I have just joined the Youth Leadership Team of the Rotary and the Friends of Nepal to make a difference in our community and communities around the world.
It has been great pleasure to be a part of the Youth Leadership Team and work with the NJ Peace Garden project and learn leadership skills. This leadership project will definitely help me in the future as I graduate from the high school and apply to various colleges.
I am very thankful that I have been given a leadership role to plan and implement “Be a Net Zero HERO” a special Peace Garden Project. As in any project, you need people to help with funding, human resources, and materials to make it successful.
For those who may not know, let me tell you a little about this amazing project. We are creating this special interfaith Peace Garden, where people of all faiths can come and learn about other religions and be at peace, while strolling through the garden. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn about leadership as well as use my skills to make this garden a piece of heaven on earth. Well, that is a tall order, but I am going to give my best.
This project is taking place at the NJ Buddhist Vihara in Princeton, New Jersey. The person who came up with this idea is Dr. Tulsi Maharjan, Past Rotary International District Governor and Chair of the Somerset County Diversity Coalition and the Asha Project. He has been an excellent mentor and has really shown me a lot.
As part of this project, I will be working with a diverse group of Youth leadership team members along with my brother.
This project will focus on promoting peace and preserving the environment. With your blessing and support, I hope to create a peaceful place where visitors can find peace and tranquility in this time of world conflict and environmental degradation. This will be a place where people from every faith, no matter their ethnicity or faith, can come and learn about diversity and enjoy peaceful environment.
I hope all my friends and our community will be an integral part of this amazing project. You can donate whatever you can and mail the check payable to FONNJ and mail it to P.O. Box 5015, Somerville, NJ 08876 or donate through PayPal. All donations are tax deductible. https://www.fonnj.com/donate/
If you like to dedicate a tree in your family’s name, we can do that as well.
Working with the Coalition, Rotary and my new friends from the Leadership team has already given me the opportunity to learn about the rapidly changing world. I am finding that giving is much better than receiving and with your support I will be able to prove my leadership skill and complete this amazing Peace Garden Project.
The tree planting project will take place starting in April as part of the Earth Day Celebration on April 23rd and continue until May 13, 2023, during the Buddha’s birthday celebration. We are planning to plant 100 trees. This project provides numerous benefits in addition to being essential for the environment. Trees contribute to better air quality, lessen erosion, and support wildlife habitats. Furthermore, trees can aid in supplying residents and animals of a community with shade and shelter.
This collaborative partnership project between the Friends of Nepal – New Jersey, the Rotary club of Whitehouse and the Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition, will help to generate additional support and volunteers.
The goal of this initiative is to establish a peaceful and friendly environment where individuals of all faiths can go to walk, practice meditation, and achieve inner peace.
The meditation garden and walk will be situated in a lovely and calm area of the neighborhood, surrounded by tranquility and nature. Along with walking trails and seating spots, it will have a variety of plants and flowers.
We believe that the community will benefit significantly from this project in a positive way. It will give everyone a much-needed place to discover tranquility and quiet in a hectic and often stressful world. Given that it will be accessible to all, it will also aid in fostering respect and acceptance among people of different religious beliefs.
We look forward to this project’s completion and the advantages it will bring to the neighborhood. It’s just one more way our Youth Leadership team trying to change the world for the better.
It has been a truly pleasant experience for me to work with new friends from this Youth Leadership Team. I’ve not only been able to have a beneficial influence on the globe, but I’ve also gained some incredible friends. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this incredible organization, and I can’t wait to see the impact we can have together.
If anyone like to be a part of this team to make a difference in our community, please consider joining the team by visiting https://www.fonnj.com or emailing us at fon.newjersey@gmail.com
Please see our before and after Peace Garden project photos below.
Written by Aavash Lamichhane
The Asha Project 
This is someything that is very relevant. Promoting awareness of the love of the environment and respect for diversity, are two critical topics that must be encouraged. This will also help teens to be involved in community activities and divert their attention and a possible solution to lessen anxiety and depression that is common the social media. Let us promote this type of activity for teens.
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