Global leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar recognized by Northeastern University Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service for his contribution as peacemaker, humanitarian, spiritual teacher, and global interfaith leader.
Washington, D.C., February 5, 2020: The Northeastern University Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service honored Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as its inaugural Global Citizenship Ambassador in recognition of his pioneering work as peacemaker, humanitarian, spiritual teacher, and global interfaith leader.
Northeastern is a global leader in experiential education and research with campuses around the world and is home to students from over 100 countries. The University is ranked among the Top 50 in the United States and has one of the three largest international student populations.
“We are grateful to Sri Sri. We can think of no better way to launch our Global Citizenship Ambassador recognition than to dialogue and learn from a joyful humanitarian who embodies the best of our shared human values. On behalf of the interfaith community at Northeastern, in Boston and beyond, we look forward to working together to nurture global citizens and to build more just, peaceful, and healthy world for all people.” Said Alexander Levering Kern, Executive Director and Lead Spiritual Advisor (chaplain) at Northeastern University.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has fostered peace by way of dialogue and strategic initiatives that engage multiple levels of government, business, and humanitarian organizations.
He has lead conflict resolution and trauma-relief programs in many countries, including Afghanistan, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel-Palestine, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mauritius, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United States of America.
“The first thing in a conflict is a communication breakdown. Second, there is a trust deficit. If we can bridge these somehow, then the process begins.” Said Gurudev. “Inside every culprit is a victim crying for help. If you heal the victim, the culprit disappears.”
Dedicating himself to placing human values at the center of relations between individuals, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has touched millions around the world, resolving conflicts through dialogue and self-awareness, teaching positive approaches to living including techniques to alleviate stress, addressing mental health and wellbeing.
SKY Campus Happiness, one such comprehensive well-being program, is offered in 73 universities in the USA and has impacted over 150,000 students, staff and faculty across these campus communities to date. The program uses 4 approaches to total well-being: evidence-based breath work and meditation practices (SKY Breath Meditation), social connection, emotional intelligence training, and service leadership. Recent research out of Yale University shows that SKY Campus Happiness creates significant increases in mental health, positive emotion, and social connection, and significantly reduces anxiety and depression. It showed higher impact than mindfulness across all these measures.
About Art of Living
Operating in 156 countries, The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization founded in 1981 by the humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. All of AOLF’s programs are inspired by Sri Sri’s philosophy of creating world peace through a stress-free and violence-free society. AOLF has touched over 400 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.
Media Contacts:
Art of Living Foundation
Kushal Choksi
Phone: 917.836.2819
Email: kushal.choksi@artofliving.org