Thousands of Nghe An teenagers experience summer retreat
(Baonghean.vn) - Summer retreats are being held at many pagodas in the province, attracting a large number of young people to participate.
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| When students enter the summer vacation, it is also the time when pagodas in the province open summer retreats one after another. Depending on specific conditions, each year, pagodas organize 1 or 2 retreats with different lengths of time as well as specific regulations on the number of participants. This year, Gam Pagoda (Yen Thanh) and Vien Quang Pagoda (Nam Dan) are the pagodas that open the summer retreats the earliest. |
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| On this occasion, thousands of young people aged 9-25 have registered to participate in summer retreats at pagodas. At the pagodas, the trainees are arranged with places to eat, sleep, and live according to regulations, all completely free of charge. Every day, the children wake up early to perform many activities such as listening to Dharma talks, meditating, practicing sports, etc. |
In addition to moral lessons and Buddha's teachings, children also get to read books and participate in fun folk games.
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| The pagodas also cooperate with departments and branches at district and provincial levels to organize extracurricular activities to equip children with knowledge and skills on traffic safety, prevention of violence and child sexual abuse, prevention of drowning, fire prevention, fire fighting, rescue, etc., making the retreat program richer and more diverse. |
By participating in the retreat, the trainees are temporarily isolated from their families, integrated into collective life, and practice an independent lifestyle.
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| Vien Quang Pagoda also organizes English and martial arts classes, and includes current issues in the retreat (say no to games, attitude towards Facebook, environmental protection, domestic violence, food poisoning...) |
Gam Pagoda successfully organized the first summer retreat with many impressive programs. The lantern night with the theme "Grateful for giving birth" about the merit of parents took place in a loving atmosphere. Many students cried when listening to the monks talk about the merit of giving birth and raising their parents.
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| Nguyen Manh Duc (11 years old) from Hung Loc commune (Vinh city) participated in the retreat at Gam pagoda and confided: “This is the first time I have participated in a summer retreat. For the past seven days, I have lived in a community, been taught about Buddhism by monks, and had fun with many friends. I feel very happy. I will always remember this retreat and will participate again next year.” |
At the retreat, the students were taken care of attentively by the organizers and the monks.
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| At the end of the retreat, the students return to their families. The moment of saying goodbye to teachers and beloved friends is always an emotional moment. The summer retreat is a healthy and useful playground, bringing thousands of young people practical and meaningful experiences. |
