World Meditation Day: Over 8.5 Million Join Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Record-Breaking Event at the UN

On December 21, the United Nations General Assembly marked the first-ever World Meditation Day. To celebrate, the Permanent Mission of India organized an event at the UN headquarters in New York, led by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation. The event, called ‘World Meditates with Gurudev,’ attracted over 8.5 million participants both online and offline from more than 180 countries, making it one of the largest meditation gatherings in history.

According to the Art of Living Foundation, this remarkable achievement earned recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records, the Asia Book of Records, and the World Records Union, setting a total of six records.

Records Set:

• Guinness World Records:
  • The highest number of viewers for a guided meditation live stream on YouTube.
• Asia Book of Records:
  • The most participants from all Indian states in a single day for a guided meditation.
  • The highest number of nationalities participating in a single-day meditation session.
• World Records Union:
  • The most views for an online guided meditation on YouTube within 24 hours.
  • The most live viewers during a YouTube-guided meditation session.
  • The highest number of nationalities participating in an online meditation session.

The event began at the United Nations and concluded with a live meditation session led by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from the World Trade Center in New York. Millions joined the live stream, reflecting the growing global interest in meditation as a way to find inner peace and mindfulness.

Before the session, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar shared his thoughts on meditation, saying, “Meditation helps people shift from overthinking to fully living in the present moment. It’s not about being passive but about achieving a calm, dynamic, and balanced mindset.”

Participants included people from all walks of life—farmers, corporate employees, military personnel, healthcare workers, students, homemakers, visually impaired children, and even prisoners. The event highlighted meditation’s universal appeal and ability to connect people worldwide.

Public figures, global leaders, and professionals from different fields praised the initiative, recognizing the importance of meditation in today’s fast-paced world. Overall, this event marked a big step toward promoting mindfulness and mental well-being on a global level.