South Asian Community Finland 0

Ancient Indian Style Cultural Place & Community Center in Helsinki

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His Excellency Mr. Jussi Ilmari Pajunen                             Dated 10.10.2012

Honourable Mayor, City of Helsinki

Finland

Dear Sir,
Please accept our respectful obeisances.

We are a group of South Asian people ( Indian, Nepalese and Bangladeshis) who have been working and staying in Helsinki for past many years including those who have been living and working in Finland for more than 25 years.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has initiated a project for purchasing Puotila Manor from city of Helsinki. Negotiations are still in progress. Kindly refer to links section for the detailed write up on ISKCON. We all have been very actively involved in this project as we feel this Manor will act as a community centerfor ancient Indian & south Asian culture and tradition. All south Asian people staying in Finland and Finnish society at large will greatly benefit by this new cultural place. This center will act as common place for all of us south Asian people &  Finnish citizens for having cultural programscelebrating festivals, doing religious ceremonies and weekly get togethers. For those who are locals, the Puotila Project will serve as Restaurant and community center.

 When we came to know about new / proposed project of ISKCON, we have been very happy as it would exactly suit our requirements. This project has been very close to our hearts and we have been actively working to make this grand success. The professional teams and experts in respective areas have been working more than four months on the areas like plans, renovation and risk analysis. Due to detailed and meticulous planning, this project has become technically and financially viable. 

 We request you to kindly extend all the possible help and support for this grand project which would be beneficial to all of us & Finnish Society at large. Let this be a new, wonderful chapter promoting Multi-cultural, Multi-racial, vibrant & diversified Helsinki City. 

Thanking you in advance for cooperation and support.

Best Regards, 

Group of South Asian people in Finland

Links

ISKCON Finland is a part of the International Society for Krishna-consciousness, which was founded in 1966
by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, a renowned scholar and teacher of India’s ancient wisdom. Although ISKCON
is relatively young as a society in the West, it represents India’s original Vedic culture, which traces back at least 5000 years in history. It is a tradition of spiritual teachers which has carried on Vedic knowledge,culture and religion unchanged for thousands of years on end.

ISKCON serves to educate society by opening cultural centers, temples and schools.

ISKCON Finland was founded in 1984 by the decision of Finnish Educational Ministry. Ever since its
representatives have toured Finland delivering lectures about Indian wisdom and culture. One of the most
popular attractions has been India Experience which tours in 12 major cities around the country, presenting
culture in the forms of music, philosophy, dance and food.

Bhaktivedanta College Finland was opened in 2009. It is a side branch of Hungarian Bhaktivedanta
University, and grants BA and MA degrees in Indian theology and philosophy, which are approved by the
Bologna treaty in all EU countries. Food for Life is world’s largest vegetarian food relief program, which
reaches out to those in need, and in more developed countries spreads knowledge about vegetarian
lifestyle.

Presently ISKCON has a temple located in Kamppi, Helsinki. The temple is frequently visited by the local
people as well as people from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It facilitates to the religious and spiritual needs of
the people and arranges various festivals and ceremonies, like name giving and weddings.

ISKCON in figures:

800000 members

520 centers or temples

100 vegetarian restaurants

80 farm communities

50 schools: elementary and higher education and universities

ISKCON Finland has 100 members. In greater Helsinki ISKCON serves the cultural and spiritual needs of
about 600 people from Finland, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Russia. In Finland some 2000
people are regularly connected with ISKCON.
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