Subject: Peace Governments launch global initiative to safeguard the world

Now establishing Peace Palaces in 100 U.S. cities
along with Vedic universities, colleges, and schools

(March 2, 2004) His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi announced that his Peace Governments have launched a global initiative to safeguard the world by bringing to every area of society the total knowledge of Natural Law to raise the whole population to enlightenment and create coherence in world consciousness. Such coherent world consciousness, Maharishi declared, is the only way to counteract the destructive powers that threaten mankind and to create permanent world peace.

For this, Maharishi said, Peace Governments worldwide are establishing 3,000 Peace Palaces along with Vedic universities, colleges, and schools to promote his Vedic approach to education, health care, agriculture, defence, architecture, engineering, and administration. The first 100 Peace Palaces are now being established in the United States.

"We have been talking about the advantages of our knowledge for 50 years," Maharishi said. "Now is the time to stop talking and start taking action. Now is the time to utilise the total knowledge of Natural Law, which administers the universe with perfect order, to create a perfect man and a perfect administration in every country."

Maharishi’s announcement came during his recent global news conference on Wednesday, February 25, which was broadcast live via satellite and Internet webcast from the Capital of the Global Country of World Peace in Meru, Holland. Maharishi’s next news conferences will be held on March 3 and 4.

Maharishi said that governments’ inability to prevent problems reveals the bankruptcy of knowledge at the basis of today’s civilisation. "The Peace Governments will replace such fraudulent knowledge with the totality of knowledge—the complete knowledge of Natural Law—to prevent all problems and provide a lighted lamp on the way to perfection for everyone," Maharishi said.

Maharishi explained that Vedic means "with reference to the total knowledge of Natural Law," and described Vedic education as complete education. "Knowledge cannot be gained only by reading books—that is an incomplete approach for training the mind," Maharishi said. "In addition to the study of theoretical knowledge, there must be a classroom period for direct experience of total Natural Law within the self-referral consciousness of the student. Then the students will come home to their families after classes fresh, bright, and intelligent."

Maharishi contrasted the Vedic approach to education with the fragmented approach that prevails in the world. "The isolated study of fragments of knowledge—physics, chemistry, mathematics— crucifies the cosmic potential within the Self of every individual. Fragmented knowledge is a waste of life for children of this generation and all future generations," Maharishi said.

Maharishi denounced the fragmented approach to education as a time-consuming and difficult process that does not bring fulfilment to anyone. In contrast, the Vedic approach delivers total knowledge of Natural Law within the Self of everyone in an easy, delightful manner—and in a short period of time. "We are proud of our offer to the world," Maharishi said. "We invite parents who want their children to be healthy, wealthy, and wise to enrol them in our Vedic universities, colleges and schools—and to assist the Peace Governments in establishing these Vedic universities, colleges, and schools in their areas. There is no greater gift that anyone could give to any student."

Classes will be held in every city and offered to people of all ages—children, adults, and retired people—because, Maharishi said, "everyone needs enlightenment."

Maharishi concluded by saying that the Peace Governments, under the patronage of the Global Country of World Peace, will transform the trends in society from corruption, cruelty, and shame to honour, dignity, and justice for all. "We are going to quietly create an atmosphere of coherence in world consciousness that will disallow all negativity," Maharishi said. "Then everyone will be a happy member of a healthy world family." Maharishi added that the media should be alert to the positive influence that will be created by the Peace Governments’ global initiative. "The press should be ready to report the good news that will start happening throughout the world very soon."