Millions to join “World Meditates with Gurudev” on December 21, 9:30 AM EST / 2:30 GMT / 10:30 PM SGT
Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) Singapore to host a series of special programmes for collective meditation in celebration of World Meditation Day
With the UN General Assembly (UNGA) declaring December 21 as the World Meditation Day, renowned mental wellbeing expert and global peace ambassador Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will guide a live World Meditation on Saturday, December 21. This historic event establishes an annual global celebration of meditation, recognising its transformative benefits for mental and physical health, as well as its power to foster peace and unity.
The commemorative event at the United Nations will feature a keynote address by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. This momentous occasion, themed “Meditation for Global Peace and Harmony,” would mark the First World Meditation Day.
“The recognition of meditation by the United Nations is a profound step forward,” said Gurudev. “Meditation nurtures the soul, calms the mind, and offers a solution to modern challenges.” He added.
Key Highlights:
Keynote Address by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the United Nations: Renowned for his pioneering efforts in stress relief and conflict resolution, Gurudev will address global dignitaries, including senior UN leaders, diplomats, and international representatives, underscoring meditation’s critical role in fostering peace and unity.
Global Livestream Event: On December 21, Gurudev will host a worldwide livestream, uniting millions in meditation to mark the Winter Solstice—an auspicious time for reflection and renewal.
What: “World Meditates with Gurudev”
When: Sat, December 21, 2024 at 9:30am EST / 2:30pm GMT / 10:30pm SGT
Where: aolf.me/world-meditation-day
Why World Meditation Day Matters
The unanimous adoption of World Meditation Day by the UN General Assembly is a bold acknowledgment of meditation’s capacity to address the challenges of modern life—from rising stress and violence to the erosion of trust and connection in society. Gurudev, who has dedicated 43 years to spreading the benefits of meditation across 180 countries, believes it is the most effective tool to cultivate mental clarity, emotional resilience, and societal harmony.
From geopolitical conflicts to personal crises, the practice of meditation offers a universal solution that transcends boundaries of nationality, culture, and belief. By integrating inner peace with outer action, meditation becomes a cornerstone for global peace-building efforts.
Singapore Events:
The milestone event comes as the Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) continues its impactful work in mental wellbeing and community engagement. Recently, Art of Living Singapore achieved a Singapore National Record for the largest mass yogic breathing exercise at the SafePod Recharge event and has been a key partner in Queenstown’s Safe Pod Recharge initiative, promoting holistic community wellbeing. The Foundation’s decades of evidence-based mental health programmes, including the renowned Sudarshan Kriya technique, have touched over 500 million lives worldwide, reaffirming its commitment to fostering peace and well-being globally.
In honour of the historic UN World Meditation Day event, Art of Living Singapore is hosting a series of special programmes to unite communities in collective meditation and celebration.
On Thursday, 19th December, meditation enthusiasts can visit the Art of Living Centre at 433 Race Course Road, Singapore 218679, for an evening of heartwarming music, meditation, and vibrant community spirit. The programme begins with Satsang at 7:00 PM, followed by Meditation at 7:40 PM.
On Saturday, 21st December, there are two exciting events to participate in.
Meditation enthusiasts can be part of a global audience as the Art of Living community comes together to meditate live with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from the United Nations Headquarters. Registration can be done here: https://www.artofliving.sg/world-meditates-with-gurudev
About Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a global humanitarian, spiritual leader, and peace envoy. He has helped millions of people worldwide find peace and resilience in the face of adversity, learning not only how to excel in their own lives, but also how to become powerful agents for social change.
Gurudev is a keynote speaker at global forums including United Nations, UNESCO and World Economic Forum. At the European Parliament Think Tank conference in June 2023, he emphasised the urgency for governments to address global mental health issues, “Mental health is one of the greatest challenges the world is facing today. Whether it is in developing or developed countries, in war or peace zones, it is an issue that affects the entire world”. Referencing the World Health Organisation’s World Health Report 2022 findings of “one in every three individuals in the world suffering from anxiety and depression”, he highlighted mental health and loneliness as the “silent epidemics”.
Gurudev has created trauma-relief and meditation programmes for at-risk youth, war veterans, prisoners and survivors of disaster. He has also created numerous educational and self-development programmes and tools that facilitate the elimination of stress and foster deep and profound inner peace, happiness and well-being for individuals.
Standing for the Gandhian principles of non-violence, Gurudev has mediated and progressed negotiations for peace in conflict-stricken areas such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Venezuela, and Colombia, where he is credited for playing a central role in ending the violent 52-year conflict between FARC and the Colombian government. He has received 57 governmental awards, including highest civilian awards from several nations. Twenty-seven universities have awarded him with honorary doctorates for his peace-keeping and humanitarian efforts.
About Art of Living Foundation Operating in 180 countries, The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization founded in 1981 by the renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. All of AOLF’s programmes are inspired by Gurudev’s philosophy of creating world peace through a stress-free and violence-free society. AOLF has touched over 800 million lives through numerous educational and self-development programmes and tools that facilitate the elimination of stress and foster deep and profound inner peace, happiness and well-being for individuals.
Renowned mental wellness expert and global peace ambassador Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will conduct an immersive Mental Health Masterclass to advance strategies and techniques for enhanced mental wellness on 24 March 2024. The event is expected to attract full capacity at The Theatre at Mediacorp.
Gurudev’s commitment to advance mental health is the core of the Art of Living Foundation (AOLF), the non-profit organisation he founded in 1981. The AOLF has taught evidence-based programmes to promote mental wellness for 41 years. Its powerful proprietary Sudarshan Kriya technique, supported by published research has helped millions worldwide.
Gurudev is a keynote speaker at global forums including United Nations, UNESCO and World Economic Forum. At the European Parliament Think Tank conference in June 2023, he emphasised the urgency for governments to address global mental health issues, “Mental health is one of the greatest challenges the world is facing today. Whether it is in developing or developed countries, in war or peace zones, it is an issue that affects the entire world”. Referencing the World Health Organisation’s World Health Report 2022 findings of “one in every three individuals in the world suffering from anxiety and depression”, he highlighted mental health and loneliness as the “silent epidemics”.
Gurudev’s holistic programme, with emphasis on treatment and preventive care aligns with Singapore’s national mental health and well-being strategy. AOLF is pulling out all the stops to ensure the Masterclass offers the solution to maintaining optimum mental well-being for all. Gurudev is conducting the Masterclass as part of his 11 Countries Far East Asia Tour, heralding a reinvigorated mindset towards mental health as a universal human right. This is Gurudev’s first visit to Singapore after 6 years, the 8th stop in the tour.
The Journey Within: Wisdom Series Masterclass 24 March 2024 The Theatre at Mediacorp One-North Ave, Singapore 138507 1030am – 630pm
About Art of Living Foundation https://www.artofliving.sg Operating in over 180 countries, The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organisation. Founded in 1981 by the renowned humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. AOLF’s programmes are inspired by Gurudev’s philosophy of creating world peace through a stress-free and violence-free society. AOLF has touched over 800 million lives through educational and self-development programmes and tools that foster well-being.
About Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a global humanitarian, spiritual leader, and peace envoy. He has helped millions find resilience in the face of adversity, and become powerful agents for social change. Standing for the Gandhian principles of non-violence, Gurudev has mediated and progressed negotiations for peace in conflict-stricken areas such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Venezuela, and Colombia. He has received 39 governmental awards, including the highest civilian awards from several nations. Twenty-four universities have awarded him with honorary doctorates for his peace-keeping and humanitarian efforts.
Media Contact: Pradnyesh pradnyesh@bloomingdalepr.com Bloomingdale Public Relations (on behalf of The Art of Living Foundation)
World leaders, >1,000 artists & entertainers to participate in the Olympic-scale celebration alongside an expansive list of interfaith spiritual leaders.
Today, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser joined global humanitarian and peacemaker Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living, to announce the preliminary lineup for the 2023 World Culture Festival, to be held September 29 through October 1, 2023, on the historic National Mall in the U.S. capital.
World Culture Festival The World Culture Festival will come to the United States for the first time in its history this fall: Sept 29 – Oct. 1 on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
The Honorable Mayor Muriel Bowser: “We are delighted to host the fourth-annual World Culture Festival. Washington, D.C. is the perfect city to bring people together from around the globe. We are a city that celebrates diversity and inclusivity, a global city, a welcoming city, and a city that loves visitors. We know that Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s message that ‘diversity is the beauty of creation’ aligns with our D.C. values. So, we invite people to plan their visits, and we’ll see you in the fall!”
The World Culture Festival, which has attracted millions in its previous iterations in Asia and Europe, will come to the United States for the first time ever for an epic celebration of global diversity, unity and peace:
– #YOUnitedWeCelebrate: Gurudev and Mayor Bowser invited the public to join in on the world’s largest celebration of diversity and belongingness. – Bridging the Divide: Amidst increasing political and societal polarization, world leaders will come together to affirm a collective intention for unity and peace. – Social Connection: As the world grapples with epidemic loneliness, isolation, and mental health burden, the Festival’s attendees will experience the power of social connection.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: “We need to bridge the gap. There is a lot of polarization in the world. The World Culture Festival is an occasion for people to come together and celebrate each other’s differences. It is the need of the hour, to bring people together in celebration and to spread the message of peace and to say that we are one human family.”
PRELIMINARY LINEUP: – Over 50 world leaders, including current and former heads of state, members of national parliaments and international governmental organizations, have already committed to attending the Festival, including: – H.E. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary General of the United Nations – H.E. Chan Santokhi, President of Suriname – H.E. Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius – H.E. Vicente Fox, Former President of Mexico – H.E. Federico Franco, Former President of Paraguay – H.E. Venkaiah Naidu, Former Vice President of India – H.E. Alojz Peterle, Former Prime Minister of Slovenia – H.E. Rosalia Arteaga Serrano, Former President of Ecuador – H.E. Kjell Magne-Bondevik, Former Prime Minister of Norway – Hon. Hildebrando Tapia, Former Member of Andean Parliament
Thousands of unique performers and artists will take part in the jam-packed entertainment lineup. All performers are based in the United States, representing the cultures and heritage of over 35 countries and counting. Performance groups include:
– 1,000+ Chinese Cultural Performers – 1,000-Person Gospel Choir – 500 Indian Classical Dancers – 500-Person Global Dance Mashup – 200 Hip-Hop Dancers – 200 Ukrainian Dancers – 200 Latin-American Dancers – 100 Afghan Performers – 100 Native American Performers
A global Faith Advisory council is being convened in support of the World Culture Festival. The council, composed of leaders from faiths of the world, will share messages about common values of peace, harmony and partnership to nurture greater unity and togetherness. More details to come.
There will be a diverse international food festival associated with the event that is expected to attract thousands to sample international cuisines made by chefs from around the capital region. Over 50 ethnic food trucks are expected to be in a designated area along the National Mall.
There will be multiple pop-up cultural events throughout the District of Columbia leading up to the festival, including at least one in each of D.C.’s eight community wards. These pop-ups will be a chance for D.C. residents and visitors to preview and experience the celebration of culture and unity before the historic event from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. Details and dates for all upcoming pop-ups will be announced soon.
The first D.C. pop-up is Saturday, May 20 at the picturesque Meridian Hill Park. The free pop-up is open to the public and will have music, dance, yoga and meditation. The afternoon’s highlight will be a live meditation conducted by Art of Living founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. For more information, please visit tiny.cc/wcfpopup.
WCF’S EXPANSIVE SCOPE AND SCALE: The World Culture Festival is expected to attract more than 150,000 visitors. This festival is expected to have an economic impact of over $30M in revenue.
The previous WCF in New Delhi, India, created a 45% increase in the GDP of the union territory of Delhi and contributed $300 million dollars to the economy of the union territory of Delhi.
As of mid-May, 45,000 people have already registered to attend the World Culture Festival, with 80 percent of registrants coming from the United States and 20 percent from abroad.
– Of the US registrants, 27 percent come from the greater D.C. area, while the rest are from all corners of the country.
Thousands of hotel rooms have already been booked ahead of the Festival. As of mid-May, 2,180 hotel rooms have been booked at the various neighboring hotels in the area.
Festival grounds will span the entire National Mall and will be similar in size to presidential inaugurations. It is being designed to be the largest event in D.C. this year, based on the permit given by the U.S. National Park Service.
Hargrove is working as the event designer, bringing Gurudev’s vision to life across the National Mall. The Festival is a D.C. endeavor that has been in the works for the better part of a year.
There will be an expansive performer/speaker stage – with vast audience seating (over 12,000 seats) to watch the events unfold – in addition to a large portion of the Mall dedicated to various World Culture Festival Activations. The dance floor is expected to be over 32,000 sq ft and will provide over a football field’s worth of performance space.
RECEPTION COMMITTEE/ORGANIZING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The Reception Committee is composed of high-level government officials lending their experience and expertise to the Festival. Full list of names are below.
Video testimonials from Hon. Danny Davis, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL); Hon. Andy Kim, Member of House of Representatives (D-NJ); Hon. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL); Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City); Hon. Michelle Steel, Member of House of Representatives (R-CA); Hon. Mike Quigley, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL) can be found here. https://vimeo.com/827652763/73cac82d98?share=copy
Reception Committee Members: – H.E. Ban Ki-moon, the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the Reception Committee – H.E. Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister, Mauritius – H.E. Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, President, Fiji – H.E. Chan Santokhi, President, Suriname – H.E. Jacques Santer, Former President, European Commission and Former Prime Minister, Luxembourg – H.E. Erik Solheim, Former UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) and Former Minister of International Development & Environment, Norway – H.E. Venkaiah Naidu, Former Vice President, India – H.E. Kjell Magne Bondevik, Former Prime Minister, Norway Founder and Executive Chair, The Oslo Center – H.E. Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister, New Zealand – H.E. Nambaryn Enkhbayar, Former President, Mongolia – H.E. Mark Eyskens, Former Prime Minister, Belgium – H.E. Vicente Fox, Former President, Mexico – H.E. Federico Franco, Former President, Paraguay – H.E. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, Former President, Tunisia – H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President, Nigeria – H.E. Alojz Peterle, Former Prime Minister, Slovenia – H.E. Rosalia Arteaga Serrano, Former President, Ecuador and Executive Director, Fidal Foundation – H.E. Jigmi Yoser Thinkley, Former Prime Minister, Bhutan – H.E. Akie Abe, Former First Lady, Japan – H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates – Hon. Ryszard Czarnecki, Former Vice President of the European Parliament, Poland – Hon. Prof. Herman De Croo, Minister of State, Honorary Speaker of the House, Honorary Mayor of Brakel, Belgium – Hon. Armin Laschet, Member of German Parliament and Vice President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Former Minister-President, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany – Hon. Sumitra Mahajan, Former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, India – Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, United States of America – Right Honorable Sir Robert James Buckland KBE KC MP, Former Lord Chancellor and Wales Secretary, United Kingdom – Hon. Ted Baillieu, Former Premier of Victoria, Australia – Hon. Bruno Bruins, Former Minister for Medical Care, Netherlands – Hon. Raymond LaHood, Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, United States of America – Hon. Hakubun Shimomura, Member of the House of Representatives and Former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan – Hon. Hildebrando Tapia, Former Vice President, Andean Parliament, Peru – Hon. Geoffrey Van Orden CBE, Former Leader of British Conservatives in the European Parliament, United Kingdom – Hon. Danny Davis, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL), United States of America – Hon. Mike Quigley, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL), United States of America – Hon. Bill Foster, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL), United States of America – Hon. Andy Barr, Member of House of Representatives (R-KY), United States of America – Hon. Richard Hudson, Member of House of Representatives (R-NC), United States of America – Hon. Marc Veasey, Member of House of Representatives (D-TX), United States of America – Hon. Ro Khanna, Member of House of Representatives (D-CA), United States of America – Hon. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Member of House of Representatives (D-IL), United States of America – Hon. Andy Kim, Member of House of Representatives (D-NJ), United States of America – Hon. Jake Auchincloss, Member of House of Representatives (D-MA), United States of America – Hon. Jerry Carl, Member of House of Representatives (R-AL), United States of America – Hon. Young Kim, Member of House of Representatives (R-CA), United States of America – Hon. Deborah Ross, Member of House of Representatives (D-NC), United States of America – Hon. Michelle Steel, Member of House of Representatives (R-CA), United States of America – Hon. Kevin Kiley, Member of House of Representatives (R-CA), United States of America – Hon. Laurel Lee, Member of House of Representatives (R-FL), United States of America – Hon. Rick McCormick, Member of House of Representatives (R-GA), United States of America – Hon. Shri Thanedar, Member of House of Representatives (D-MI), United States of America – Hon. Binod Chaudhary, Member of Parliament, Nepal and Chairman and President, The Chaudhary Group (CG) – Hon. Yvonne Feri, Member of Parliament, Switzerland – Hon. Dr. Nik Gugger, Member of the Parliament, Switzerland and Member of the European Parliament – His Highness Azzan Bin Qais Al Said, Vice Chairman, Oman National Olympic Committee, Oman
Organizing Committee Members: The Organizing Committee contributes their leadership, experience, and counsel to build an unforgettable World Culture Festival IV.
– Rob Trombold, President of Art of Living and Convener of World Culture Festival – Ann Luskey, Founder and Trustee, Charlotte’s Web Foundation – Hon. Binod Chaudhary, Member of Parliament of Nepal and Chairman and President of The Chaudhary Group (CG) – Chirag Patel, President and CEO, Amneal Pharmaceuticals – Courteney Monroe, President, National Geographic Global Television Networks – Hon. Francisco Sanchez, Former U.S. Under-Secretary of Commerce at the US Department of Commerce – Hon. Jo Leinen, Former Member of European Parliament – Hon. Luis Moreno Ocampo, Founding Prosecutor of International Court of Justice – Louis Gagnon, Founder and CEO of the Regenerative Group – Madhu Rao, Former CEO of Shangri-La Group – Dr. Manoj K. Jain, Founder and President of Mid-South Infectious Disease Associates – Mike Perlis, Vice Chairman of Forbes Media – H.E. Nirj Deva DL FRSA, President Envoy to Western Europe & Commonwealth of Nations for the Commonwealth Union and Former Vice President for International Development, European Parliament – Prem Jain, Co-Founder of Pensando Systems, now the Networking Solutions Group AMD Pensando – Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers – Ranvir Trehan, General Trustee, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Reginald Van Lee, Partner and Chief Transformation Officer, Carlyle Group – Rodney Mims Cook Jr., President of the National Monuments Foundation – Ross Perot Jr., Chairman of the Perot Group – Sanjay Govil, Chairman, Infinite Computer Solutions – Sanjay Pradhan, CEO of Open Government Partnership – Dr. Sreenivas Reddy, MD, Vascular Interventional Radiologist – Tim Draper, Founder of Draper Associates, DFJ, and Draper Venture Network – Hon. Tim Ryan, Former Congressman D-OH13 – Tonya Vidal Kinlow, Vice President of Community Engagement, Advocacy and Government Affairs at Children’s National Hospital and Chair of the Board of DC Chamber of Commerce – H.E. AMB. Vijay Nambiar, Former Chef-de-Cabinet of the United Nations & Special Ambassador to Myanmar – Vivek Paul, Adjunct Professor, Stanford University
TICKET INFORMATION
All World Culture Festival events are free and open to the public. All ages are encouraged to join. Registration and ticket information for the fall festival in Washington, D.C. can be found at www.worldculturefest.org. Please direct all inquiries to WCF2023@lindarothpr.com for further information.
PAST WORLD CULTURE FESTIVALS: Bangalore (2006): 2.5 million attendees, including 3,800 musicians and performers, 750 political and business leaders, alongside 1,000 spiritual and religious figures.
Berlin (2011): 70,000 attendees from 151 countries including 6,000 artists and dignitaries including ministers and members of parliament.
New Delhi (2016): 3.75 million attendees from 155 countries including 36,603 artists and 2,500 religious and spiritual leaders from Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrian, Islamic, Jain, Native American, and Tribal faiths.
MEDIA ACCESS: World Culture Festival 2023 welcomes press outlets from Washington, D.C. and around the world to cover the weekend’s festivities. We are happy to provide approved members of the media with exclusive access. Please check back soon as applications for media will be available this spring. Reach out to WCF2023@lindarothpr.com with any questions or for pre-event interview opportunities.
MEDIA RESOURCES: – World Culture Festival Compilation Video (Video Credit: Art of Living) https://pr.report/ps27niWT – Brochure for World Culture Festival 2023 https://pr.report/51QHoFlN – Past World Culture Festival Photos from 2016 and 2011 (Photo Credit: Art of Living) https://pr.report/pPOvNnKy – #WCF2023: Official Hashtag for World Culture Festival 2023
About Art of Living Foundation
Operating in 180 countries, The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is a nonprofit, educational and humanitarian organization founded in 1981 by the renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. All of AOLF’s programs are inspired by Gurudev’s philosophy of creating world peace through a stress-free and violence-free society. AOLF has touched over 800 million lives through numerous educational and self-development programs and tools that facilitate the elimination of stress and foster deep and profound inner peace, happiness and well-being for individuals.
About Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a global humanitarian, spiritual leader, and peace envoy. He has helped millions of people worldwide find peace and resilience in the face of adversity, learning not only how to excel in their own lives, but also how to become powerful agents for social change.
Gurudev has created trauma-relief and meditation programs for at-risk youth, war veterans, prisoners and survivors of disaster. He has also created numerous educational and self-development programs and tools that facilitate the elimination of stress and foster deep and profound inner peace, happiness and well-being for individuals.
Standing for the Gandhian principles of non-violence, Gurudev has mediated and progressed negotiations for peace in conflict-stricken areas such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Venezuela, and Colombia, where he is credited for playing a central role in ending the violent 52-year conflict between FARC and the Colombian government. He has received 39 governmental awards, including the highest civilian awards from several nations. Twenty-four universities have awarded him with honorary doctorates for his peace-keeping and humanitarian efforts.
