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The Art of Living Italy has reached its 10th
anniversary. The story of AOL Italy begun in 1996. Till now, AOL Italy
has organized more than 500 courses with 4,500 participants. AOL is present all
around Italy, North, Center and south in 14 cities and many more are coming. AOL
is present in schools with programs for students and teachers and is ready in
hospital with programs for doctors
and patients and in University. Till now in 3 Prisons with 15 courses.
Each year Italy organizes national courses like: DSN,
AOL Part 2, Sahaj Samadhi Meditation. From this year also Sri Sri Yoga and
Ayurveda treatments. Jaya, the coordinator of Art of Living Italy says: “We are
at a turning point: more and more people are interested in AOL Project. Many
people showed that they are able to take on responsibilities. The AOL Italian
group is solid now and after Silver Jubilee we are working very well, as a team,
to spread this Knowledge, to create a society based on Human Values”.
In 2005 started in Italy the International
Association for Human Values A.I.V.U. – onlus (Associazione Internazionale per i
Valori Umani). Roberto has been the promoter: “Now AIVU is ready to receive
donations, to finance projects and to take care of humanitarian activities in
co-operation with Art of Living. At the moment ‘1 Euro a day’ and ‘Prison
Smart’ are the most active projects, but we are starting many more projects for
the future”.
More than a thousand people coming from all over the
world met at Massa Carrara, Tuscany, to celebrate the New Millennium with Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar. During his trip to Italy, on the 6th of January 2000, Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar held a conference in Milan. The theatre was full beyond every
expectation and Sri Sri met each and every participant.
On the occasion of the world day for human rights,
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar returned to Italy, invited by the President of the Tuscany
Region Claudio Martini, to participate to a Conference on the theme of slavery.
A distinguished group of representatives of the world culture participated and
prepared the “Declaration of Florence”. On that occasion Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar re-emphasised that: “In this world there is great need for calm and
peace. If even a small part of the population is left in ignorance, we will
never live in peace”. Also on that occasion Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, accompanied by
the President of Art of Living in India, met many important people, from the
President of the Tuscan Region to the Major of Florence Leonardo Domenici and
representatives of the economic, social and religious fields.
The most memorable event though was the Conference
held by Sri Sri in 2001 at the Puccini Theatre in Florence where, in a warm
Christmas atmosphere, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar entertained a theatre full of people
coming from all over Italy.
In May 2002 Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar has been the honour guest of the International Congress of Meditation
and Prayer: “From hope to peace” in Noale in the province of Venice, where he
met Swamji Prashantananda, director of the Vashi Mumbai of the Bharat Sev Ashram
Sanghu and the Swamji Jayendra, Bramino del Kailash Ashram. Sri Sri has held a
Public Conference on Peace in Venice, where many people participated from all
Italy.
In Florence, one year after, an International
Conference on ‘Breathing Science’ took place. It was recognized and supported by
the Minister of Health and valid for the compulsory training program for
surgeons and health care operators. “We organized it together with the Society
of Psyconeuroendocrinoimmunology.
The following day, more than 1,000 people from all
over Europe met for a live Sudarshan Kriya personally led by Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar. Many came from Eastern Europe, from Poland, Slovenia, Croatia to live
this unique experience. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, during his Italian trip, also went
to Rome where he led a Conference at the F.A.O.
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