ILS is acronym for ISKCON Leadership Sanga which takes place in Sridham Mayapur about one month before the Gaura Purnima festival. It is a gathering of gurus, temple presidents, GBC members and other formal and informal ISKCON leaders from around the globe where unity in diversity is discussed as was desired by Srila Prabhupada. The meetings were opened by GBC Chairman Bhakti Caru Swami who said how Mayapur is a place of rest for all the preachers and sankirtan devotees who often have to deal with negativity, and even physical assaults in their travelings. He also mentioned that even Krishna while He was living in Dvaraka was at night dreaming of Vrindavan and gopis, and similarly all the leaders are always dreaming of having a supportive association in the Holy Dham.

Then the organisers of the event, Gopal Bhatta das and Kaunteya das, spoke about how this year’s sanga is especially dedicated to discussions about how within the next 15-20 years all of ISKCON management, which is now governed mostly by Srila Prabhupada disciples who are in their 60’s and 70’s, will have to be transfered to the next generation of leaders who would be disciples of Prabhupada’s disciples. The success of this transition will determine the future of ISKCON as a solid institution.

With this consideration in mind the ILS 2018 will focus on the following:

1. What culture and values will guide ISKCON’s decisions and maintain its purity?
2. What existing and new systems should be in place to „keep the wheels moving?“
3. What lessons can we glean from our past mistakes and successes?
4. What training can be offered to our future leadership?
5. How can devotees become inspired to maintain strong sadhana and study Srila Prabhupada’s books?
6. How can we build a society that has healthy guru/disciple, family/social and organizational interactions?
7. How will we fulfil Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya’s desire to spread Krishna-consciousness throughout the world?
8. How can ISKCON’s leaders inspire and maintain the trust of the Vaishnava community?

After the Plenary Presentations different seminars took place in as many as 11 venues, so that participants had to choose which seminar to attend, and which subject was the most important for them.

The opportunity to see so many gurus in one place is appealing to many devotees who fly to Mayapur just to attend this meeting. The entrance hall to Gita Bhavan,where most of the seminars are taking place is giving space to many presentation booths where different projects and institutions are promoting their activities and inviting new people to support them.

ILS is a festival where all friends meet and new friends are made.