2023-07-01 HFB Annual General Assembly

The General Assembly meeting of the Forum Hindu de Belgique asbl took place at 10:00 am on July 1 at the Centre of the Brahma Kumaris, Luxemburgstraat 20, 1000 Brussel.

-Present:
Vedisch Cultureel Centrum Govinda vzw
Brahma Kumaris
Namaskar asbl
Radhadesh asbl
Centre de Bhakti Yoga asbl
Indian Cultural Centre Belgique
Bhaktivedanta College
Vzw Vrienden van Shiva

-Guests:
ICC BXL
Sanatan Dharma Belgium
Shiva forum Europe

The meeting started with one minute of silence in honor of the late Ravinder Singh who sadly passed away, Mr Gurvich spoke a few words about Ravinder and thanked him for all the service he has done for the Forum of Hindu Belgique.

-Approval of Agenda.
The agenda was unanimously approved as distributed.

-Executive director’s report.
The Executive Director Mr. Martin Gurvich/ Mahaprabhu Dasa, made a report on the ongoing process of recognition of Hinduism with the Belgian Government. The article of a Law for a subsidy for Hindu Forum of Belgium is in the final stages and hopefully before the Summer Break the first level of recognition for Hinduism will happen.

-Financial report.
The financial report for 2022 has been finalized, and was distributed at this meeting by Mr Gurvich who led the meeting. He went through the different numbers, incoming and outgoing and explained details. September saw a bigger income due to the organization of the SOAR course which was a big succes. The report was unanimously approved.

-New member.
The acceptance of the Vzw Vrienden van Shiva as a new member of the Forum of Hindu Belgique asbl was unanimously approved and they were warmly welcomed, Mr Gurvich gave a short introduction.

-Election of a new president and a new Board member.
After the passing of Ravinder Singh the board needed to elect a new president until the new elections in 2024. Purusottam Tirtha prabhu was elected as the president until the new elections in 2024. And Anita de Coster/ Anandini was elected as a new Board Member. The election was unanimously approved.

11:30 Jeysen has to leave the meeting.

-Forum Hindu of Europe.
Mr Gurvich gave a clear and broad explanation about his concerns regarding the Forum of Hindu Europe. After many attempts asking for a meeting between the Board if Hi du Forun of Belgium and the Hindu Forum of Europe to discuss several concerns that HFB had and not getting any response from the Board of the HFE the General Assembly decided to resign as a member of the HFE. A letter would be sent out to the President if the HFE explaining the reasons for the resignation and requesting the HFE to collect all the oficial documents and belongings from the office of HFB before the end of the year. All members agreed to the resignation and there was 1 abstention.

-Strategic plan following approval of subsidy law article.
Mr Gurvich presented a strategic plan going forward after the subsidy from the Governement is voted into Law:
Reach out to past members
Look for new members
Work on a new Brochure
Improve the website
Start the process for developing a Curriculum for teaching Hinduism in Schools
Start developing a Training Course for future Spiritual Counsellors of Hinduism
Produce a beautiful magazine presenting Hinduism to the Belgian Public, Media, Religious Leaders and Politicians, etc
Get letters of Support from the PM of India and others for the magazine.
Organize a high level event in Brussels to present Hinduism to Belgian Political and Religious Leaders Media , etc.

-Trip to India.
Mr Gurvich brought up the wish to make a trip to India to gain support for recognition of Hinduism in Belgium. During this trip meetings would be held, interviews taken etc.

The current Executive Board consists of the following members:
President: Peter Scherrenburg (Purushottama Dasa)
Treasurer: Jeysen Rungiah
Secretary: Bruno Mestach (Vrindaranya Priya Dasa),
Member: Avinash Orie (Gopi Ramana Dasa)
Member: Anita De Coster (Anandini)
Martin Gurvich (executive director)

-The meeting was ajourned at 13:00.
-The next General assembly will be held at Vedisch Cultureel Centrum Govinda.