Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the landmark celebrations marking 45 years of The Art of Living Foundation and the 70th birthday of its founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on May 10 at The Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru.
The celebrations are expected to draw participants from more than 182 countries, both online and offline, making it one of the largest global gatherings organised by the humanitarian and spiritual movement. Delegates attending the event include government leaders, civil servants, business executives, farmers, students, homemakers and senior citizens from across the world.
During the event, PM Modi will deliver the keynote address and inaugurate the newly constructed Dhyan Mandir, a dedicated meditation hall at the Bengaluru campus. He will also launch several nationwide service initiatives focused on mental well-being, rural development, environmental conservation and social transformation.
As part of the celebrations, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will lead a global meditation for world peace on May 13, which will be livestreamed worldwide.
Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, The Art of Living has grown into a volunteer-driven humanitarian and educational organisation operating in 182 countries. The organisation says it has impacted more than a billion people through wellness programmes, breathing techniques such as Sudarshan Kriya and grassroots initiatives promoting sustainable development and community well-being.
The month-long celebrations will also feature global leadership dialogues and summits focused on ethics in governance, business, education, media, arts and civil society. Cultural festivals showcasing music, dance and artistic traditions from countries where The Art of Living has a presence are also scheduled to take place.
Recognition ceremonies honouring "Unsung Everyday Heroes" will be organised across more than 450 districts in India. In addition, policy roundtables focusing on sustainable and humane approaches to governance and institutional systems will be held during the celebrations.
A special policy roundtable on prisoner welfare and prison reforms is scheduled for May 25 and 26, highlighting rehabilitation initiatives and the impact of The Art of Living's prison programmes.
The organisation also recently hosted the BIMSTEC Youth Leadership Exchange in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, bringing together youth leaders from all seven BIMSTEC nations for a leadership immersion programme at the Bengaluru centre.
Speaking about the organisation's impact, PM Modi said, "The Art of Living taught people to act with awareness, with compassion, with rootedness. That is yoga in its truest sense. And this is why, when the world today looks for answers to anxiety, to conflict, to disconnection — it looks, increasingly, toward India."
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said the organisation's mission has always been to create a healthier and happier society. "The sign of a healthy society is to see a smile on every face. That is the goal we have been working toward for forty-five years," he said.
