Sri Lanka celebrates the UN’s first World Meditation Day!

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Background

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution declaring December 21 as World Meditation Day reflects a growing recognition of Meditation’s role in achieving global health and well-being. Rooted in earlier UN initiatives, such as the International Day of Yoga, the resolution underscores the complementary nature of Meditation to health systems and its potential to address mental health challenges globally. Key highlights of the resolution include its invitation to member States, NGOs, and individuals to observe the day and raise awareness about Meditation’s benefits. The resolution also stresses voluntary contributions for implementation, ensuring inclusivity and flexibility in global observance. Sri Lanka’s pivotal role and leadership in promoting Meditation at the UN, aligns with its rich heritage in Meditation practices. From ancient Buddhist traditions to contemporary research at the Centre for Meditation Research, the country has positioned itself as a global leader in advocating for the integration of Meditation into modern Health and Education systems.

The resolution to establish World Meditation Day was spearheaded by Sri Lanka leading the initiative at the UN, supported by a core group of countries, including Andorra, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burundi, Dominican Republic, Iceland, India, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Portugal, and Slovenia. The resolution underscores the universal applicability of Meditation across cultures and its role as a complementary approach to Mental Health.

The Significance of World Meditation Day 2024

Sri Lanka held the landmark event by conducting the inaugural World Meditation Day Virtual Global Symposium. Though the UN General Assembly declared the day only on 29th November 2024, the Centre was able to gather a galaxy of international speakers, academics and Meditation practitioners from Bhutan, India, Thailand, Australia, the UK, USA, and Myanmar, together with Sri Lankans, to give it a truly international flavour. It carried added historic significance because the Symposium was held on December 21, 2024, the very first UN Day after declaration, and had international representation to highlight the global nature of its relevance.

The Agenda

The online symposium commenced at 9:00 am Sri Lanka Time on the 21st of December, with Senior Professor Vajira Dissanayake, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo, delivering the Welcome Address. He LAO read the opening message to the Virtual Symposium, by Sri Lankan Charge d’Affaires Sugeeshwara Gunaratna who emphasised Sri Lanka’s pride in its Meditation heritage and the link between Meditation and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Target 3.4, which promotes mental health and well-being. “This initiative is a small but significant step to raise awareness of Meditation in our effort to create a peaceful and sustainable world through nurturing contented and peaceful human beings, ”Dr. Sirimali Fernando, Secretary General of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO, followed with insights on UNESCO’s engagement in promoting mental health through cultural and educational initiatives.

The symposium’s academic session was thoughtfully curated with key topics such as the global impact of Meditation, shared experiences, and the role of Meditation in achieving SDGs. Senior Professor Dilshani Dissanayake, Director of the Centre for Meditation Research, in her address, emphasised the Center’s commitment to advance Meditation through scientific inquiry and global collaboration. The Centre’s research initiatives, showcased in a video during the symposium, highlight the intersection of traditional wisdom and modern science. This had brief presentations by the researchers themselves and outlined their findings of positive impacts of Meditation on the body’s functions, in promoting well-being, and in several diseases such as Parkinson’s, and Diabetes. Of wider significance were the results of studies showing positive impacts of Meditation on social harmony and environmental connectedness, thus underscoring a role in promoting global peace and addressing the climate crisis.

Eminent speakers and panellists from diverse backgrounds enriched the dialogue with their expertise and perspectives. Exploring the Global Impact of Meditation, Emeritus Professor Saroj Jayasinghe, set the stage by elucidating how Meditation transcends geographical and cultural boundaries to address global challenges. He highlighted that Meditation not only promotes individual Well-being but also fosters collective harmony, making it a critical tool for societal transformation. As a result, Meditation could serve as a catalyst to achieve broader strategies of SDGs such as Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and Goals 12, 13, 14 and 15, related to Sustainable Consumption and the Environment.

Guest speakers including Venerable Monks from Australia, the UK and Sri Lanka joined with experts from Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and the USA.

Each speaker offered personal reflections and a rich tapestry of insights into Meditation practices in their respective regions:

Bhante Shravasti Dhammika, Advisor, Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society in Australia, Dr Karma Tenzin, Associate Professor from Bhutan, Prof Aurobinda Routray from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, Dr Moe Thida Kyaw on Myanmar, Asst Prof Tanatchaporn Kittikong from Thailand, and Dr Iresha Goonesinghe, a Cardiologist from California, USA.

Topics covered included personal experiences in Meditation practice (Australia) integration of Meditation with traditional medicine (Bhutan), application of Meditation in sophisticated medical research (India), intersections of Meditation with art and education (Myanmar and Thailand), and medical benefits (USA).

Guided Meditation Session

The event featured a serene, guided Meditation session led by Ven. Panadure Chandrathana Thera, Deputy Abbot of NissaranaVanaya Forest Monastery in Sri Lanka. Participants from across the globe joined this session, underscoring the unifying power of Meditation.

Looking Ahead: A Panel Discussion

The final session was a panel discussion moderated by Professor Dilshani Dissanayake and Emeritus Professor Saroj Jayasinghe.

The panellists explored strategies to advance the objectives of the UN declaration on World Meditation Day, focusing on the dissemination of Meditation practices and their integration into policy frameworks worldwide. The discussion featured voices from the UK, Australia, and Malaysia, alongside guest speakers from earlier sessions. Ven. Luang Por Khemadhammo OBE, Abbot of The Forest Hermitage in the UK, spoke on the spiritual and societal benefits of Meditation and highlighted the tension between research into Meditation and its spiritual goals of emancipation.

Bhante S. Dhammika from Australia emphasised its role in education. Malaysian practitioner Chee Bock Chwee shared practical approaches to incorporating Meditation into daily life.

The panellists described how global observance of World Meditation Day would foster mental resilience and emotional stability, and empower individuals and communities to address challenges such as stress, conflict, and inequality. It also complements educational curricula, enhances workplace productivity, and contributes to societal peace.

Conclusion

The resounding success of the first World Meditation Day Virtual Symposium in Sri Lanka sets the stage for sustained efforts to promote Meditation globally. Future initiatives could include: Encouraging governments to incorporate Meditation into public health and education policies; Expanding interdisciplinary research on Meditation’s impact on mental health, education, and social cohesion; Global partnerships to strengthen collaboration between countries, organisations, and individuals to advance Meditation practices, and Awareness campaigns: Leveraging digital and other platforms to disseminate knowledge and resources on Meditation.

As the Sri Lankan Charge d’Affaires in the UN aptly noted, Meditation is a gift to the world—a tool for nurturing peaceful and contented human beings.

In a world grappling with crises, from climate change to mental health epidemics, meditation offers a path to inner peace and collective harmony. As the global community embraces this practice, the vision of a peaceful and sustainable world comes one step closer to realisation.