Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - recognized as a Leader for World Peace

Jason Lin, Chairman of ACFC and Founder of BBQ, met with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Leader for World Peace, in Hong Kong and reached a profound consensus on in-depth cooperation around the initiative "CREATE A NEW FUTURE WITHOUT HURTING".

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a world peace leader, has helped thousands upon thousands of visitors from more than 155 countries around the world to awaken at the ashram community of the "Art of Living Foundation" built by him in Bangalore, India (as shown in the picture below). The Art of Living Foundation has over 500 million volunteers worldwide.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, is a global humanitarian, a spiritual leader and a global peace ambassador. Since 1981, with his vision of helping to achieve personal awakening and social transformation, Gurudev has ignited a global movement in more than 180 countries around the world and improved the lives of over 500 million people.

In the context of globalization today, the American Chiniese Friendship Council (ACFC), adhering to the mission of promoting international friendly exchanges and cooperation and building a harmonious world, actively seeks to join hands with international peace-advocating forces with extensive influence. In this process, we are honored to reach a comprehensive and far-reaching cooperation consensus with the world peace leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living Foundation.
We firmly believe that cooperation rather than competition is the correct path to drive global development and human progress. The earth is an interdependent family, and the concept of "One World, One Family" should be deeply rooted in the hearts of every country, every group, and every individual. The American Chiniese Friendship Council (ACFC) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living Foundation will jointly strive to break down the barriers caused by geographical, ethnic, cultural, and other differences and enhance mutual understanding, trust, and friendship among people of all countries through coordinated cooperation initiatives in cultural exchanges, educational promotion, spiritual enlightenment, and other aspects.
In the field of cultural exchanges, we will jointly organize various cultural activities to showcase the rich and diverse cultural heritage and modern cultural innovation achievements of different countries and regions, promote the coexistence and mutual integration of cultures, and enable people to understand the commonalities and integrity of human culture while appreciating the charm of diverse cultures, thereby strengthening the emotional bond of One World, One Family.
In terms of educational promotion, both parties will cooperate to develop a series of educational programs and curriculum resources aimed at cultivating global citizenship awareness and peace concepts. Through various channels such as schools, communities, and online platforms, values such as peace, friendship, cooperation, and inclusiveness will be transmitted to the vast number of adolescents and people from all sectors of society, laying a solid foundation for shaping a new generation with a global perspective and a sense of responsibility.
At the level of spiritual enlightenment, by leveraging the professional experience and resources of the Art of Living Foundation in meditation, breathing techniques, emotion management, etc., combined with the international exchange network of the American Chinese Friendship Council (ACFC), opportunities for people's spiritual growth and exploration of inner peace will be provided. Helping people find inner peace and balance in the fast-paced modern life and face others and the world with a more harmonious and friendly attitude, further promoting the construction of a harmonious atmosphere of One World, One Family.
The American Chinese Friendship Council (ACFC) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living Foundation will take this cooperation as a new starting point, continuously invest resources and efforts, and work hand in hand with people of insight from all over the world to strive unremittingly for the beautiful vision of cooperation rather than competition and One World, One Family, and contribute positive and unique forces to world peace, stability, and sustainable development.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Profile: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was born on May 13, 1956, in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India. His original name was Ravi Shankar. People usually address him with honorifics like Sri Sri, Guru Ji, or Gurudev. He graduated from St. Joseph's College of Bangalore University and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree.
Philosophy and Teaching: He believes that spirituality can enhance human values such as love, compassion, and enthusiasm, without being restricted by any religion or culture, and that it is accessible to everyone. He emphasizes that science and spirituality are interrelated and compatible. The question "Who am I" leads to spirituality, while "What is this" leads to science. He regards breathing as the bond between the body and the mind and as a tool for relaxing the mind. He attaches great importance to spiritual practices like meditation and serving others.
Peace and Humanitarian Work:

· Pakistan: In 2004, he paid a friendly visit to Pakistan. In 2012, he inaugurated the Art of Living centers in Islamabad and Karachi. However, the Islamabad center was burned down by armed men in March 2014.

· Iraq: In 2007 and 2008, at the invitation of the Iraqi prime minister, he visited Iraq and met with political and religious leaders to promote global peace. In November 2014, he went to the refugee camps in Erbil and held meetings to address the plight of the Yazidis and other non-Muslims there.

· Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC): In June 2015, he met with the delegations of the Colombian government and the FARC, which were negotiating to resolve the Colombian conflict in Havana. He urged the FARC leaders to follow Gandhi's principle of non-violence to achieve their political goals and social justice. For this, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Simón Bolívar Democratic Medal by the Colombian House of Representatives.

· Venezuela: In 2019, he met with the leaders of both sides in Venezuela, encouraging dialogue to end the country's political conflict and restore peace and stability.

· Kashmir, India: In November 2016, at the "Kashmir Back to Paradise" conference held in Jammu, he launched the South Asia Peace Forum. He believed that 90% of the people in Kashmir yearned for peace. The forum aimed to bring together eight South Asian countries to carry out cooperation in areas such as entrepreneurship, skill development, cultural exchanges, educational cooperation, and women's empowerment.

Honors Received: On March 28, 2016, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee presented him with the Padma Vibhushan Medal at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

The Art of Living Foundation
Background and Purpose of Establishment: Founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981, with the aim of creating a stress-free and violence-free society and ultimately achieving world peace. It is committed to promoting various educational and self-development programs as well as humanitarian assistance initiatives.

Major Projects and Activities:

· Educational Courses: Centered around the "Sudarshan Kriya®", combined with breathing regulation techniques, meditation methods, yoga postures, and skills for dealing with emotions to form a series of courses. These courses help people eliminate tension, stress, and negative emotions, and promote physical and mental health and spiritual growth. Examples include the Happiness Course, the Natural Samadhi Meditation Course, the Advanced Meditation Course, the All-round Excellence Training Course for Children, and the Empowerment Course for Teenagers. These courses are carried out in more than 180 countries and regions around the world and have helped millions of people change their lives.

· Humanitarian Projects: In cooperation with the International Association for Human Values, it conducts projects on conflict resolution, disaster relief, rural sustainable development, women's empowerment, prisoner rehabilitation, universal education, and environmental sustainability. For example, the "5H Program", namely Health, Homes, Hygiene, Human Values, and Harmony Amidst Diversity, has been implemented in India, Poland, Latin America, the United States, and many other countries, achieving good results.

· World Culture Festival: The Art of Living Foundation organizes the World Culture Festival. For example, the World Culture Festivals were held in Bangalore in 2006, in Berlin in 2011, in New Delhi in 2016, and in Washington D.C. in 2023. More than 3.75 million people who love the earth, our homeland, from 180 countries around the world. Through activities such as music, art, cuisine, dance, meditation, and speeches, they showcase the diversity of human cultures and promote global unity and peace.

Influence: As one of the largest educational and humanitarian organizations in the world, its volunteers are spread across 180 countries and regions. Through various projects and activities, it has touched the lives of a large number of people and has made positive contributions to personal growth and development as well as social harmony and progress.