 World Holy Name Week (WHNW), first established in 2008, has seen its biggest success so far this year. In 2013, around forty-three different ISKCON centers celebrated the week in some capacity with events designed to share, spread and become absorbed in the Holy Name of God. This year, WHNW organizers have already received reports from over fifty ISKCON centers from every continent in the world.  The shelter project for the devotees displaced in Ukraine has been going on smoothly over the past weeks. At this point, with the generous donations offered internationally, ISKCON Ukraine has raised enough to provide basic care and support for the devotees in need. Their focus right now is the development of buildings that will shelter devotees as the cold winter months quickly approach.  True success, according to Hinduism, is not in the achievements of the first half of life, but in the unraveling of a deeper mystery of our authentic identity and relationship with this transient world.  It’s refreshing to learn that science is finally catching up with the power of meditation, but I’m guessing it will be another decade until they ‘scientifically’ discover the revolutionary philosophy behind it.  An enthusiastic team of devotees led by ISKCON Lagos temple president Kavi Karnapur Das is placing Srila Prabhupada’s books in bookstores and bookstands throughout the Nigerian city. They have a huge audience: the New York Times estimates the population of Lagos at an astronomical 21 million, which would make it the most populous city in Africa.  Another well-known title, Beyond Birth and Death, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is now in e-book form and available at bbtmedia.com. In this small yet profound book, Srila Prabhupada tells readers how the soul travels from one body to another and presents startling evidence of its incredible journey after death.  Almond farmers in California's Central Valley, where about 80 percent of the world's supply of almonds is grown, are desperate for water.
 On September 18th a special art exhibition opened at the Cultural Center of the Indian Embassy in Budapest, Hungary. The “Blossoming of Vedic Life in Rural Hungary” exhibition displays over 40 original drawings from ISKCON-guru and author Sivarama Swami’s new book the Nava Vraja Mahima, a monumental work in glorification of New Vraja Dhama (or Krishna-valley), a rural Vaishnava community in Hungary.  Ayurvedic wisdom teaches that our bodies can respond to this food-touch by producing the needed enzymes and digestive juices before the food even meets our lips.  The scheme is expected to be rolled out by October. It will allow holidaymakers to pick up a 30-day visa at the airport upon arrival.  Pierre Edel (Premamaya Vasudeva Das) a beautiful soul carrying French and Russian origins started his journey at the Russian 'The Voice' programme. Having Lord Jagannath upfront and kanthimala on his neck, he started sharing his loving heart with hundreds of thousands of people.  “Spiritual Leadership: Being a Guru in ISKCON” seminar wiill be offered once in 2015, at Mayapura from February 22-25. Per ISKCON Law this Seminar is mandatory for devotees who take up the service of diksha guru and for sannyasa candidates. The GBC also “highly recommends” it for siksa gurus, senior managers and other ISKCON leaders.  “Long Lost,” a new 25-minute short film about a young man encountering Krishna consciousness as he searches for answers in life, is being well-received at film festivals and other events internationally. In August at the Russian film festival “I See God,” which features different film-makers’ interpretations of how they perceive the Almighty, Long Lost was chosen for third place out of 65 shorts by the audience themselves.  'Long Lost' explores the anxieties, the hope, the questions that arise within us all including, 'what is love? - as in, REAL love?' This film is attempts to encourage others to also delve deep within. Watch Long Lost and share Tim's ordinary night out and the extraordinary (re) connection. Directed by Shaktyavesa Avatara Das.  A video produced by Jaya Deva Das. | 
