Universal Brotherhood Day celebrated at Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, 11.09.2016: Celebrating Universal Brotherhood Day to commemorate the epic speech delivered by Swami Vivekananda, on 11th September 1983 at Chicago in The World Parliament of Religions, city wing of Vivekananda Kendra KanyaKumari organised a special ceremony in Bhubaneswar on Sunday (11th Sept.).

CHSE Chairman Basudev Chattoi graced the occasion as Chief Guest and impressed upon the relevance and usefulness of Swamiji’s speech and values in the present day context.  Quoting from the famous Chicago speech of Swami Vivekananda he highlighted the need for universal brotherhood to maintain peace and all round development of human race irrespective of their religion. He said that the man on this earth has continued too long to be fanatic about insisting that his religion alone was true and other religions being false had no right to exist. 

Nagar Sanchalak of Vivekananda Kendra KanyaKumari Bhubaneswar branch and former Director NIT Rourkela Prof. G K Roy in his welcome address elongated on the objectives of celebrating Universal Brotherhood Day and involving the youth in various nation building activities. Dr. Ashok Panda, GM – Sanmarg and visiting faculty at Ravenshaw University also graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. Sri Anil Kumar Kar, Vani Vibhag Pramukh (Coastal Odisha region), Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari presented a brief introduction on Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari and its various activities in Odisha and across the country. Nagar Pramukh of the city branch of Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari Santap Kumar Jena presented the vote of thanks on the occasion.

Winners of various school, college and university level competitions organised by Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari in Bhubaneswar in the first week of September were felicitated with prizes and citations on this occasion. A Group yoga competition was held on 3rd September by the Kendra wherein 13 schools of the city participated. The 1st prize winners performed a group yoga sequence during the function.

The winners of the interschool completion on Odia and English recitation of the epic speech of Swami Vivekananda held on 4th September were also felicitated on this occasion. Students from 21 different schools in the city participated in this completion.

Similarly, the winners of ‘Uttishthita Jagrata Swadhyaya’ examination on the book containing messages of Swami Vivekananda on SELF development, held at various colleges and departments of Utkal University were felicitated on this occasion. A total of 368 students of colleges and university participated in ‘Swadhyaya’ competitions.

A documentary film on Mananeeya Eknathji, the founder of Vivekananda Kendra KanyaKumari, was also screened on this occasion.

190 wellwishers and children attended the programme.