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Art of Living Foundation

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The Art Of Living Foundation
HeadquartersKanakapura, Bangalore
LeaderSri Sri Ravi Shankar
Websitehttp://www.artofliving.org

The Art of Living Foundation is one of the world’s largest volunteer based,[better source needed] humanitarian and educational Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) [3]. It was founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with the vision of creating a stress-free, violence-free society. The Art of Living has reached out to over 300 million people in over 140 countries with its various programs’. The Foundation is working in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) [4] of the United Nations. The International Association for Human Values [5] is the sister NGO that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the Dalai Lama co-founded, that focuses on the upliftment of human values at the grass roots level.

Organization

Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) has its international headquarters in Bangalore, India at Veda Vignan Manahvidyapeeth or VVM campus (usually referred to as the Bangalore Ashram)and has regional centers in more than 140 countries. In Europe, the organization is known as "The Association for Inner Growth". The foundation was founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Along with its function as the vehicle for spreading his teachings and Vedic knowledge, the organization is involved in community service through its centers.[6]

AOLF has been an educational and humanitarian organization in the U.S. since 1989. Accredited as a United Nations Non-Governmental organization in 1996, it is now one of the UN's largest volunteer-based NGOs. It works in special consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council, participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and disaster relief.

The Foundation operates as a social business and its main activity is to organize Art of Living courses,[better source needed] yoga and meditation workshops,[better source needed] and education and trauma relief in areas of trauma and disaster.[better source needed] The majority of the officers of the organization, along with most of its teachers and staff, are volunteers. All humanitarian programs, disaster relief efforts and training programs are conducted through, or in conjunction with its sister organization, the International Association for Human Values (IAHV).[citation needed] Some of the key worldwide chapters include the Art of Living Foundation (U.S.A.), Vyakti Vikas Kendra (India), Die Kunst des Lebens (Germany), Art of Living Center (Canada), Art of Living South Africa, Art of Living Israel, Art of Living Brazil, and Art of Living Argentina.

The objective of the organization as described in its website [1] is to develop stress-free society and a peaceful individual.

Its areas of work covers conflict resolution [2], disaster and trauma relief [3][4], poverty alleviation, empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation [5], education for all, campaigns against female foeticide and child labour and environment sustainability.

Guided by Sri Sri’s philosophy of peace, “Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace,” the Art of Living offers several stress-elimination and self-development programmes based mainly on breathing techniques, meditation and yoga. These programmes have helped thousands around the world to overcome depression and violent and suicidal tendencies. [citation needed]

AOLF representatives declared: [7]

"You can't do charity out of an empty bowl. We do programs, we earn money and we spend it on charity".

According to the tax return filed by the American chapter, AOL Foundation had total revenues of $5.5M (mainly 3.5M from course fees and 1.7M from public support ) and expenditure of $3.6M from July 2006 to June 2007. Net assets at the beginning of July 2007 amounted to $7.7M. Although AOLF is said to work in partnership with its sister organization the International Association for Human Values which implements humanitarian programs, no direct reference in this tax return is made to humanitarian relief and training programs conducted directly or through IAHV. However, cash allocations including foreign grants of 0.95M are included in the above reported expenses.[8] EIN for the American chapter of AOL Foundation is 77-0240101.

The financial information for the Indian chapter is not known.[citation needed]

Professional affiliations and memberships

AOLF is an international Non-Governmental Organization in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, with accredited representatives at the United Nations in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. AOLF has also worked in formal consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO): "Development of a Global Health Policy for the 21st Century". AOLF is also affiliated with the International Association for Human Values.[9]

AOLF is a member to the following international associations:[9]

  • CONGO (Conference of NGO's in consultative status with ECOSOC of the United Nations), Geneva and New York
  • United Nations NGO Committees: Health, Mental Health, Committee on Aging, New York
  • United Nations NGO Values Caucus, New York and Geneva
  • International Union for Health Promotion and Education, Paris
  • NGO Forum for Health, Geneva
  • National Association of Women's Organizations, Uganda

In addition, the Art of Living foundation has also established youth-focused NGOs such as World Alliance For Youth Empowerment (WAYE) and Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP). WAYE’s mission is to prevent the mainstream youth from being marginalized and to empower them into societal reforms of their choice. YLTP focuses more on providing stress and trauma relief through their program, and returning peace to the minds of those who have had their lives radically disrupted by disaster situations.

Silver Jubilee Celebrations

Silver Jubilee celebrations of Art Of Living Foundation was conducted in Bangalore from February 16 to 18, 2006[10][11].

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led over million people[12] through a meditation for global peace and harmony in Bangalore, India. The largest gathering of its kind saw borders and divisions dissolve as people from over 150 countries meditated. People from diverse social strata and backgrounds celebrated the vision and mission of the organization which has been engaged in dedicated service since its inception.

Karnataka's capital city turned into a global village on Friday. Thousands of people from over 100 countries watched in ecstatic bliss as the silver jubilee celebrations of the Art of Living Foundation formally began[13].

The mainstay of the function was collective meditation. The evening came alive formally with robust performances by Karnataka's indigenous folk dances, dollu kunitha and Veeragasse[14].

The symphony and the line-up was the cake and the icing. The meticulous details are in the numbers: 650 mridangams, 100 ghatams, 770 veenas, 782 violins, 138 nadaswarams, 92 saxophones, 10 mandolins, 60 tanpuras, 750 flutes, 150 guitars, 20 key-boards[15].


Nearly four lakh followers of Sri Sri Ravishankar thronged the Jakkur airfield.

There were many foreign dignitaries, including Mauritius President Anerood Jugnauth. "It is a mini universe here. There is so much love and affection among people," Sir Jugnauth said.

The King of Ghana Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin said: "Our race is different, we look different and our food is different, but here we have gathered here as brothers," he said.

Musical concerts and dance events

The Art of Living has entered the Guinness Book of Records for a Mohiniyattam dance organised in Cochin[16][17] The performance has been awarded the world record for the most people performing a Mohiniyattam dance, the traditional Kerala dance form. [18] The citation issued by Guinness states: "The current record for Most People Performing a Mohiniyattam Dance is 1,200 at a performance held as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Art of Living Foundation at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Cochin, Kerala, on Nov 28, 2006."[19][20].

The Organization organized Brahm Naad musical concert which also entered Guiness Book of Records[21]. The proceeds of the event, titled Brahm Naad, went towards helping victims of the recent Bihar floods[22]. Held in Noida near Delhi on November 21, 2008, the event was organised on a large scale and got a huge response. The concert consisted of 1000 sitarists in one stage.

Notes

  1. ^ Art of Living Foundation
  2. ^ FAQ
  3. ^ Art of Living Foundation Overview
  4. ^ Art of Living Facts
  5. ^ The International Association of Human Values
  6. ^ Melton, J. Gordon (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religions (Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 1004. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0
  7. ^ Indian New Age guru busts stress with breathing – AFP (reprinted in the Taipei Times), NEW DELHI, INDIA, Aug. 04 2007
  8. ^ Art of Living Foundation, Fairfield, IA - Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, IRS 2006
  9. ^ a b About The Art of Living Foundation USA
  10. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/19/stories/2006021921060300.htm
  11. ^ http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1418946.cms
  12. ^ http://www.artofliving.org/spirituality-human-values/events/silver-jubilee-celebration-bangalore.html
  13. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Art-of-Living-celebrates-silver-jubilee/articleshow/1419379.cms?flstry=1
  14. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Art-of-Living-celebrates-silver-jubilee/articleshow/1419379.cms?flstry=1
  15. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Bangalore/When-3800-musicians-strike-the-right-chord/articleshow/1420052.cms
  16. ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/Mohiniyattam-dance-enters-Guinness-Book/Article1-262391.aspx
  17. ^ http://ibnlive.in.com/news/a-guinness-record-1200-dancers-and-art-of-living/53985-19.html
  18. ^ http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3594447.cms
  19. ^ http://ibnlive.in.com/news/a-guinness-record-1200-dancers-and-art-of-living/53985-19.html
  20. ^ http://www.indiaenews.com/pdf/85538.pdf
  21. ^ http://www.zeenews.com/lifestyle/etc/2009-01-21/500584news.html
  22. ^ http://www.zeenews.com/lifestyle/etc/2009-01-21/500584news.html
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