- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

(29 October 2002) Ground-breaking for eight organic farms in North America launched a global undertaking by His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to establish 3,000 organic farms worldwide that will fund his programme to reduce global poverty, promote a balanced world economy, and create world peace.

Maharishi's plan calls for a "Peace Palace" and an organic farm of 1,000 to 4,000 hectares in the vicinity of each of the world's largest 3,000 cities. Farming practises will be based on Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture, which incorporates the most up-to-date organic farming techniques, along with the use of traditional Vedic agricultural technologies, to produce healthy food.

Maharishi will answer questions on the role of his Vedic organic agricultural project in creating world peace during global news conferences on Wednesday, 30 October, and Thursday, 31 October 2002, which will be broadcast live via satellite, Internet webcast, and telephone conference call (see page 3).

With much of the farmland in developed nations poisoned by chemical agriculture and genetic engineering, Maharishi says that global demand will be great for Vedic organic food. "We will produce food that is nectar, not poison. People who eat this food will be healthier and happier - they will think better, speak better, behave better, and be a better citizen of the nation."

Maharishi's plan includes a special global development currency and a Poverty Removal Programme for 40 of the world's poorest nations.

"We are inviting governments to use the Raam, our Global Development Currency, as a 'catalyst currency' to initiate agricultural and other development projects around the world. and, in particular, in 40 poor countries," says His Excellency Dr Benjamin Feldman, Minister of Finance of the Global Country of World Peace.

"There are one billion hectares of unused land with agricultural potential in these 40 poor countries," Dr Feldman says. "The Raam can be used as start-up capital to establish export-oriented organic farms and to build new houses, roads, schools, and health clinics in these countries. After a few successful crop seasons, and with the export of the produce, the Raam can be exchanged for any other hard currency - and even withdrawn from circulation."

Dr Feldman says national farmers' associations are also invited to participate in the initiative.

Dr Feldman says the Raam is now legally circulating in Holland and is being used like the Euro by Dutch residents - and it will soon be circulating throughout the European Union and in all continents. The Raam is also circulating as the currency of Maharishi Vedic City in Iowa, USA, along with the US dollar, and Raam-based bonds are being offered in 35 US states.

The Global Country of World Peace was established two years ago by Maharishi as "a country without borders for peace-loving people everywhere". It provides governments with the knowledge and technologies of Total Natural Law to promote prevention-oriented, problem-free administration. A Global Chamber of Commerce has been established to provide a world market for the organic products.

"The sale of Vedic organic food on the international market will bring an immediate infusion of foreign currency into the poorer countries, which will stimulate local economies and lift people out of poverty," Dr Feldman says.

Dr Feldman says that central to Maharishi's programme to create world peace is the construction of 3,000 Peace Palaces in the world's largest 3,000 cities, including 51 in the UK. Each Peace Palace will be the home for a permanent group of 100 to 200 experts in Maharishi's Vedic technologies of consciousness, including Transcendental Meditation and Yogic Flying. Extensive published research shows that the peace-promoting influence of these groups reduces the acute social stress that fuels conflict and war, and promotes coherence and harmony in society.

"During their practice, these groups of Yogic Flyers will enliven the deepest level of Nature's functioning - the Unified Field of Natural Law - which administers the infinite diversity of the universe with perfect order," Dr Feldman says. "They will radiate indomitable coherence in the collective consciousness, reducing crime, sickness, and other negative trends, and promoting the health and well-being of everyone in the city."

Dr Feldman says that profits from the organic farms will be used to fund the construction of the Peace Palaces and maintain the groups of Yogic Flyers. The initial building costs for each Peace Palace will be covered by local "Founders of the Peace Palace" - investors who want to create peace and who also want a return on their investment.

"This is a sound financial investment. The organic agricultural production will provide sufficient yield for the Founders of the Peace Palace to recover their initial expenditures - and earn a good annual return on their investment in peace."

Maharishi's plan is timely and urgently needed, Dr Feldman says. "By now, everyone knows that talking about peace will never create peace. We have to actually produce the effect of peace in the world - and this will come from groups of Yogic Flyers. These Peace Palaces and Vedic organic farms will be a source of affluence and peace, health and happiness for everyone in the world."