EUROPE
October 18, 2003 VNN8411
HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami's European Tour Report
BY HH BHAKTI-TIRTHA SWAMI
 EUROPE, Oct 18 (VNN) — European tour: August - October 2003
Traveling Teacher and Public Relations Facilitator
As some of you know when Srila Prabhupada was on the planet I would send him regularly five or six page detailed reports of espionage preaching coming in like a needle and coming out like a plow. He loved these, and would have his secretary read them over and over again to important visitors and leaders who came to visit him. I submit this report in this spirit. If you do not have time to read it, the first paragraph summarizes the report. One of my secretaries compiled this report; I think many of you might find it interesting.
Below are highlights of H.H. Bhakti-Tirtha Swami's tour of Europe. He addressed the media almost daily on ways to minimize social degradation, increase authentic spirituality, business ethics, principle centered leadership and strategies for world peace. He had about one hundred interviews on radio, TV, newspapers and magazines. Many times he appeared on the most popular national TV stations and main newspapers. Several times full page interviews in the papers and even front-page coverage. Some of the TV programs aired all over CIS, i.e. population of 300 million people. He met in most cities he visited with leaders in business, education, religion, politics and social services. Maharaj was received as an African king, a scholar of international relationships, a vaishnava guru and an author of 15 books now being translated into 13 different languages. While doing all of these engagements, often five programs a day, he gave classes at the local temples, met with groups of his disciples, and gave private darshans to as many devotees in each area as he could. He gave almost 20 seminars and workshops to the devotee community and constantly led awesome kirtans. As usual he will use some of the media coverage for his own TV show in USA and some of the seminar material for his next book. In a few days he starts his next tour in Africa and later in Australia.
I Italy
One week festival for Pandava Senas, he gave seminars for 200 students on:
a) Choosing Love over Fear
b) Reflecting on the Agenda of the Demons.
II Ireland
TV interviews - a) BBC Interview on arrival
b) BBC coverage of Initiation ceremony
2. He taught a three-day workshop on the Island at Inis Rath for 60 students on Transforming anger
3. Meeting with gurukulis from all over Ireland.
III United Kingdom
Three day seminar at Soho temple for 150 students - Transforming fear to love
Course at Bhaktivedanta Manor - Servant leadership
Class in East London for young professionals - The paranormal in connection with spirituality Workshop at six day Krsna camp retreat - Creating and identifying miracles in our lives Initiations.
IV Bosnia
Class on Mission and vision for the devotee community Public lecture on Dreams in connection with a drama on the same topic, 300 guests Public book signing program featuring the Croatian editions of his books Reflections on Sacred Teachings series.
V Croatia
Krsna Janmastami public program, Srila Prabhupada's appearance day celebration
Workshop at yearly one week summer camp and festival - Conquering over anger 350 students
20th anniversary celebration for ISKCON in ex-Yugoslavia - class on his earlier visit to the former communist Yugoslavia 26 years ago
Interfaith conference in Lika - Croatia
Visit to future rural community in Lubena - Lecture on Rural development
Meeting with politicians
Met with Croatian former ambassador to India, UK and Italy Dr Drago Stambuk - Maharaj encouraged him to enter again into politics but as servant leader. Gave him Leadership book.
Assistant to the president was given Leadership book
Met with Head of the Seven Day of Adventist for the country and Head of Buddhism for the country
Met with president representative to religion
Met with delegation from Indian embassy
Interview for Woman magazine Gloria
TV interview for national TV
14. Gave initiations
VI Ukraine
Odessa - Yearly festival. Five days workshop on Resolving conflicts in our lives, 700 students in course.
Dnepropetrovsk
3 days Ratha-Yatra festival, gave several lectures
TV appearances:
a) Channel 5 - Good morning Zaporozye
b) Channel II - A new day
Lectures at National University of Zaporozye introduced by the president of the University; National Mining University
Interview for local paper Evening Dnepropetrovsk
Met with two vice Mayors of the city
Met with head of Trade Union for the country Ilya S. Briskin, accepted an offer to be a partner with him in his role as leader of the international Handicap Organization
Met with Igor G. Hinen, famous Soviet scientist who created the missile, which established military balance of power between USA and the Soviet Republic. Maharaj gave him copies of his Leadership books and they agreed to work together in creating a national conference for educators and scientist to focus on world peace and character development in leadership.
Met with businessman and sports head Kachurovsky Dmitrij. He was already reading Bhakti-Tirtha Swami's books and Maharaj made himself available for answering his questions and consultation.
Kiev
1. TV interviews
a) 1+1 channel - Breakfast show (biggest station in Ukraine)
b) New channel- Wake up
c) New channel - Zone of Night (one hour program)
2. Newspaper and Magazine interviews:
a) Keshatie - The government newspaper
b) Facts - very popular paper
c) Today - biggest paper in Ukraine
d) Partner - business magazine
e) Contracts -business magazine
3. Press conference at Press center - Main TV stations and representatives from over 15 media houses came.
Lecture to the managers of Aska Insurance company
Visited Lavra Monastery - world famous where monks took life vows to live separately in small dark caves with no association but prayer
Gave seminar at temple on Divya Mada, i.e. divine madness
Alcevsk
1. TV & Radio Interviws
a) Free lance TV - to send to various net works
b) Asket - short interview for news
c) Public radio
2. Lecture at Donbass University of Mining and Metallurgy - The Leader of the future (mining is the main profession in this state). he was introduced by the vice mayor of the city, professor Anatoly Novak who had been reading Leadership Vol.1, he spoke very highly of it and was delighted to met the author and Maharaj gave him Vol.2.
3. Three day seminar at the temple on Strengthening the vaisnava communities
4. Had special sauna bath at a business company where he later consulted several devotee businessmen and their associates.
Lugank
- met with devotees in the city before leaving Ukraine.
VII Russia
Perm
TV Interviews:
a) Perm underground, interview on main channel
b) Fourth Eye - he was asked to give a one hour interview on advice for the leaders of the country before the elections
c) Radio interview
d) Press conference and meetings with officials of the city government. They all gave him gifts and he as usual gave them books and prasadam
e) Visited major orphanage to learn and discuss possibilities for International help
f) Meeting with a group of professors, accepting questions on vaishnavism and the role of religion in peace making
g) Lectures at University of Perm - Met with Rector and lectured to students studying politics, sociology and psychology on Globalization: its problems and benefits. Lecture on business ethics to over 200 guests
Ekaterinburg - TV and local newspapers interview. Public lectures on The need for authentic religion.
Vladivostok - Five days festival and seminar on Increasing trust in devotees and in Krsna
Kazan
1. TV programs:
a) Alone with all
b) News in Tatrastan
c) Kazan Times
Newspaper and magazine interviews:
a) Internet Newspaper
b) New Evening
c) Youth of Tatarstan
d) Truth of Lenins followers
e) Followers of Lenin in Tatarstan
f) Alphisha magazine
Krasnodar
TV interview - Local news interview at arrival and at temple next morning after Srimad-Bhagavatam class.
Rostov
TV Interviews:
a) Channel Pulse News
b) Cannel 38 We have a guest - (one hour) host gave Maharaj gifts on the show.
Newspaper
Seventh main city - article and picture on front page of paper
Met with professor Buzknev - he oversees interfaith concerns for the government.
Moscow
TV interviews and radio
a) 1st channel Big wash - very popular talk show airs all over CIS, i.e. 300 million people and interview with 8 other famous TV personalities recording for yearly TV award ceremony.
b) Good morning on NTV - an interview on what message he is sharing with leaders he is meeting in the country
c) Teleinform - 30 minutes TV interview on his achievements in Africa as a traditional ruler, author and guru
d) Moscow Fm 91.2 - main radio and TV interview on politics
e) Moscow speaks - radio program, 30 minutes
The world of news - newspaper interview on nation building, full page. Meeting with businessmen at Russian club.
Divnomorsk
TV interview - channel 33 Novorosiysk; two interviews, one at hotel and the other in studio.
Met with Director of the Hotel retreat facility, her board and local officials
Met with daughter of Mayor twice
Met with Mayor assistant
Initiated devotees
Five days seminar on Gaining our Freedom from the False Ego, 2000 students in his classes.
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