In 1998 the GBC Body adopted resolution 305, which accepted in total the recommendations of the Child Protection Task Force “outlining a justice system, central office, and various guidelines for GBC Members, Regional Secretaries and Temple Presidents to assure enforcement and implementation”

Whereas the GBC Zonal Secretaries of many areas of the world together with other leaders of those areas have identified the zones that they wish to formally establish: RESOLVED: That the following zones have been identified. It is to be noted that the full implementation of these zones shall take place gradually, and that this process of identification does not affect or modify existing continental, regional or national bodies

ISKCON center officials shall be responsible to ensure that any and all web sites published by the center prominently feature a picture of Srila Prabhupada on the introductory page. This picture should be larger than any other individual’s photo (such as the GBC, center President, or guru). Srila Prabhupada should be addressed by his formal name and title: “His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness,” or “ISKCON Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada”, or an equivalent translation.

The Governing Body Commission (GBC) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) offers its deepest appreciation to the members and leaders of the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai for their excellent service and dedication to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON society

This paper has been voted on by the GBC and is now an official GBC policy paper. The following offers more about the paper’s purpose and scope

Whereas the ISKCON Spiritual Leadership Seminar, “Being a Guru in ISKCON”, given under the auspices of the GBC Guru Services Committee, gives valuable information and instruction on how to serve as a diksa or siksa guru within ISKCON...

HH Bhaktivinoda Swami sharing his thoughts during the SGGS 2013 in Mayapur, India

As the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and the preeminent teacher and ultimate authority within our society, Srila Prabhupada has a unique relationship with every ISKCON devotee

Badrinarayana Prabhu gave the second presentation of the day addressing the paper produced by the GBC’s Lines of Authority committee. The paper addresses issues of multiple lines of authority existing in ISKCON, specifically the line between guru and disciple and the line between devotees and their local managing authorities

ISKCON GBC member HG Anuttama Dasa speaks on what the Sanga for GBCs, Gurus and Sannyasis (SGGS) was about

Anuttama Prabhu presented on behalf of the second group discussing “Becoming a Guru in ISKCON.” In summary, the group suggested that the GBC’s involvement in endorsing initiating gurus be eliminated and instead, endorsement be limited to a local ten-person review committee for candidate gurus

HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami speaks on the 2013 Sanga for GBC's, Gurus, and Sannyasis (SGGS) at Sridhama Mayapur

The majority of the day was spent reviewing submitted proposals and casting straw votes. Several weeks before the GBC AGM begins, GBC Deputies organize and review all proposals sent to the GBC by ISKCON members

This year a second Sanga will be held in Mayapur from February 26–March 2, 2013. This time those serving in ISKCON as GBC members, gurus, and sannyasis will come together. The primary aim of this historic, first-time gathering is dialogue

These are the reports from the 2012 GBC and Strategic Planning midterm meetings for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) that were held from October 21–26 in Tirupati, India. At gbc.iskcon.org there have been posted also audio reports from GBC members regarding the meetings and committee work, overall impressions, and experiences in Tirupati

The Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON GBC Society will begin on February 26, 2013. Following the ISKCON GBC Society's Rules of Order, the GBC Secretariat requests proposals, duly sponsored by a GBC member, to be submitted by December 15, 2012

On behalf of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium team, Ambarisa dasa was pleased to announce that in 2016, Sri Panca-tattva and Sri Radha-Madhava and the Asta-Sakhis will be able to move into their new home in the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. In addition to a massive kirtan hall, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium will contain an altar 130 feet in diameter where Sri Panca-tattva will reside in the middle, Sri Radha Madhava and the Asta-sakhis on the right, and our entire parampara on the left

Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja, the ISKCON GBC Chairman for 2012, addresses the community from Sridham Mayapur, March 2012

Whereas there is a continued need to educate new devotees in ISKCON about the pre-eminent position of Srila Prabhupada as (a) Our Founder-Acarya and (b) The primary siksa-guru for all ISKCON members; Whereas it will benefit both individual devotees and the ISKCON society at large to improve the standards of discipleship within our movement; And whereas there is a lack of formal training regarding what it means to be a disciple within ISKCON and how to properly execute the duties of a disciple towards one’s diksa- and siksa-gurus as well as the mission of Srila Prabhupada: RESOLVED: 1. That the Governing Body Commission recommends that all prospective disciples and aspiring initiates attend the ISKCON Disciple Course prior to their initiation, preferably before choosing an initiating spiritual master. Other members of ISKCON are also encouraged to take the course

We are writing on behalf of the GBC Body and the worldwide community of ISKCON devotees to congratulate you on your recent victory in the Appeal Court on the Tomsk Case against the Bhagavad-gita. We would like to especially congratulate you, Maharaja, as well as Sadhu Priya Prabhu and the other devotees who worked so hard for many months to counter the attack against us

The 2012 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) continued from February 10 through February 21 in Sridham Mayapur, West Bengal. As previously reported, from February 10-17 all GBC members participated in ISKCON’s first International Leadership Sanga (ILS)—an assembly of ISKCON leaders from around the world invited to participate in portions of the GBC’s Annual General Meeting, attend and discuss presentations on the last several years of GBC strategic planning efforts, and to spend time with one another in devotional sanga

We wish to congratulate and thank you all for the wonderful achievement of having the government of Hungary give church status to Srila Prabhupada's movement in your country. It was a great struggle, and you made sacrifices to bring about this historic achievement. If you had not done what you did it would have been a major setback for ISKCON, with potentially far reaching consequences. Because of you the movement has now become established in a strong position in Hungary

That all ISKCON temples, congregations, yatras, and devotees please; 1. Include Yamuna Maharani in their daily prayers. 2. Explain the spiritual importance of Shri Yamuna Maharani to others. 3. Organize special kirtans or dedicate existing kirtans to the Yamuna cause. 4. Organize special programs or dedicate existing programs to the Yamuna cause.

The GBC recognizes that good, strong leadership is key both to ISKCON’s improvement and its ongoing success. In an effort to support and encourage such leadership, the GBC invited more than 500 ISKCON leaders from 42 countries around the world to assemble in Sridham Mayapur for the ILS from February 10-17 to participate in portions of the GBC’s AGM, to attend and discuss presentations on the last several years of GBC strategic planning efforts, and to spend time with one another in devotional sanga.

It has recently come to our attention that there are still some letters from Srila Prabhupada that have not as yet been delivered to the Bhaktivedanta Archives. The situation was highlighted when a GBC member surprisingly learned that some of his letters were not in the VedaBase

After several in-depth conversations with Prabhavisnu Prabhu and others, we would like to report further on Prabhavisnu Prabhu's situation. We apologize for the delay in sending this letter out. It took time to answer the many questions being asked and to gather and digest the information

It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Prabhavisnu Prabhu recently resigned from his ISKCON services as initiating guru and GBC member and has given up his sannyasa vows

Yamuna Devi was one of the most influential devotees during ISKCON’s fledgling years. She was among a handful of people who established ISKCON’s first. Those who came to ISKCON in later years joined an established society, but Yamuna Devi was one of the few who established that society

It is the mandate of the GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) to assist the Governing Body Commission in building a better future for ISKCON. In practice this requires solid visionary planning, the establishment of systems for the effective execution of those plans, and support of the GBC's desire to offer both better leadership and clearer global coordination based on sound organizational principles

ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission , during its international meetings this past week in Mumbai, selected personnel to fill four new and historically important positions as part of gradual unfolding of the GBC Strategic Development Plan. Other progress on the GBC Strategic Plans are expected to be put in place during the Annual General Meeting of the GBC at ISKCON’s international headquarters in Mayapura next February

Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. It was with great sadness that we heard of the tragic passing away of His Grace Gopiparanadhana Prabhu. He was a leading disciple of Srila Prabhupada who served him faithfully since joining ISKCON in the early 1970's. Whatever service he did in Srila Prabhupada's movement he gave his whole heart to, although he is best known for his translating and commenting on different Vedic scriptures following in the footsteps of his Guru Maharaja

Iskcon Governing Body Commission Society. Minutes Of The Annual General Meeting. Sri Mayapur Dham, February 20 – March 3, 2011. 2011 Zonal Assignments. GBC Deputies. Sannyasa Waiting List. Reaffirmation of Ministries and Standing Committees. Memorial for Jayananda Prabhu. Kirtan Standards – Instruments. Statement Regarding Umapati Das. Letter of Censure to Bir Krishna Das Goswami

A devotee friend asked me recently about the rationale behind creating a strategic plan for a spiritual organization. He understood the need for strategic planning in the corporate world where you have to anticipate market changes and consumer interests, but he suspected its relevance to our confederation of devotees who, after all, are ultimately interested in transcendence. Doesn't it go against the spontaneous nature of performing devotional service and spoil the devotees' spirit a little if everything has to be so mapped out?

A number of the GBC's Strategic Planning Committees have broad international mandates. The mandate of the Outreach Committee, for example, covers all aspects of preaching - from how to encourage book distribution to congregational preaching to how to effectively present Krishna consciousness in university settings to all other aspects of outreach

Friday, March 3rd marked the final day of the 2011 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Governing Body Commission (GBC) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Along with discussing sannyasa candidates, the day involved a presentation on the Midday Meal project in India and a special visit by the students of the Sri Mayapur International School

Every year during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC), GBC members reaffirm their Oath of Allegiance. This year GBC members gathered in Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi in Sridham Mayapur for the event, and Bhakti Marga Swami led the recitation of the Oath. The following is the Oath of Allegiance and photos of the occasion

ISKCON’s 2011 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) continued February 26th and 27th with GBC members separating into committees to discussion specific topics. Some of the committees were Guru Services, GBC-BBT Relations, Parallel Lines of Authority, and the Sannyasa Committee. Regional Governing Bodies, such as the Latin Governing Body and the North American GBCs also convened to discuss issues particular to their geographic area of service

After concluding four days of strategic planning, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness’ (ISKCON) Governing Body Commission (GBC) resumed their regular Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mayapur, West Bengal. Friday, February 25th was entirely dedicated to reviewing proposals submitted to the GBC by various ISKCON members and committees. Proposal topics have a wide range- from adjusting temple standards, to refining the role of particular committees, to establishing new offices and services in ISKCON

The Strategic Planning portion of the GBC's 2011 Annual General Meeting has just ended. The four-day meeting was well attended by the full GBC, many GBC deputies, and about forty devotees from around the world. During my own attendance as a member of the Strategic Planning Team facilitating the meeting, I moved between the various committees, initiatives, and breakout sessions and was left with an overwhelming impression of synergy. The dictionary defines synergy as "a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct elements or participants

The 2011 Governing Body Commission (GBC) Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) commenced on February 20th in the Society’s world headquarters, Mayapur, West Bengal. Madhusevita dasa, this year’s GBC chairman, welcomed the GBC body, appreciating that thirty-one out of thirty-three voting GBC members were present at this session

We, the Executive Committee of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission, wish to hereby express our bereavement on hearing of the passing of Sripada Narayana Maharaja. At this time we remember Sripada Narayana Maharaja as a dedicated and powerful preacher. He traveled around the world to deliver the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam and spread Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. He also translated important Vaisnava texts

Maharaja was a dedicated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and he had worked hard to spread Prabhupada's message in different parts of the world, in a number of services. He was a dedicated ISKCON sannyasi, preaching enthusiastically and effectively, particularly in the former Soviet Union.

The Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON GBC Society will begin on February 20, 2011. Following the ISKCON GBC Society's Rules of Order, the GBC Secretariat requests proposals, duly sponsored by a GBC member, to be submitted by December 15, 2010. This will allow adequate time for the GBC Secretariat and Deputies to prepare the proposals for presentation at the meeting

The times call for both dynamic, visionary planning as well as the effective execution of those plans. The GBC has concluded that to best serve ISKCON, it needs to strengthen its executive strategies by establishing an Executive Director, who will serve the GBC by ensuring that GBC members fulfill the fundamental assignments Srila Prabhupada gave them, implement the GBC’s resolutions, and make progress in activities related to strategic planning

You will find attached a two-part document presented by the Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON. We write this letter to provide you a brief account of the events leading to the writing and publication of this document. The first part, "Conversation Between Srila Prabhupada and H. H. Narayana Maharaja: Vrindavan-October 8, 1977,"consists of a transcription of the audio recording of that conversation preserved in the BBT Archives. The second part, titled "The Last Conversation," offers a careful analysis of the meaning and significance of this conversation.

Iskcon Governing Body Commission Society. Minutes Of The Annual General Meeting. Sri Mayapur Dham, February 6 – 17, 2010. GBC Officers and Members. Zonal Assignments for GBC Members. Sannyasa Waiting List. Reaffirmation of Ministries and Standing Committees. Categories of GBC Resolutions. Minimum Standards for Guru Approval. Reestablishment of the ISKCON Interfaith Commission.

Anuttama Prabhu, representing the GBC's Guru Services Committee, reported on the Guru Seminars and Guru Retreats program. These programs allow devotees who are serving as initiating or instructing gurus to associate with one another and share their experiences serving Srila Prabhupada in the role of guru. The Guru Seminars and Retreats also aim to enhance skills in counseling disciples and caring for one's own physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

On February 14th, all members of ISKCON’s Governing Commission attending the Annual General Meeting in Mayapur, India assembled in the center of a construction zone. It was the construction zone of the long-awaited Temple of Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), a massive and impressive temple dedicated to displaying the Vedic view of the spiritual and material worlds.