International Day of Peace 2025
Yoga in Daily Life Around the World Marks the International Day of Peace 2025
The global community of Yoga in Daily Life celebrated the International Day of Peace, marked on the 21st of September, with meditations and mantra chanting dedicated to world peace.
Yoga practitioners and devotees gathered at the World Peace Trees around the world, planted by the founder of the Yoga in Daily Life System, Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Puri Ji - Vishwaguruji.
Many yoga centres and ashrams of Yoga in Daily Life organised special events on this occasion, where people came together in the spirit of unity, love and mercy, to send their best wishes, intentions and prayers for all creatures on this planet.
Each event was deeply rooted in the ancient wisdom of yoga, which teaches us that peace is not something we can achieve, attain or find somewhere outside of us; peace begins inside, in our heart, mind and soul. Peace is nurtured through thoughts, emotions, words and actions, which can then help create a more peaceful world. When the light of peace illuminates our heart and mind, we can spread that light for a brighter world for all.
This deep knowledge is beautifully said in the Peace Mantra, which Vishwaguruji often quotes and explains:
| ASATO MĀ SAD GAMAYA | Lead us from unreality to reality. |
| TAMASO MĀ JYOTIR GAMAYA | Lead us from darkness to light. |
| MṚITYOR MĀ AMṚITAṂ GAMAYA | Lead us from death to immortality. |
| SARVEṢĀM SVASTIR BHAVATU | May everyone be healthy. |
| SARVEṢĀM ŚĀNTIR BHAVATU | May everyone live in peace. |
| SARVEṢĀM MAṆGALAM BHAVATU | May the wishes of everyone be fulfilled. |
| SARVEṢĀM PŪRṆAM BHAVATU | May everyone attain perfection. |
| LOKĀḤ SAMASTĀḤ SUKHINO BHAVANTU | May there be happiness and prosperity everywhere. |
Australia
A weekend-long celebration was held in Brisbane, bringing together people from around the country. The inspiring event series 'Time for Peace', led by Swami Madhuram Puri Ji, offered a rich program for the participants, including a Nada Yoga Workshop, an Urban Retreat, Meditative Music Concerts, and satsangs. Each event was dedicated to rediscovering one’s own inner peace, which is the foundation for peace in families, communities and in the world as a whole. When hearts open, and joy, peace and love arise, their light can be shared to brighten this world and all its creatures.
Sydney Ashram hosted an online event 'Meditation for Peace', celebrating this special day with a serene meditation for peace in the world.
Austria
Vienna
This day was celebrated with a peace meditation at the World Peace Tree in the Swiss Garden, which Vishwaguruji planted 20 years ago, together with Erich Hohenberger, the district mayor of Vienna's 3rd district. The celebration concluded in a beautiful atmosphere of Guruji Ashram, with satsang, bhajans and divine words of wisdom about peace.
Yoga in Daily Life members also took part in a traditional peace gathering organised by the Committee for Peace at the United Nations in Vienna, on 19 September at the Peace Bell at the Memorial Place of the Vienna International Centre (VIC).
Salzburg
A peace march to Hellbrunn Park was organised in Salzburg, symbolising the movement towards peace. Upon arrival, participants celebrated around the festively decorated Peace Tree, planted in 2007, with stories, mantras and songs, ending with a shared meal and conversations.
Eisenstadt
Peace mantras were also sung in Eisenstadt, around the Peace Tree in Cosmopolitan Garden.
Croatia
Zagreb
Celebrations began in Zagreb with a meditation on 'Inner Peace for World Peace' at Shri Devpuriji Ashram. On the 21st of September, a gathering was held at the Peace Tree, planted in 2005. After 20 years, still standing through all storms, the tree reminds us that with titiksha (endurance) and the mercy of Gurudev, one can withstand anything.
Adriatic Coast
Prayers and mantras for peace were also held around the Peace Trees in Rijeka, Split, Labin and Varaždin, and also in Umag, where the evening concluded with a dedication of a renewed plaque on the Olive Tree of Peace and Mahatma Gandhi Ji’s quote, “There is no path to peace, peace is the path.”
Samobor
Candles for peace were lit at the Yoga in Daily Life Tree Alley in Samobor.
Each celebration in Croatia was made special with candles and the power of love and community.
Czech Republic
Celebrations were held at multiple ashrams in the Czech Republic. The biggest celebration took place in Ostrava on 21 September, where over 100 people gathered at the Peace Tree. This event was co-organised by the local municipality and Yoga in Daily Life, and it included chanting of mantras, children's folklore performance, and other programmes.
Yoga in Daily Life devotees also gathered at Mahaprabhudeep Ashram in Střílky, and Prague, Brno, Blansko, Žďár nad Sázavou and in Pardubice. Each event included a prayer for peace and mantra chanting, nurturing a beautiful atmosphere of love, unity and harmony.
Hungary
Yoga in Daily Life devotees from France gathered with their yoga family in Érd, Hungary for a bilingual 2-day workshop on stress and stress management, connected with Mahatma Gandhi Ji’s words “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.”
Merging theory and practice, this workshop was a great way to learn and grow in yogic knowledge and techniques for coping with the inevitable stress of everyday life. It was based on Swamiji’s book, Yoga for High Blood Pressure.
India
In Jaipur, members and supporters of the Sri Swami Madhavananda World Peace Council sent their wishes for peace to prevail in the entire universe. With deepest feelings, they shared the message of beloved Gurudev: “Peace begins within and spreads to the world.”
Mexico
In San Jeronimo Tiacochahuaya, a special peace meditation was held at the yoga centre, Casa Ganesha, offering a beautiful atmosphere of calmness, unity and inner harmony for all participants, in person and live online. With deep gratitude for this serene experience of inner peace and a reminder that peace starts within, they shared their wishes for nurturing this vibration and spreading it further in the world.
Romania
Around the Peace Tree in Nadlac, planted by Vishwaguruji, Yoga in Daily Life practitioners and devotees gathered to sing prayers and mantras for world peace. On this occasion, in an effort to raise awareness that peace starts within and blossoms outwards, a 10-day Online Meditation for Inner Peace Sadhana was offered, open to all Romanian yoga students and others who wished to join.
Slovakia
On the 18th of September, a beautiful peace meditation was organised in Dolny Kubin, dedicated to world peace.
Spain
On the 20th of September, the Spanish Society of Yoga in Daily Life joined UNESCO’s opening ceremony of the 'Night of Religions' held at Barcelona City Hall.
Sadhvi Yamuna, with the intention of nurturing interfaith dialogue and peace, also hosted a gathering open to all at the Barcelona Yoga in Daily Life Centre, inviting the community to reconnect with their inner stillness. The event included a yoga nidra practice, an anti-stress class and a guided meditation for peace, offering the participants a chance to deeply relax and dive into their inner peace and harmony.
United Kingdom
London
In Queen’s Park, London, Yoga in Daily Life practitioners and devotees gathered to pray for world peace at the Peace Tree, planted by Vishwaguruji and local dignitaries in 2010.
Leading up to Peace Day, local Yoga in Daily Life teachers held a display stall at the festive Queens Park Day community event, inviting members of the public to join classes and find the lasting peaceful benefits of yoga for themselves.
Scotland
On Friday 19 September, some devotees travelled up from England to Mahaprabhu Deep Ashram in Galashiels, Scottish Borders, to share in karma yoga preparations for the Peace Day Retreat to be held on the Sunday, exemplifying that service to others can also bring peace of mind to oneself.
Peace Day in the ashram began with morning prayers and chanting of peace mantras. After a maitri meditation, focused on sending loving kindness to all people and animals around the world, the group enjoyed a nutritious vegan lunch, and a silent walk and sitting for pranayama breathing exercises in the fresh autumn air of the nearby forest. The day was rounded off with a peaceful yoga nidra by the log fire, and chanting the peace mantra together again for the benefit of all beings.
On the weekend of the 21st of September, at Yoga in Daily Life centres and ashrams, as well as Peace Trees around the world, yoga practitioners held beautiful events dedicated to honouring World Peace Day.
In a divine atmosphere of love, community and harmony, it was a truly special opportunity for people to come together and offer their best wishes and prayers for the sake of the whole world.
It was also a strong reminder that peace can be found in each of us, if we can deeply relax, calm the mind and open the heart. Only then can the light inside shine through to all.