More than 90 senior volunteers came together from 11 countries across Europe for a National Karyakar Retreat in Interlaken, Switzerland, from 7 to 9 June 2024.
The retreat aimed to appreciate the volunteers’ continuing services and strengthen the bond between them and their families while they learned from each other and improved their seva for their respective centres.
This event was the first time some of the volunteers were meeting physically, having been connected with each other online over several years for their seva.
Through discussions, interactive games and team-building activities, everyone learned about each other’s many virtues and abilities, while they also enjoyed outdoor walks around the picturesque villages and the inspirational discourses from swamis. The delegates also participated together in daily devotion, such as arti, thal, mansi, and cheshta.
All the attendees found the first-ever retreat an enjoyable and inspiring experience. One volunteer from Stockholm, Sweden, shared, “It was refreshing to actually meet and learn from other volunteers who I had only interacted with online for so long.” Another volunteer, from Paris, France, added, “We really enjoyed just being with everyone! Participating in the various activities and games helped strengthen our samp (unity) with fellow karyakars across all our centres in Europe.”
The volunteers and their families took home many memories and motivation to serve together, serve more effectively, and serve their respective fellowships with greater enthusiasm.