The World Hindu Congress is set to hold its second conference, welcoming some of the globe’s most influential voices.
The three-day event is scheduled to be held in Chicago from Sept. 7 through Sept. 9, allowing for those in attendance to connect, confer and deliberate how Hindus around the world can raise their profile, find their voice and create a consequential positive impact on the world stage, the group said in a news release.
The globally focused event, the brainchild of Indian Institute of Technology graduate Swami Vigyananand, is expected to draw 250 thought leaders and 2,200 delegates from over 50 countries, including many Indian Americans.
The Dalai Lama will give a message in the inaugural session, the WHC said. The event will feature plenary and valedictory sessions and seven parallel conferences on economy, education, media, women participation, Hindu organizations, youth and politics.
The economic conference will bring C-Suite business leaders, economists, successful entrepreneurs and innovators together to inspire and encourage greater wealth creation and wealth surplus.
Among the speakers are Emerson Electric chief executive Ed Monser, FedEx chief marketing officer Raj Subramaniam, Walmart vice president Dan Bryant and Columbia University professor Arvind Panagariya.
The youth conference promises to help strengthen Hindu identity, encourage young Hindu entrepreneurship, address professions where Hindus are underrepresented, change media narratives about Hindu Dharma and Hindu human rights and political representation.
Prominent speakers include Trinidad Archery champion Prashaanta Singh, member of Parliament of Norway Himanshu Gulati, founder and CEO of 3one4Capital Siddarth Pai and founder and CEO of Biomenta Research Nisha Holla.
The women’s conference, “Increasing the Role of Women in Hindu Resurgence and Renaissance,” is the stated goal of this conference, it said.
Inspiring case studies, the role of women in shaping society, entrepreneurship and micro savings, breaking the glass ceiling, value-based education and policy making, redefining the role of Hindu women, socio cultural issues and contemporary challenges are some of the topics, according to the WHC.
The political conference will provide a connecting platform for the global Hindu diaspora that is politically active and allow political aspirants among the younger generation to interface with senior leaders and in the process find mentors, it said.
Among the panelists include vice president of Suriname Ashwin Adhin, National Federation Party of Fiji member Biman Prasad and National Assembly member S.A. Santosh Kalyan.
The media conference will feature a discussion by journalists, bloggers, authors, media executives and faculty.
Key speakers include noted actor Anupam Kher, editor, columnist and anchor Rohit Sardana, Shaktitva Project founder Neha Srivastava and writer and columnist Sunanda Vashisht.
In the educational conference, the fundamental goal is to bring together educationists, academicians, publishers, students and policy makers to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the field of education including access to quality, innovative, affordable education, the academic study of Hindu Dharma, society and dharmic values-based education.
Speakers include U.C. San Diego neuroscientist Vilayanur Ramachandran, Vellore Institute of Technology chancellor G. Viswanathan, Chinmaya University’ Swami Mitrananda and Ram Subramanian from IIT Mumbai.
The Hindu organizational conference, conducted by the Hindu Organizations, Temples and Associations Forum, hopes to bring together a vast array of Hindu organizations, temples, associations, and institutions serving Hindu societies to share best practices, experiences, and forge a strong, united and organized Hindu society for the benefit of humanity in general, and Hindu society in particular.
Prominent speakers include Bharat Seva Ashram Sangh president Swami Purnatmananda, Art of Living Foundation head Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Chinmaya Mission Worldwide head Swami Swaroopananda and All World Gayatri Pariwar head Dr. Pranav Pandya.
There will also be a Hindu global poster session which will display over 55 poster presentations during the conference.
More information about the 2018 World Hindu Congress can be found by visiting http://whc.2018worldhinducongress.org.