The country’s Vice President CP Radhakrishnan launched five major national initiatives related to youth development, entrepreneurship, sustainability, consciousness studies and education at The Art of Living International Centre. This event has taken place at a time when this organization has entered 45 years of humanitarian service. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who turned 70 this month, has shown his lifelong contribution towards peace, welfare and human values. The Vice President, along with other guests, also unveiled a commemorative postage stamp, symbolizing 45 years of contribution of The Art of Living to individual well-being, social change and global peace.
Initiatives launched include Youth Career Excellence Programme, Faculty of Eastern Knowledge Systems, Art of Living Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation, Center of Excellence on Consciousness Study and Human Potential, and Eco Peace. These initiatives reflect the organization’s growing focus on education, innovation, environmental sustainability and human development.
678 guests from across the country and world participated
The launch ceremony was the culmination of a month-long celebration at The Art of Living International Centre, which was attended by 678 distinguished guests from India and across the world. These included national leaders from different political ideologies, business tycoons, sportspersons, entrepreneurs, educationists, spiritual leaders, diplomats, artists and social change makers.
In his address, the Vice President talked about the global reach of this movement founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. He said, today is a celebration of great foresight that has touched millions of lives across different continents. I was amazed to learn that The Art of Living is present in 182 countries. Almost the entire civilization of mankind is connecting with each other through this movement.
What else did the Vice President say?
Referring to the journey of the organization, he further said, 45 years ago a movement was started with a simple but profound idea. The basic principle of which was that internal peace is the foundation of external harmony. In this world surrounded by conflict and uncertainty, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is continuously animating humanity with the values of prudence, awareness, peace and harmony.
Praising Gurudev’s simplicity and his influence, Vice President Radhakrishnan said that his smile, his humility and his affection touch the heart of every person. What makes his contribution extraordinary is the humility and humanity inherent within him. Welcoming the Vice President, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar stressed the eternal relevance of internal development in addressing contemporary challenges.
He said, today the whole world has accepted that meditation is no longer a luxury. The coming together of 192 countries to declare World Meditation Day has strengthened the understanding that meditation is a fundamental requirement for a healthy, happy and stress-free life. Calling for a holistic approach towards human development, he further said, three things should always be with us throughout life: knowledge, meditation and music.
He said that let us dream of a Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which is a global family free from fear, tension and hatred. A peaceful and harmonious world starts with peaceful and harmonious people. Along with this, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot also addressed the gathering and underlined Karnataka’s deep connection with the origin of the organization.
About the initiatives launched during the event
The five initiatives launched during the event seek to address some of the most urgent needs of contemporary society through education, innovation, sustainability and human development. Youth Career Excellence Program will prepare youth for career in civil services. It will also provide industry-oriented hospitality training to increase employability among rural and urban youth.
The Faculty of Eastern Knowledge Systems will serve as an interdisciplinary platform that will integrate Eastern knowledge traditions with contemporary education and research, thereby addressing modern ethical, social and ecological challenges. The Art of Living Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation initiative aims to nurture innovation-driven and hardware-centric startups through guidance, prototyping facilities and early-stage funding support, with a target of enabling 500 startups.
The Center of Excellence on Consciousness Studies and Human Potential will create an interdisciplinary ecosystem for research, education and innovation in consciousness, cognition, mental well-being and human potential. Eco Shanti, a sustainability initiative of The Art of Living, aims to eliminate single-use plastics through sustainable alternatives, with the aim of reducing plastic production and use by at least 1,00,000 tonnes annually by 2030.
Who attended the month long event?
For almost a month, The Art of Living International Center welcomed people from different walks of life, reflecting the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam i.e. one world family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, N. Chandrababu Naidu and Pramod Sawant, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh, actors Rajnikanth, Vikrant Massey, industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Anant Ambani and Niranjan Hiranandani along with prominent spiritual leaders, artists, diplomats and scholars arrived.
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