WCF Speakers
Day 3: March 13, 2016
Hon. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development, Government of India
"Gurudev has been working tirelessly for universal peace and he has the capacity to mesmerize people and bring them together to work with dedication, devotion, and discipline.
“If we go and see the river Yamuna now, it is very clean and green. I hope that by spreading Gurudev’s message of love, harmony, and wisdom, many more minds will be transformed and the society and eventually the whole world will be cleansed and will become a better place. We should all join hands and move forward with this message.
Hon. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Government of India
This is a vast, endless ocean of culture. There is no pollution here, instead a beautiful flow and display of culture before us. The environment here is not under any threat or disturbance. Here there are only smiles, happiness, and an exchange of world cultures. It really depends on what one wants to see!
I have never seen such a vast sea of people in my life. From the principles, the experiences, and the sheer environment you have helped rekindle and promote through this Maha Kumbh of the World Culture Festival, may the message of peace, compassion, and universal brotherhood spread far and wide. May we all walk together and always work towards bringing everyone together and bring greater peace and happiness to one and all.
Hon. Arun Jaitley, Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India
“I am amazed at the short duration of 35 years in which people from so many countries around the world have been attracted to the Art of Living. This admirable and unparalleled effort that Gurudev has made is without a second and truly amazing.
“I feel that a country like India, that has the power and capacity to bring together and honor different cultures and civilizations of the world, is in itself the cradle of civilizations.
"It is a matter of pride that you have thought India worthy of hosting such a grand festival and this message of peace and harmony goes out from New Delhi to the entire world."
Hon. Piyush Goel, Minister for Coal, New & Renewable Energy, Govt of India
“We have advocated the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam for countless ages. We have always believed that the world is one family. All of us gathered here today, who have had the good fortune to participate and attend the World Culture Festival, should take this message of peace and a one-world family—treating all human beings as brothers and sisters—to all parts of the world. This message transcends religion, nations, and all other boundaries and binds humanity today.
Hon. Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Railways, Government of India
“In some part of India or other, every day or at least every month, we have some festival. The World Culture Festival is a very unique festival in which over 155 countries have come to participate. It is like looking at a mini United Nations. In the UN, you have the Security Council to look into and provide a secure future to the world. I think this festival is the best way to bring about security in the world by uniting different cultures and people from different backgrounds together.
“I am sure that when we go back home, we shall go back as a single entity, thinking of a common goal – peace for the whole world."
Hon. Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of the Lok Sabha
“I marvel at the fact that though so many artistes in each ensemble have come from different parts of the country and the world, and were playing on instruments made in different places, the notes that came out were the exact same!
"I am very sure that a message of love will spread to the entire world. The message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Krunvanto Vishwam Aryam – let us build an ideal, cultured and peaceful society – shall definitely go out into the whole world."
Hon. Amit Shah, President, Bharatiya Janta Party, India
“After watching this program, not only India, but the entire world has been mesmerized. The whole world tries to come together through the medium of business and trade. But you, Gurudev, through the medium of culture, have made an extremely successful initiative to unite and bring the whole world together. This is so clearly proven and visible here today.
“I am convinced that in the times to come, this commendable initiative of the Art of Living will go down in the cultural history of the world in golden letters and will find a very unique place of its own in the annals of the history of the world. The World Culture Festival will forever be remembered as an event that hoisted the flag of Indian culture at the grandest pinnacle."
Hon. Matthew Offord, Conservative Member of the Parliament, United Kingdom
“The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. David Cameron, has asked me to give you a short message and he says:
‘Let me start by congratulating the Art of Living Foundation on its 35th anniversary. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision of a one-world family is an example to us all. As is the foundation's works of promoting peace, harmony, and understanding between people of all different faiths, nationalities, and backgrounds. I would like to also extend an invitation to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to visit the United Kingdom, that he please visit us in the House of Parliament and in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. I can assure him of a great welcome.”
Hon. Hernán Penagos, Member of Parliament, Colombia
“Dear Gurudev, you have really showed us that we can live in harmony amid diversity. You gave all of us in Latin America a big lesson. You are bringing us closer to the idea of a one-world family.
“Gurudev's teachings have brought a lot of hope for the Colombian people. You have contributed to change the mindset of those who were creating war in Columbia. That is why, Gurudev, on behalf of the Colombian Parliament, and personally, I want to express my great admiration, gratitude, and love for you. I hope all your teachings manage to reach the rest of the world, so that we can all live in harmony and love.”
Hon. Jo Leinen, Member of the European Parliament
“This is one of the most impressive and most outstanding gatherings to take place in this whole world. I urge everyone to live the message of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The world needs inspiration from India. I think yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda should be a world heritage that must be practiced everywhere, and then I think we would have a better world.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Gurudev for signing The Global Coalition for Renewable Energies.
"Let’s all go away from this event much stronger, with new ideas and new friends."
Hon. Nirj Deva, Member of European Parliament, representing UK
“The one-world family has developed amazing new tools to come together. The world has become smaller. Social media(through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and so on) constantly drive an underlying sense of togetherness. A cycle of hopes and aspirations is in motion.
“Though we have terrorism, refugees, and so on, all these problems are solvable. So we have more work to do. We have one billion people more to remove from extreme poverty. We have to protect our environment we have to protect our water resources.
“I urge the gathering to take a pledge towards achieving this end.”
Hon. Armin Laschet, Deputy Chairman of the Ruling Christian Democratic Party, Germany
“The previous World Cultural Festival was held in 2011 in Berlin and our Chancellor Angela Merkel then sent a message of peace and freedom to all participants. Now, coming from Berlin to the World Culture Festival, I would like to give my best wishes to India and to New Delhi.
“I wish that the spirit of Sri Sri, the spirit of this act of understanding, the spirit of this Festival will change the world in the days, months, and years to come. Let’s work together on this project of peace.”
Hon. Hillary Chongwony, Deputy Governor of the Bungoma Region of Kenya
“I am very grateful to be a part of the Global Leadership Forum (GLF) and the World Culture Festival. We need to be one family and we need to spread this to each and every part of the world. What a great feeling to have people come from various parts and various continents of his world. It is a great testimony that we can be one family on this planet Earth."
Hon. Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister, New Delhi, India
“We have members of state, members of parliament, politicians, artists, and many other people gathered here today from over 155 countries to witness this huge gathering of humanity at one place. This is truly astonishing. More than 4,500 artists performed together on a stage spanning 7 acres!
This is only possible because of Gurudev and his efforts of spreading the message of peace and harmony through the medium of culture and spirituality to every part of the world. That is the reason so many people from different countries of the world have come here.
“In the world today, on one side you have people trying to create an environment of hatred and violence. But I strongly believe that violence cannot be cured by violence in turn. Violence and hatred can only be won over by love and peace."
Hon. Geoffrey Van Orden, Member of the Conservative Party, United Kingdom
“I would firstly like to congratulate all the performers and all the organizers and volunteers behind this amazing festival! We can all learn from one another. Duty, faith, and tolerance should be our guide. A world community of peaceful, free nations and a one-world family should be our aim."
Hon. Khil Raj Regmi, Former Prime Minister of Nepal
“Seeing the participation and presence of people from around the globe at the World Cultural Festival, I feel that the Festival has been able to give life to a one-world family, which has been the objective of the Art of Living.
“I extend my gratitude to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and to all members of the Art of Living.”
Hon. Kjell Magne Bondevik, Former Prime Minister of Norway
“All of us present here today want to live in peace. We must all live in peace – peace with our neighbors, between nations, and across ethnic and religious borders.
“We all have several common values even with our diversities. We all believe in human dignity and consequently, human rights. We all believe in the idea of justice. We all believe in the idea of peace. So, let’s use dialogue, let’s listen to each other, understand and respect each other, and create an inclusive multicultural society all over the world, as you are doing here."
Hon. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria
“I come from Africa, the cradle of humanity. Over two hundred thousand years ago, humanity began in Africa. Most religions in the world believe in one God and one humanity. This is the commonality among all of us.
“When you look at what I have seen in the last three days over here—the dances, the music, the singing—you can see this similarity of culture in spite of the dispersion over thousands and thousands of years from Africa. We have so much that brings us together and so much that unites us as compared to the things that divide us in terms of the culture of the world."