Summary of the Event
"It's not about what you know; it's about who you know"
A palm-sized torn piece of white paper written "Michael" travels all around a large room filled with 300 others to find its "Jackson" other half.
This ice-breaker game was used as hundreds of Gujarati professionals gathered at the Hindu Mandir's first annual Professional Networking Event. The event, with over 300 registered participants took place on Sunday March 30 in Toronto.
The event began with dimmed lights as volunteers put together a short video clip showing a community working together to achieve their goal of moving a fallen tree off a road. That being said, Bhavesh Patel, one of the organizers delivered a small intro about the event and why networking between Gujaratis is important.
"We rarely get together in one community," Patel explained as he compared the Gujarati community to Jewish and Sikh ones. Groups that have always got together to solve problems but almost never left their own surroundings to find help he said.
"I don't know why we can't do the same thing," he said.
Naresh Patel, another event organizer described the event's goal was to help Gujaratis get to know one another, after all he said, "we are who we are, by the people we spend the time with."
The large room filled with tablecloth-covered circular tables had flower arrangements on top for taste. Professionals stood around and chatted, telling one another one lie and two truths about themselves, being able to open up to one another, some for the first time.
After ice-breaker games, chats and some food, networking hopefuls had the chance to interact with one another on a larger scale and hoped to find people to connect with.
Seema Shah, a law student, said that the event had been able to give her a platform. She explained that as a student, it's important to see what the process is to actually enter a profession and learn from other's mistakes beforehand.
Shah, who also works with women's issues, said that these types of events also have the chance for women, Gujarati women in general, to meet people and network. With a turn out of mostly men, Shah hopes to see more women participate in future events.
The event was further inspired through the Mandir's past successful career-networking day, but this time the aim for an audience was altered.
In the upcoming months, the Mandir will be hosting several sports tournaments including basketball, volleyball and cricket. To register, or find out more information please visit our website at www.hindu-mandir.net.
--- By Arti Patel
April 2008