Wellness Summit: Art of Living signs strategic MoU with Nobel Laureates to advance global peace education

In 1981, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded The Art of Living on a simple but ambitious belief: that a stress-free and violence-free society is possible.

Forty-five years later, that idea has evolved into one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven human­itarian movements, active across 182 countries and touching the lives of more than one billion peo­ple through programs focused on mental well-being, education, med­itation, humanitarian service, and social development.

This week in Bengaluru, that glob­al journey reached another mile­stone as The Art of Living Interna­tional Centre hosted a month-long international gathering marking the 45th anniversary of the organisation and the 70th birthday of its founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The celebra­tions brought together an influential assembly of heads of state, diplomats, policymakers, educators, Nobel-affiliated institutions, spiritual leaders, and entrepre­neurs, alongside civil society rep­resentatives and grassroots benefi­ciaries from around the world.

The global significance of the Bengaluru gathering was under­scored by the participation of Indi­an Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who joined Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar during the celebrations to inaugurate the newly constructed Dhyan Mandir.

This international meditation and wellness centre is envisioned as a permanent space dedicated to peace, reflection, and collective well-being. Referring to the new facility, Prime Minister Modi stat­ed that the Dhyan Mandir would become a “centre of peace and sol­ace for thousands of people in the coming generations,” while speak­ing extensively on the link between spiritual well-being, mental resil­ience, and national development.

“The realization of a developed future will be possible through youth who are mentally calm, socially responsible, and sensitive toward society,” Prime Minister Modi told the gathering, adding that spiritual well-being, yoga, and meditation play a critical role in this journey.

He further highlighted the importance of public participation in addressing social challenges, asserting that society is more powerful than politics and that no system can suc­ceed without people actively shaping their own future.

During the event, Prime Minister Modi launched a series of nationwide human­itarian and develop­ment initiatives led by The Art of Living. These projects include rural development, environmental sus­tainability, wom­en’s empower­ment, telemedicine outreach, youth development, and an expansion of prison rehabilitation efforts. Beyond the ceremonial aspects, the gathering reflected a growing global conversation around mental well-being, social harmony, ethical leadership, and the role of inner resilience in shaping public life.

A defining moment of the celebra­tions was the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between The Art of Living Foundation and the Asia General Office of the Permanent Secretariat of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. This partnership aims to advance global peace education and youth leadership through an inter­national framework titled Leading by Example, developed in collabo­ration with Nobel Peace Laureates.

The initiative seeks to connect students, educators, and young leaders with international peace building efforts through seminars, leadership workshops, ‘PeaceLabs’, and institutional partnerships. Under the agreement, The Art of Living will conduct outreach among universities and academic institu­tions to implement this curriculum globally. The Leading by Example curriculum draws upon 15 years of collaboration and focuses on pre­paring students for meaningful par­ticipation in civic engagement and international cooperation.

The curriculum addresses critical subjects such as conflict resolution, non-violence, humanitarian lead­ership, international relations, and environmental sustainability. Stu­dents in the program will engage in webinars with Nobel Peace Lau­reates and global experts, partici­pating in round-table discussions designed to address real-world challenges. The partnership also envisions identifying delega­tions of youth leaders and acad­emicians to contribute to future editions of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.

This announcement reflected a broader theme of the Ben­galuru celebrations: the recognition that modern education must extend beyond academics to include emo­tional resilience and human values. This sentiment was echoed by for­mer Japanese Minister of Educa­tion, Hakubun Shimomura, who described The Art of Living as a “model for holistic human devel­opment”.

“Through breathing techniques, meditation, and selfless service, The Art of Living has brought peace to individuals and harmony to com­munities across cultures,” Shimo­mura remarked. He stressed that true education is about cultivating character and compassion rath­er than just acquiring knowledge. Shimomura also reflected on the long-standing cultural and spiritual ties between India and Japan, not­ing that such gatherings strengthen international cooperation.

Among the most discussed initia­tives was the organisation’s work in prison rehabilitation. As part of the anniversary, a global policy round­table on prison reform is scheduled to bring together experts to exam­ine approaches centred on rehabil­itation, mental health, and human dignity within correctional systems. These discussions reflect a shift in global policy, where inner well-be­ing and social trust are becoming central questions for institutions and governments alike.

For Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, these conversations are deeply root­e d in India’s spiritual heritage and its modern relevance. He reflected on the glob­al spread of mindfulness, noting, “Go to the northernmost point of the world to Tromsø in the Arctic... people are meditating there... This is India’s heritage and today it is universally accepted”.

The international nature of the event was further highlighted by the participation of African lead­ers seeking collaboration in peace­building and social development. Among them was former African Union Chairperson Dr. Nkosaza­na Dlamini Zuma, who visited the centre alongside Ghanaian Special Envoy H.E. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.

“I actually regret why I didn’t come earlier in my life here,” Dr. Dlamini Zuma shared, noting the profound effect the visit had on her. She expressed hope for increased engagement across Afri­ca, stating, “We would like to have peace because only when there is peace you can really develop the continent... let’s work together to silence those guns”. The delegation explored avenues for collaboration in youth empowerment and com­munity resilience to address the “African paradox” of a resource-rich continent still facing persistent pov­erty and conflict.

During the celebrations, Gurudev received special recognition from Accra Metropolitan University, Ghana, for his contributions to peace, education, and ethical lead­ership. The event also saw partic­ipation from Tanzanian entre­preneur and humanitarian Moe Hemani, founder of Every Living Thing. Hemani joined discussions on compassion-driven leadership and community impact initiatives.

As the celebrations continuous, major moments such as the Glob­al Meditation for World Peace brought together participants from multiple countries both physically and online.

Forty-five years after its found­ing, The Art of Living occupies a unique space at the inter­section of spirit­uality, public pol­icy, and human­itarian action. What began as a movement cen­tred on breath and meditation has expanded into a global force for leadership, ethics, and social responsibility.

In a world shaped by stress and uncertain­ty, the Bengaluru gathering served as a reminder that inner peace and human values may hold the key to the future of societies themselves.