Projects
Currently, there are a few interesting ongoing projects covered by Santikaram Association Slovakia. The association would like to welcome everyone to join and participate on these projects. Feel free to choose the project that suits your character and potential:
1. Santikaram Forest Temple
4. Support for Monks
2. Lectures & Workshops
5. Santikaram Souvenirs
3. Immigrant Assistance
6. Forest Park
Santikaram Forest Temple
Santikaram Forest Temple is a partially renovated cottage located in a beautiful natural environment in the Žilina region (Slovakia, EU). It is a peaceful place suitable for people interested in a naturally balanced life in accordance with the principles of the sustainable development and with the regard to the preservation of the natural resources.
Santikaram Forest Temple serves as a place for recreation, relaxation and as an open meditation retreat centre for the members of the association as well as for other guests, visitors and refugees. It also provides a shelter for Buddhist monks and meditation teachers.
We are currently collecting financial donations for the ongoing repairs and restoration of the temple. In the course of the year 2025, we plan to repair the paving on the stairs and the cladding of the ground-floor facade around the entire temple, expand the basement in the back of the temple, renovate the external staircase, paint the wooden parts of the temple and the windows with a protective coating, create a storage space in the attic, and replace the old electric convectors in the rooms with newer and more economical. Anyone who would like to support our project in some way, or would like to offer us a helping hand, is welcome and can join us.
Lectures & Workshops
The pilot project of Santikaram Association Slovakia is based on providing informations about the cultures, values, philosophy and religions of the Southeast Asian countries. In this spirit, we organize lectures, meetings, seminars, workshops, cultural events, group and individual meditation retreats.
Santikaram Association Slovakia is ready to cooperate with other organisations, associations and institutions with similar aims, focus and spectrum of activities. We intend to provide relevant services that will raise the cultural and spiritual level of individuals and society.
In the near future, we plan to develop special programs for seniors, single parents, children and youth, as well as people on the edge of the society, schools, companies, etc.
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Immigrant & Refugee Assistance
One of our aims is to offer help and assistance to immigrants and refugees from the Southeast Asian countries and from other countries in the world. We know very well how difficult the life is for a refugee or for an immigrant in a foreign country. Hence, this project is focused on immigrants and refugees who live in Slovakia legally.
Santikaram Association Slovakia creates systematic and comprehensive support and counseling activities to meet the needs of immigrants and refugees legally living in Slovakia, both in tangible and intangible field (material, economic, social, cultural, legislative, etc.).
The motto of the immigrant & refugee assistance project is: "By helping others we help ourselves. By helping ourselves we help others."
Support for monks
Buddhist monks are an integral part of the Southeast Asian countries. It is the monks who have preserved and spread values, philosophy and culture for millennia. Their activities are not limited to the Asian continent only. Nowadays, monks are to be found practically on all continents of the world. As the monastic life depends on generosity of lay followers, our project aims to collect material and financial aid from sponsors and general public (regardless of the religion) in order to support monastic comunity at our forest temple.
Santikaram Association Slovakia is also preparing a special program for young men interested in the monastic training. Anyone who would like to support Buddhist monks or who would like to know more about the monastic life is welcome to join our project.
Santikaram Souvenirs
Do you like gifts? Those little presents that delight the eye and the mind? In our creative workshop, we plan to produce small souvenirs for everyone: young and old, healthy and sick, rich and poor. This project is focused on the production, sale and distribution of our souvenirs. The profit and gains from the project will help to operate and further develop our association as well as to support people in need.
In the near future, we would like to start a small e-shop with our souvenirs as well.
If you are creative, if you have a plenty of interesting ideas, or if you are skilled in fine arts and handicrafts like knitting, crocheting, wireworking and others, this project is created just for you.
Forest Park
There is a piece of land in size around 4,000 square meters surrounding our forest temple. The land is forested with various wild trees and shrubs.
Our project consists of two parts: the purchase of the surrounding land and the subsequent cultivation of the forest stand. The goal is to plant a forest park that would serve as a recreational and leisure zone for members and visitors of Santikaram Forest Temple.
There is currently a roe deer feeder in the forest park. The association also plans to place birdhouses and squirrel shelters, or beehives for small-scale beekeeping here.
Anyone who loves planting trees, landscaping, construction of birdhouses, or who understands beekeeping is welcome to participate on this project.