Through the grace of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the Kishore-Kishori Mandal Welfare Department held a special Parents’ Evening on Saturday 26 July 2008 at the Yogi Hall, Swaminarayan School, London. Entitled ‘Internetni Kamãl ke Dhamãl?’ the enlightening programme provided valuable information on the threats of the modern media on our kishores and kishoris, and the destructive effects that the likes of mobile phones and the internet in particular places upon their lives.

The evening’s opening presentation updated the parents on the activities of the Kishore-Kishori Mandal. The vast amount of time that kishores and kishoris devote to social networking websites and applications, and other forms of communication were presented by Jalkamalbhai, supported with statistical analysis from the responses of the survey of kishores and kishoris.

Through this presentation, parents learned of the potential harmful effects and the various dangerous features of mobile phones, websites and applications. Amarbhai narrated testimonies of kishores who have suffered and been severely affected by the misuse of the internet.

Yagnatilak Swami encouraged the parents to take an active and strong stance and recommended practical techniques to safeguard their children from these risks. A short video presentation from Pramukh Swami Maharaj followed, where he spoke of the benefits, but emphasised the importance of being aware of the negative impacts of the internet, describing the ‘poisons’ that the internet contains.

The programme was concluded by Shukmuni Swami, reminding the parents of their responsibilities, and urging parents to act swiftly before the threats take hold of the lives of their kishores and kishoris. The event proved to be highly successful, with parents speaking of their educational experiences.