Amma in Hofherrenburg, Germany - Oct 2019
Amma began her Europe tour in M.A.Center, Hofherrenburg, Germany.
The German children of Amma received her warmly and so did nature with a double rainbow crowning the center. On the second day of the program some important dignitaries presided over the evening program and expressed their gratitude to Amma for coming to Germany.
The first guest speaker was Consul General Pratibha Parkar. Mrs Parkar has worked in Indian diplomatic missions in Jakarta, Indonesia and as Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York.
Mrs. Pratibha Parkar said:
“ Amma’s whole life has been a testimony to the ideal of giving. Through her inspiring life of love, inner strength and self-sacrifice, Ammas has inspired people all over the planet to strive to make more and more space in their hearts for others, and to dedicate their free time to social service. Collectively, the global network of charitable projects conceived by Amma is known as Embracing the World. As Amma’s compassion continues to flow boundlessly, and the list of projects keep growing year after year, Amma and her vast network of volunteers are truly embracing the whole world. Whether it is providing free medical care for 4.7 million people since 1998, or disaster relief work in different parts of world worth 75 million dollars, self-empowerment programs for nearly two hundred thousand women, constructing more than 47, 000 homes for the homeless, being the leader in India’s Clean India Campaign or leading Amrita to the best Private University in India and one of the foremost Indian Universities in research, the list of Amma’s projects are endless. She always reminds us that” Our bodies will perish one day or the other. It is better to wear away in service of humanity than getting rusted. "
Willi Kredel, Mayor of Brombachtal:
“Every year again I am very glad that this event is happening in Brombachtal. All this is thanks to Amma, a remarkable woman, who has dedicated her whole life to uplift the poor and needy and alleviate the suffering of those suffering physically and mentally. Dear Amma, a hearty welcome here in Brombachtal. We are proud and glad that you are there and we are proud and glad that you come to us every year.“
Sandra Funken, Member of the Government of the State of Hessen, said:
“Every day we have to endure the news about war, violence and hate. I am thankful that there is someone like Amma who, through her strong personality and presence, inspires people to live a life of selfless love and service to humanity. Especially with the youth organization AYUDH, you are setting a great example. Because you realized that it is one of our core tasks to prepare the younger generation for this increasingly complex world and convey to them the principles of hope and love. AYUDH provides young people a forum to explore themselves, to discuss and grow together in a communal spirit. I studied the policy recommendations of the Statement on Cultural Diversity very closely. The concrete suggestions made to us political decision makers by the youth are good - they indeed are very good. We have to take those seriously, because they are worthy of recognition. I think that these youth bring a light into the world, which sometimes seems to be a bit dark - this is why I gladly support the work of Amma and her youth organization AYUDH. You will surely agree that Germany, Europe and the world needs compassionate, tolerant, and solidly engaged young people to face the challenges of the future with global responsibility. It is worth listening to those young people and incorporate what they have to say into our daily work. May we all experience an evening full of love, unity, diversity and peaceful togetherness. We are proud to have Amma here.”
Mrs. Funken also invited members of AYUDH Europe to visit the Parliament of the State of Hessen to present their ideas around the topic of sustainability a wider group of parliamentarians.
In July 2019, supported by the EU, UNESCO and the State Government of Hessen, 300 young people took part in a dialogue with political decision-makers, among them German and European parliamentarians. The event was entitled ‘Symposium on Diversity in Europe’ and took place at M.A. Center Germany. They addressed the question of how to promote a diverse and inclusive society. The results of this dialogue have been summarized in the Statement on Cultural Diversity, which was presented in August 2019 at the UNESCO World Youth Conference in New Delhi, in the presence of the Hon. Indian President Ram Nath Govind. As part of the function, the Statement was also released in Europe, blessed by Amma and handed over to the dignitaries.
To encourage the young people in their efforts towards the protection of Mother Nature, Amma handed over 15 native tree saplings to members of AYUDH Europe, which will be planted near M.A. Center Germany in the near future.