A number of young achievers brought pride and joy to their peers, elders and community leaders at the second New Zealand Hindu Youth Conference held at the University of Auckland Business School on May 7 and 8, 2011.
Among them were English Language Partners Chief Executive Claire Szabo (Young Executive of the Year 2010), P3 Foundation Chief Executive Dr Divya Dhar (Young New Zealander of the Year 2010) J’aime Laurenson (Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Award 2010) and Vinny Jeet, One Beep and OneBuzz Chief Executive (Microsoft Imagine Cup Challenge 2010 & 2011).
Opposition Leader Phil Goff inaugurated the two-day Conference organised by Hindu Youth New Zealand and New Zealand Hindu Students Forum under the theme, ‘Dynamic Spirit of Youth.’
He described the youth as “our future.”
“We need to inspire them, give them hope and confidence to know they can achieve whatever they set out to do. This Forum gives young people an opportunity to make a positive difference in terms of their own lives and the lives of others in New Zealand,” he said.
As well as Members of Parliament Dr Rajen Prasad (Labour) and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi (National), academics and professionals from New Zealand and overseas tertiary institutions attended the event.
The organisers said that young Hindus were not only proud to be New Zealanders but also belong to a heritage known for its cultural, social and literary values, inspiring community leaders and elders with their hard work, perseverance and achievements.
Notable among them were Nachiket Joshi, a Hamilton based pharmacist, who has been promoting education among under-privileged children in India through ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’ (One teacher school), Dijesh Patel of the UK National Hindu Students Forum, and the youth representing the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, International Society for Krishna Consciousness and Yogi Divine Society.
Speakers and presenters were University of Auckland Professor Shanthi Amratunga and officials representing the New Zealand Police, Auckland Youth Advisory Panel, Youth Development Ministry and Auckland Ethnic Advisory Panel.
