Brahma Kumaris Activities at the Youth Blast

From June 7th till 12th, BK attended the Youth Blast, official event of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Major Group for Children and Youth.

The Youth Blast was divided into a Brazilian meeting (June 7th and 8th) and an international meeting (June 10th till 12th). In total, more than 2.000 youths have attended the event, which took place at SulAmerica Convention Centre, in Rio de Janeiro. Representing the BK, there was Juan (Canadá), Augusto, Cleide, Cristina, Kamila and Vinícius (Brazil).

The workshop "Avatar, an experience" was facilitated by Augusto in both meetings. Some extracts of the film "Avatar", from James Cameron, were used to explore the BK perspective on the environment. There were 15 persons in the Brazilian event and 22 participants in the international meeting. The activity inspired the youths to explore their inner qualities, which were used in the final exercise: through drawings, all the participants represented the world we want based on the inner qualities of each one of them. A lot of enthusiasm was visible in this creative process.

Another workshop, "EcoShanti: it's our lifestyle", was facilitated by Juan for 20 participants, during the international meeting. The activity gave a great opportunity for the participants to reflect on inner sustainability, as well to explore the impact that the seeds we sow through thoughts, words and deeds have on the planet. A powerful atmosphere of silence was created by a meditation experience and the beautiful images used during the activity.

Other opportunities to share our spiritual perspective on the environment and sustainability came through TV and leaflefts. Juan and Augusto gave interviews to the TV channel "Canal Futura", an educational Brazilian channel that is sustained by some important companies. And leaflets "Living in Harmony" were widely distributed to the participants.

Throughout the event, Youth BKs had the opportunity to share materials, about the BK vision on environment and the BK youth green projects with people from the Brazilian government, from the United Nations and other important environmentalists: Gilberto Carvalho (Minister of the Brazilian Presidency General Secretary), Severine Macedo (National Secretary of Youth), Rebeca Ribas (Vice-President of the National Youth Council), Marina Silva (ex-Brazilian Minister of Environment), Julio Bitelli (UN Executive Coordinator for the Sustainable Development Dialogues), Sha-Zukang (UN Under Secretary General Department of Economic and Social Affairs), Kiara Worth (Organzing partner, from the Major Group for Children and Youth), Doris Ragettli (co-writer of "Rights of Mother Nature") and Barbara Pyle (creator of the hero-character Captain Planet).