Sri Sri becomes the first Indian to receive the Crans Montana Forum Award

Brussels, Belgium
22nd June 2011
24th of Jun 2011

The Art of Living Founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will become the first Indian to receive the Crans Montana Forum Award in Belgium on June 24. “You (Gurudev) represent, today, hope to people in conflict,” says Jean-Paul Carteron, Chairman and Founder, in a letter.

Since 1989, the Crans Montana Forum has been awarding individuals who fight for peace, democracy and liberty. Several Presidents and Prime Ministers have received this award. President of the United States of America, Barack Obama; Former Prime Minister of Portugal and current President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Current President of Finland, Tarja Halonen; Current President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka; Current Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel are some of the previous recipients of this award.

Gurudev has also been invited to share his vision of a stress-free, violence-free world at the Crans Montana Forum 21, on June 24, in a session entitled: ‘Shaping a new world for tomorrow – The necessity of identifying & implementing common values.’

Gurudev’s message of a one-world family and his three decade-body of work in reviving human values have transformed communities across 151 nations. Tribes in Africa, villages in rural India, troubled youth in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo have adopted Gurudev’s call to action: inner peace to outer peace.

The Art of Living celebrates 30 years of service to humanity on July 2 and 3 in Berlin through the World Culture Festival. The organization has been serving people through projects that empower the individual, provide freedom from trauma and stress in crisis areas, and rehabilitates victims of violence and prison inmates. It teaches yoga and meditation, emphasizing on using the breath to relax and manage stress. A key component is the Sudarshan Kriya, a health-promoting breathing technique. The organization also holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN), and he is active in numerous other international bodies and committees in the areas of health, education and sustainable development.

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