The Art of Living & IAHV continue to provide 24/7 assistance to those affected by the war through its large-scale volunteer network.

As of March 20, we have housed over 5,000 people, including children, babies and people with special needs, in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Sweden, Netherlands and Germany. More than 2,000 volunteers are currently working on the relief efforts, many of them on the borders with Ukraine, to assist arriving refugees and provide them with shelter and basic amenities like food, water, hygiene and medical first aid supplies.

On 3 March 2022, the first truck arrived from Gdańsk, Poland at the Ukrainian border, carrying medication for an urgent supply required for injured civilians and soldiers. As of now, more than 7 tons with 38333 different items were shipped via Poland to Ukraine and more is underway. This includes 11 200 medical, first aid and hygiene kits, medical supplies for hospitals, tons of food material, goods for infants and small children, technical equipment like camping gas stoves, clothes and hygiene products.

15 facilities including 4 municipal hospitals, 1 maternity hospital, 2 orphanages and 3 humanitarian aid centers for refugees within the country, have recieved Material aid supplies. Through their volunteers at the borders and those still present in Ukraine, The Art of Living and IAHV receive direct and first-hand information on the need for critical goods and necessary medication.

Trauma Relief Programs
addressing the mental health impact of the war

As part of their relief efforts, The Art of Living and IAHV have also begun offering their proven trauma relief programs to those affected by the war. Once immediate material aid has been provided, these programs help address the psychological impact and pressure of the war. The arriving refugees are often severely traumatized by the impressions of the war and report, among others, about sleeping disorders and anxiety.

IAHV has many years of experience in caring for traumatized people from war zones and has worked in various countries such as Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Afghanistan, in Syrian refugee camps and other crisis regions, also in partnership with UN agencies and the Red Cross, to address the mental health impact of the war.

The Art of Living also helped evacuate Indian students from Ukraine at the request of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In Germany, The Art of Living has welcomed refugees from Ukraine at its European center in Oppenau. Refugee children have now started visiting the local school. 

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of The Art of Living, on February 27, 2022 announced that all The Art of Living centers across Europe are open and fully operational to accommodate war refugees from Ukraine.

The Art of Living is running a 24/7 helpline for those fleeing the war in Ukraine and has received more than 9000 calls so far. Together with their sister concern IAHV, the organization continues to be fully operational 24/7.