International Temples Convention and Expo to be held in Kashi

• 13 Jul 2023

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on July 12, 2023, For the first time, Temple Connect will organize the International Temple Convention and Expo (ITCX), a conference of the world's largest temples, from July 22 to 24 in Varanasi.

Key Points:

• Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat will inaugurate the conference on July 22. It included trustees of temples, Prince of Travancore (Padmanabhaswamy Temple), Goa's Tourism Minister Rohan A. Khunte, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Executive Officer Dharma Reddy will also be present.
• Office bearers of more than 450 temples from 25 countries will participate in the conference. Along with Hindus, office bearers of monasteries, temples and gurudwaras related to Sikh, Buddhist and Jainism will also come.
• The entire program will be held at Rudraksh Convention Center. For the first time, International Temples Convention & Expo (ITCX) is being organized by Temple Connect. In this, the development and empowerment of temple management, operation and administration will be discussed.
• Giresh Kulkarni, Founder, Temple Connect, Prasad Lad, Chairman, ITCX and Megha Ghosh, Co-Curator said that best practices would be developed for the teams of the Head of Place of Worship around the world. Along with the establishment, the campaign for development and empowerment will be taken forward.
• The three-day event is part of the Incredible India campaign. The Ministry of Tourism is also cooperating in this. During the conclave, topics like pilgrim experience, crowd management, solid waste management and improvement in basic amenities will also be discussed at temples, monasteries and gurudwaras.
• Representatives of Jain Dharamshalas, major devotional charitable organizations, the Association of Hindu Temples in the United Kingdom, ISKCON Temples, Anna Kshetra Management, priestly federations of various pilgrimage sites and various pilgrimage promotion councils will participate in the conference.
• The conclave will serve as a platform to learn about the diverse cultures, traditions, arts and crafts of places of worship around the world and expose the world to India's rich place of worship heritage.
• Green energy, archaeological architecture, anchor management, and lighting systems will be discussed at the conference. Experts in Tirupati Balaji Pooja Sthal's queue management system and social organizations involved in cleaning and maintaining the Ghats of Varanasi will also participate.
• The sessions will be conducted by representatives of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Mahakal Jyotirlinga, Ayodhya Ram Temple, Patna Saheb Gurudwara, Chidambaram Temple and Virupaksha Temple Hampi.
• International Temple Convention-2023: The International Temple Convention & Expo, (ITCX), powered by Temple Connect, is a gathering of temples from across the world to share their best practices, learnings and invaluable insights on temple management. This is a profound effort towards strengthening and empowering the entire temple ecosystem.
• Additionally, the convention is a wonderful place to learn about the diverse cultures, traditions and arts and crafts of temples around the world.
• It is worth mentioning that Temple Connect is a leading platform and an initiative to connect global Hindu temples and provide the digital format of information to all for the benefit of devotees. It was founded by Giresh Kulkarni in the year 2016.