Background- India is the 2nd biggest country in Asia. It has diverse religion, culture, cast, and climate etc. There are many disputes due to religion and cast. As you know there are conflict of border problem between India and Pakistan. Due to this problem people are killing each other. You can see same problem in Nepal and Bangladesh as well.
Once a year we hold Peace March project to make people be aware of this situation. YBS is trying to create harmony and friendship with each other even though they are Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim or Christian. When national and international government cannot stop the violence and conflict, it is time for youths of the world to take action and put an end to one of the longest conflicts. This humanistic and peaceful march will give an opportunity to the participants from various countries to be involved directly or indirectly in global issues
Project -
About UPM… What is the Universal Peace March? What is the purpose of this march? Since 2005, under the cooperation between YBS and IWO, "Universal Peace March (UPM)" has been held in different parts of India. We promote peace by sharing our ideas about global issues with youths from all over the world. During the 12 day march, we will stay in different locals and have meetings with various people no matter what their religion is or where they come from. We will share ideas about how to promote peace with each other, how there can be peace among young people, and how to be aware and recover a sense of mutual humanity. In 2010, foreign and Indian participants will march from Sharavasti to Sankisa India on foot. Local hosting condition will sometimes be inconvenient, however, this will be a good opportunity to challenge youself.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION...
Duration: 28 Jan. 2010 - 8 Feb. 2010
Transition Distance: From Sharavasti -Sankisa about 500km
Organized by: Youth Buddhist Society (YBS) India
International Workcamp Organization (IWO) Korea
Participants: -80-90 participants form different countries.
-Those who are more than 18 years old
-Those who are interested in promoting world peace
-Those who hope to share ideas and friendship regardless of border, religion, or Nationalities
-Those who hope to be active members in the global society.
Age limit: Over 18years old
Language: English will be used as an official language during the program.
Meeting Point & Time: - There will be two meeting points
1-28, Jan 2010, 10:00am at Thai Buddhist temple Sharavasti.
2- 27 Jan 2010 at 5:00 pm in front of New Delhi Railway station near Bank of Baroda ATM (Paharganj site), if some volunteers need than YBS member can travel with them from Delhi to Sharavasti for their help.
Emergency Contact Staff during a project: Suresh Chandra Bauddha- Cell Number. 0091 9937393526
Participation Donation: 180 Euro.
Pay on arrival, Accommodation, food will be covered.
Accommodation: Participants will stay in local accommodation. We have no special accommodations during the march. Accommodation could be schools, village community centers, or temples (Hindu, Buddhist, Islam, Christian, Sikh, Jaina etc). Participants should not expect convenient facilities like those in their countries, with amenities such as hot water, good toilet, beds, etc.
Food: During the 12-day-peaceful journey, participants will have local vegetarian food for their meals. Participants can cook vegetarian food in their own style and share. Peace March is not a picnic or a race but instead a spiritual journey to foster a positive mentality in young people and a peaceful future. It will be a time to understand the diverse value of life.
* Non-vegetable food and alcohol is not allowed during the march.
Contact with the local population: Establishing contact with the local population is one big aim of UPM. Ofcourse the level and intensity of local contact depends entirely on the possibilities and cannot be forced.Volunteers should be open for contact to the local population.
Insurance: Insurance will not be provided. Participants should prepare overseas insurance from their
countries.
Daily Schedule:
Daily schedule- (#Daily schedule can be flexible according to the local situation )
6:00 - 7:00 Yoga & Morning Gathering
7:00 - 8:00 Breakfast
8:00 - 8:30 Start the March
12:00 -13:00 Lunch(on the way)
18:00 - 19:00 Dinner(at the destination of the day)
20:00 - 21:30 Culture exchange program & meeting
Daily Target (Moving distance per a day): We will journey approximately 30 km a day. Participants will walk 15-20 km in a day and take a public transportation for the rest of the distance.
Travel: Before and after the project, travel is allowed depend on your plan. Just remember the date and the meeting point where we first meet each other and start Peace March project. You will be allowed to leave the project in the morning on 8th Feb.
*Your travel is NOT relevant to the Peace March or IWO. This is just an individual journey.
Shravasti - Sharavasti is one of the eight most important pilgrimages of Buddhists. While Lord Buddha walked from Kapilavastu Nepal to Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, renounced the world and attained Mahaparinirvana, he left behind a trail of footsteps which are revered till today. Situated 134 kms from Lucknow and 29 kms from Balrampur, Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honor for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens.
Sharavasti is one such place. According to legend, it is here where Buddha confounded his critics by making them witness a miraculous million-fold self manifestation seated on a thousand-petalled lotus, as fire and water emanated from his body. The prophet of peace is also said to have spent 25th rainy seasons here, teaching people the essence of his gentle creed.
The religious character of Sharavasti derives also from the fact that Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, visited the town frequently. Apart from this, the city also finds mention in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata as a prosperous city of the Kosala Kingdom. The mythological king Sharavasti is said to have founded it.
Sankisa- Sankisa, located at a distance of around 40 km from Kannauj in the Farrukabad district of Uttar Pradesh, is a place of tremendous importance for the Buddhists. Mythical legends relate the place to the Buddha. It is believed that after delivering sermons to His mother and other devas in the Heaven, the Buddha returned to earth here at this place, Sankisa, which was considered the town of human abode. Because of this, Sankisa is counted amongst the pilgrim destinations for the Buddhist this is yet another attraction of the small village. The uniqueness of the pillar, quiet obviously, is the presence of elephants instead of lions. The elephant, it is believed, is symbolic of the white elephant of which Mayadevi had a vision at the time of conception of Siddhartha (Lord Buddha)
What do we stand for?
YBS is… a volunteer, non-governmental, nonsectarian, nonprofit, nonpolitical people's development movement based on engaged Buddhism established in 1986 in Sankisa, Uttar Pradesh - India. By an act of the Indian Constitution YBS was formally incorporated in 1994 as the Youth Buddhist Society Development Committee of India. YBS has brought about grass-roots initiatives, involvement and development of mind among thousands of villagers and people in India.
IWO is… a non-profit and non-governmental organization established in 1999 to promote world peace, global citizenship, youth and community development and cultural exchange through international volunteering. We are a member and a president of CCIVS (Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service) at UNESCO, Paris and an Executive member of NVDA (Network for Voluntary Development in Asia). We are also a member of Alliance and a partner of YAP (Youth Action for Peace). IWO's wish… is that people who take part in UPM are TOLERANT, OPEN-MINDED and COMMITED. The success of UPM project depends on the volunteer being prepared to take responsibility for her/him. The volunteer should not only be able to work independently but also be able to work well as a part of the group. To take part in a camp also means to organize the camp TOGETHER.
HOW TO APPLY???
Application: please ask us for application- ybsindia@ybsindia.org
PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for applications strictly: 15th, January 2010.
Dear Reader
In case you would like to sponsor any of our keen young students who can not bear the
cost of participating,
you are most welcome any amount is sufficient. The cost per participant is Rs. 5000.
Suresh Chandra Bauddha
President
Contact-
email. ybsindia@ybsindia.org
website.www.ybsindia.org
Mobile Phone. 0091-9937393526/0091-92868-75154