Peace in Middle East 15th November 2014 , Welcome to the live webcast. Join the peace work through collective solutions and prayers for the Middle East. Good evening everyone! We extend a warm welcome to all of you to a special evening of meditation and prayer as we join hands together to pray for peace and restoration in the Middle East. The dynamic socio-political conditions in Iraq have displaced close to 1.5 million lives bringing several ancient communities on the verge of extinction. Thousands of these are trapped in the Sinjar Mountains in Iraq without food and water. The living conditions in these camps are extremely unfavourable with limited access to health and hygiene. The women and children are exposed to even more vulnerable conditions with a threat of kidnap and flesh trade. The Art of Living and The International Association of Human Values has been working tirelessly in reaching out to the affected populace and relief efforts are in progress. So far, 2700 Iraqi families from 5 camps have received relief items from our volunteers in Iraq. The Art of Living and IAHV, along with local NGOs in Iraq have collected 110 tonnes of food and supplies. 40 tonnes of food, water, tents, and warm winter clothing and blankets have been already air dropped by the Iraqi army in the past few days. We’ll now watch a video on the situation in Iraq. Background of the Work Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of The Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values has made a commitment to spread the message of peace and non-violence in Iraq. Since September 2003 when Art of Living and IAHV began trauma relief initiatives, around 10,000 people from Iraq have found relief and a new lease of life. More than 4000 women have been provided vocational training in computers and tailoring. Advanced career training in finance and hospitality sectors have been imparted to more than 300 women. 699 women survivors of violence in Baghdad and 240 in Kurdistan received training to relieve stress and trauma and skills to cope with life’s challenges under the Al Azhar Program. 224 women have received vocational training in tailoring and 117 in computers. While fear and uncertainty loomed over a large part of Iraq, 35 Members of the Kurdish Parliament participated in a special Art of Living program earlier this year for leadership training and peace building initiatives in Arbil, Kurdistan, and Iraq. Iraq in 2007 with a message of peace and non-violence. He visited the country again in 2008 to galvanize people to work towards a stress-free and violence-free Iraq. Sri Sri will be travelling to Iraq on the 19th and 20th of November to extend his support towards the on-going restoration activities and strengthen the efforts for peace and harmony. He will be visiting the relief camps in Sinjar and addressing a conference on Protecting Women and Bringing Stability and Peace. The work for peace and harmony in the Middle East has been done by ordinary people like all of us. We all share a common goal: How can we leave a better world for our future generations? And all of us can make a difference from wherever we are. Just as an angry person affects other people in a room . Each of us feeling peace can affect the whole world. Let’s create that peace right now, for our world, for our children. Sharing your time and a bit of your consciousness is a big contribution. Let us all meditate and pray for the betterment of the conditions in the Middle East. We thank you all to be a part of this peace meditation. Let us resolve to take this peace to every part of the world. Sri Sri, government representatives, media persons, social workers, trainers and volunteers working for peace and non violence have sent us many questions for your guidance. We would like to take some of them here: Sri Sri: The biggest question is when will peace return to Middle East. Let us all hope and pray that we can put an end to this conflict. Many generations have born and dies with question: When will peace return? We are so privileged to experience this inner peace. When we lucky and fortunate to feel this inner peace, we feel all the more for the people in Iraq who are deprived of the basic necessities. Each one of us is a source of energy, source of peace. Draw strength from inside, we can face any challenge, any situation. Let us all take a pledge today to being the much needed strength to people who are facing so much suffering. This is addition to the material comforts, political will to support them. Along with this let us not forget that there is a strength that comes from deep within us that is absolutely essential in the hour of crisis. Q: What can be done to bring the hostages back to their family? From Hatim Ido, a Yazidi activist. Sri Sri: I would like this question to be kept alive till the last hostage comes back. There can be multiple answers. By punishing them through international laws, compassion. Q: How can the sunis and the shias work in Iraq together? Nirj Deva, a Member of the European Parliament \ Sri Sri: They should take example from India. Here everyone works together. Inter faith dialogue and intra faith coexistence should be taught. They were all living together. Only in recent years this has occured. Q: From Sadanand Dhume from the American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC What can concerned people around the world do to help the beleaguered Yazidi community preserve its ancient spiritual heritage? Sri Sri: They should digitalize their scriptures and their way of life. he world community should make a documentary about them and create awareness. Help the community grow economically at the same time preserve their culture. Like what has happened with Parsis. The Parsis were thrown out of Iraq. The kings of India gave permission to Parsis to preserve their culture, religion, and identity. Q: Are you willing to have a dialogue with Abu Bakhr Baghdadi, ISIS leader? Sri Sri: Definitely. Anyone can make it possible, I would like to have a few minutes of dialogue with him. Q: We hear that people are trying to convert Yazidis to other religions. What can be done to stop this? And what is your message to those who are trying to do this? Sri Sri: I think that I said this already. We must maintain a religion that has been there since a long time. Not thinking whether this is the true religion. I would tell people please do not venture into converting people and taking them out from their roots. Let them be who they are, what they are. There is nothing wrong in teaching what you know. This is my humble submission to all those who are trying to change Yazidis. Q: How can enemies be taught to treat each other as brothers? From Luis Moreno Ocampo, The Former Chief Prosecutor of International Criminal Court Sri Sri: Yes. This needs a lot of skill. It needs a lot off patience and perseverance. First the person must be available for dialogue. It can happen only through a person who does not take sides. It takes a lot of communication skills. Mistrust and miscommunication can be overcome through dialogue. Q: Many Yezidis feel they there is no chance of living in peace while in Iraq. Many have shown interest in migrating elsewhere. Can you talk to leaders across the world (including European Union) to let Yezidis immigrate to restart their lives? From Adoul kejjan Sri Sri: Definitely. We have already sent a letter to the Prime Minster and Foreign Minister of India . Q: I am a Yazidi student. Now we are in 21st century and in our community there have been 74 genocides. Sri Sri: First of all I welcome you all Please be assured that we are all with you. The Yazidi community is not alone in its fight against terrorism and violence. The age of technology has made it possible to know what is happening. Through social media, people are aware of what is happening. You have the sympathy of millions around the world. Be assured that you have a better future. Q: Gurudev what are the factors that brings around war, when all religions talk about peace? Sri Sri: 1. Religion not for religions sake but for political cause. Many times it is political interest. 2. Mistrust or misinterpretation of religion. Q: What should we do to maintain religious diversity in the world in the context of the current crisis in the Middle East? Sri Sri: Be more assertive of multi-culturalism and encourage all those schools of thought that encourage this, which say that the whole world is one family. Q: Can you talk to Kurdistan govt on our behalf about ways to bring this trust back? Sri Sri: I will definitely do all within my capacity. Q: Gurudev, I cannot travel there. Can I save a Yazidi child by adopting them and helping them to maintain their traditions? Sri Sri: Definitely you can. We already adopted 550 families. This was last week. We are also bringing toys to the kids. There are hundreds of kids. There are many ways to be part of it. You can get in touch with the IAHV. Q: What will be your advise to the Christian community in the Middle East? Sri Sri: The Yazidis are not alone. Along with them are Christian, Shias. We need to have a safe passage for all of them. Q: 5. Sri Sri with your popularity in India and worldwide, can you please talk to Indian govt on our behalf and help? Sri Sri: I would like all of you to write to the government directly. In fact, India is also a victim of this terror. Around 80 Indian citizens are under the captivity of ISIS. Lets pray for their safe return. Q: Gurudev, till now people are going to Iraq and Syria to fight the war. There are many like me who want to go there to spread peace. What can we do? Sri Sri: Lets all join hands together. Be in touch with us. Usually Peace conferences are held in hotels. I think we should make a change here. That is why I said we will go to Iraq to have a peace conference. To raise the voice of non-violence in areas which are bogged down by violence and conflict. Q: Do you foresee a spill over of the ISIS movement in India? Sri Sri: We all must be concerned about it. Q: How is peace balance linked to a balanced society? Does an imbalanced society lead to war? Sri Sri: Yes. Demographic changes or financial disparity among people, educational disparity. There could be many levels of disparity. The thought of communism is to remove disparity. We have seen the last 40-50 years that it has not worked well. The way we have to move forward is to bring communities together. Thank you Sri Sri for your views and guidance on these issues. Your upcoming visit to Iraq will further the voice of peace for the Middle east. Your Holiness, people from 2005 locations from 72 countries have joined us on the webcast to show their support for a peaceful Iraq. Many have written to us expressing a desire to contribute to towards the relief efforts in the Middle East. Please visit iahv.org/us-en-yazidi-relief. To get live updates from Iraq and/or other on-going volunteer activities in Iraq, follow us on twitter: @SriSri , @ArtofLivingNow @iahv. Let us all commit ourselves to restoring peace in every corner of the world.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 14:49:02 +0000
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