, and a further 300 people registered on the old website. We’ve compiled them into a single database (with much overlap), so now I’ve got to email the press release and tell everyone to register on the new site.. It’s a long job because sometimes these things get thrown into the spam box, so I try to keep the numbers down. I’ve even tried sending them all individually in the past, but that takes patience.

Hopefully you receive this, if not, apologies! perhaps it’s in the spam box. Or you’re not on the mailing list yet. Hopefully this is our last transition.

PRESS RELEASE
Dated: 12th December 2007

Dates and Location for Kulimela 2008
Officially Announced

Spread the Word

The Radhadesh Kulimela Organisation Team is excited to officially announce the dates and location for the first mega European Kulimela. Commencing from Thursday 31st July 2008 until Sunday 3rd August 2008, Kulimela 2008 will be hosted at the historic Radhadesh castle in the beautiful Ardennes region of the Belgian countryside.

Kulimela 2008 will bring together the largest ever gathering of European second and third generation Gurukuli and Vaishnava related individuals, families and communities for a four day festival of conferences, seminars, networking, feasting, theatre, music, dancing and sports. In this mood of inspiration and discovery we shall explore the ties that bind us together and how these can be of use in helping us to achieve both our material and spiritual goals in a practical context.

“This festival has the power to unite people with different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences from all over the world and to inspire us all with new ideas and opportunities for being successful in our own lives” stated Bala Keilman, lead organizer for Kulimela 2008. “We have a strong and experienced organization team representing all the major European countries as well as North America, which combined with the fantastic facilities and wonderful atmosphere of Radhadesh will make this one of the largest and most exciting and enjoyable festivals ever seen.”

Kulimela 2008 Radhadesh follows the hugely successful Kulimela 2006 in New Vrindavan, USA, in which over 700 people attended in what was a truly groundbreaking event. This was followed up by local Kulimela themed festivals in Alachua, and Moscow this last Summer, all of which attracted hundreds of attendees and were by all accounts tremendously successful. Next year there will be another mega mela in LA.

For more information on how to participate, please visit our website www.kulimela.com to register your interest to attend, sign-up to or suggest a workshop/presentation or to volunteer your help in the organization of the festival. You will also be able to find more details on the festival fee, accommodation and travel information.

What does ‘Kuli’ refer to?

Originally the term ‘Kuli’ related to those youth who attended a school called ‘Gurukula’ that was part of a traditional Indian Vaishnava movement started by Srila Prabhupada in Western countries. Over the years this term has grown to cover any second and third generation youth related to Srila Prabhupada’s movement although its meaning has grown somewhat ambiguous and unclear. Most of the traditional Gurukula schools have disappeared so younger Kulis don’t have the Gurukula background, whilst many of those ‘original’ Kulis are no longer ‘youth’.

To some extent, this ambiguity has also reflected the uncertainty many Kulis have felt in their relationship with each other and perhaps to a greater extent, the spiritual movement that is behind it all. The Kulimela concept is at heart therefore, an attempt to discover who Kulis are and what we stand for (if anything at all).

In the first Kulimela event held in New Vrindavan, it was proposed that Kuli refers to ‘servant’, following its literal Hindi meaning but in the mood of service and support for one another closer to the Vaishnava tradition. In the Alachua Kulimela, the term Kuli expanded to become an acronym for some of the ideals and goals that might tie us together:

Krishna (Consciousness)
Unity
(Balanced) Lifestyle
Inspiration

Whilst embracing the ideas of both New Vrindavan and Alachua, the exploration continues with the Radhadesh Kulimela, which has a strong emphasis on the inclusion of friends, family and other persons that are related, feel connected or somehow attracted to the Kuli community. The Kuli community must be inclusive, not exclusive. This exploration already began with Moscow Kulimela in 2007, which as well as strongly involving the support and participation of the wider Nama Hatta Vaishnava communities has also created a closer link between Eastern Europe/Russia and the Western Kuli groups.

Los Angeles, Kulimela, on the other hand, which is set for the summer of 2009, intends to explore the roots of Kuli history, the founders of the first Kuli reunions and original Kuli pioneers by celebrating 20 years since the first official Kuli reunion, which was held in LA in 1989.

Our hope is to find a unified purpose, which can respect and promote diversity within unity; one that crosses all political, sectarian and religious divisions, being based on principles of love, service and the search for inner spiritual understanding; and exemplified in our lives through practical and positive actions which benefit our families, friends, communities and society at large. Our strength and thus our success lies in our ability to work with and serve each other, whilst respecting our individual choices and paths.

What is Kulimela?

Kulimela 2008 will be 4 day festival of conferences, seminars, networking, feasting, theatre, music, dancing and sport. We want you to tell us what you would like to see, what you can present or instruct, and what you would like to learn.

We are looking for actors, musicians, dancers, artists, yoga practitioners, doctors, lawyers, producers, temple management, bhaktas, mothers, psychologists, researchers, businessmen, to name just a few. We want to know what you are doing, and how we can help one another.

We have focused the seminar conferences on 4 areas:

* Business & Career

• Arts & Entertainment
  
• Medicine & Health
  
• Spiritual & Community development

You can attend for purely material reasons, or purely spiritual reasons or some balance in between.
Who should come?

Everyone should attend who is or was a youth in Srila Prabhupada’s movement, whether they are religious, ritvik, Iskcon, Narayan Maharaj disciples, or completely uninterested in religion. And they should bring their friends and family too.

This is an international invitation to all Second/Third Generation, Kulis, Gurukulis, Vaishnava Youth, Alumni, Childhood friends, Partners, Friends, the connected, and the disconnected to attend a grand festival of inspiration and renewal.

We want to meet with youth (and the former youth) from Russia, India, Canada, Thailand, England, Germany, USA, and every other nation in between and forge a bond that allows us to feel part of a thriving international community of friends who can help and inspire one another.

Why are we doing it?

Our incentive comes from knowing that somehow, most of us differentiate ourselves from the wider population. We may look and talk and act like the society around us (or some few of us may not), but still, we know with certainty that we are different.

For some of us that difference comes from pain and abuse, and we want to connect here as friends and encourage one another emotionally but materially and spiritually as well.

For some of us that difference comes from having knowledge of Krishna, or however we see God, and that knowledge changes how we look at ourselves and those around us.

Whatever the reason, we want to share that experience and help identify ourselves with more than our difference, but also by our success. Kulimela is about looking to the future.

We want to know what inspires you. We want to know how you have balanced the material and spiritual aspects of your life. We want to know about your success, and your attempted success. And we want to share all of that with each other.

We are asking you to share with us your example and experience, and in exchange we will give you our example. Between all of us we strongly believe we will find a level of excitement at what we can achieve.

We Are Looking for your Participation and Help!

We need representatives to help spread the word, organize travel, answer questions and give us support, particularly in those countries that are not already represented (see below). We also need entertainers who are interested in performing as singers, actors, dancers, and whatever else your specialty might be. We need workshop hosts who have some knowledge to share. We need sponsors willing to help support our endeavour. We need delegates to attend.

Please register now at www.kulimela.com or contact one of our organization team so that we can make solid plans that lead to the best event possible.

What do you need to do?

Register – Relay – Rejoice

Register: Let us know you are interested, and how you would like to attend, as reps, delegates, workshop hosts, or artists.

Relay: Tell as many others about this as you can. Help us make it a truly global and truly astonishing event. This is not about religion, this is about us. Get the word out, especially to your disconnected and old friends and see if we can all help inspire one another.

Rejoice: start making your plans now, so you are certain you can make it.

www.kulimela.com

Sincerely,
Kulimela 2008 Radhadesh Organisation Team

Organization team:

If want more information about how to participate or get involved you can get in touch with the following people through the website:

Accommodation/Festival Fee/Donations
Bala Keilman – (Netherlands)

Entertainment:
Krsna Das (Netherlands) – main contact point
Govinda Gosh (USA)

Conferences, Workshops and Seminars
Hari Priya (UK) – main contact point
Bala Keilman – (Netherlands)

Food/Bhajan Kutir/UK Transportation
Bimala Naysmith (UK)

Festival Volunteer Coordinator
Priya Higgins – (USA)

Sports Activities
Manu Magnin (Radhadesh, Belgium)
Nimai Janssens (Radhadesh, Belgium)

Kids Camp Organiser
Nadia (London, UK)

Local Contacts/Promoters

UK
Deva Henderson
Dauji
Gita Soto
Jahnavi Harrison
Kapila Monet
Krishna Nathwani
Madhava

France
Govinda Das/Veda (New Mayapur)
Ratikeli (New Mayapur)
Govinda DD

Spain
Deva Sekhara

Italy
Gadadhara
Sanatani

Scandanavia
Govinda Cordua

Russia
Ananda (Moscow)
Krsna Das (Moscow)

India
Jambavan
Gautam Adhidari (Gundi)

USA
Balarama Bosch (Alachua)
Govinda Cordua (Alachua)
Govinda Syer (Alachua)
Krsna Das (San Fran)
Chaits Walker – (LA)
Bhima Sena (Colombus)
Kishori (LA)

Canada
Sita Mulder (Vancouver)