DATE: June 13, 2005
TAMPA,
FL: On Sunday, June 5, 2005, the Hindu American
Foundation (HAF) held a Youth Forum and a Hindu Awareness
Campaign (HAC) event in Tampa, Florida at the Indian Cultural
Center. Both events had larger than expected attendance
and reflected the support and interest in HAF's mission.
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HAF Executive Council
member Rajan Patel speaks at the Hindu Awareness
Campaign Youth Forum in Tampa, FL. |
HAF held its first ever Youth
Forum for middle school, high school and college students.
The goal for the gathering was to promote a better understanding
of and respect for the Hindu-American identity and to instill
confidence in youth to work for the promotion of universal
Hindu values and Hindu human rights. Rajan Patel,
a member of HAF's Executive Council stated "The youth leaders
shared thoughts on maintaining the Hindu identity, culture
and traditions in America and the need for Hindus to have
an effective voice in global policy decisions. The forum
allowed HAF's leadership and the next generation of Hindu
American leaders to freely and openly interact."
HAF's HAC event had the largest audience to date.
During the presentation, HAF leaders detailed HAF's dramatic
evolution from February 7, 2004, when HAF was publicly launched
in Tampa to its status today as the preeminent organization
representing Hindu interests within the American centers
of influence: government, academia, non-governmental organizations
and the media. HAF's Tampa Bay supporters donated
a record amount to ensure that HAF will continue to work
for the interests of the 2 million Hindu Americans. "The
Tampa Bay community once again has generously blessed HAF
with the resources to make a real difference for Hindus
in America and, quite frankly, Hindus across the globe.
HAF sincerely thanks the community for sharing HAF's vision
for a more tolerant, understanding and pluralistic society,"
stated Nikhil Joshi, Esq., a member of HAF's Board of Directors.
HAF's presentations were led by Board of Directors Members
Nikhil Joshi, Esq, Aseem Shukla, M.D. and Mihir Meghani,
M.D., HAF Legal Counsel Suhag Shukla, Esq., HAF Executive
Council Members Rajan Patel and Swaminathan Venkataraman,
and HAF Associate Members Adeeti Joshi and Sheetal D. Shah.
