More than 12.1 million people from over 150 countries participated in what organisers described as the largest collective meditation in history, led by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on World Meditation Day.Formally adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024, World Meditation Day aims to highlight the role of meditation in promoting mental well-being and social harmony.This year’s global observance was anchored at the UN Trusteeship Council in New York, where diplomats and senior UN officials joined the live session led by Gurudev. Millions of others participated in simultaneous sessions held across continents, including in cities, villages, schools, workplaces, and prisons.Participants from more than 60 countries joined the collective practice.Coinciding with the event, a new global study on meditation and wellbeing was announced. The Art of Living and Gallup partnered to incorporate meditation-related questions into the Gallup World Poll, aiming to generate comparative and data-driven insights into the links between meditation, emotional health, life satisfaction, and social well-being worldwide. According to Gallup’s recent findings, levels of stress and worry remain high across populations, underlining the need for scalable mental health approaches. The results of the new study are expected in December 2026 and may inform public policy, education, and workplace wellbeing initiatives.At the UN event, India’s cultural and spiritual traditions were highlighted as central to the observance, positioning meditation as a practical, evidence-based approach to address anxiety, burnout, and social stress.Delivering the keynote address, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, “Meditation is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity,” a sentiment that resonated across diplomatic and community platforms worldwide.Earlier, on December 19, Permanent Representatives from India, Sri Lanka, Andorra, Mexico, and Nepal, along with other member states and UN agencies, gathered at the United Nations to mark World Meditation Day. The event included discussions on the relevance of meditation in addressing global mental health and social challenges, followed by Gurudev’s guided session at the UN.
