Following is a brief excerpt from an address by Prem Rawat to a distinguished audience of diplomats, and government and civic leaders at an event held in celebration of the UN’s 60th anniversary

Honored guests, it is my pleasure to speak to you this evening on a very profound subject—peace. Maybe this is just one more perspective, but it is a perspective that comes from the heart.

Peace is a feeling—a feeling of non-duality, away from doubt, a feeling of me. It is beginning  my life with the measurement of what I have, not the measurement of what I don’t have. We haven’t yet created the ruler, the scale of measuring what we have. We have been too keen to have the scale of what we don’t have. And everybody has a scale of what we don’t have. But when it comes down to it, what is it that we do have?

What are people like? They speak a different language—but what do they want? The amazing thing is that regardless of all the differences, the want of every single person is the same. We have trained ourselves to look at the differences. Some people even say, “Difference is good,” and I agree. But in the middle of all the differences, see the similarity, see the desire in every single person for peace.

The desire for peace transcends every barrier. Even those who have been incarcerated desire peace. Those who have little to eat also desire peace. And those sitting in giant mansions desire peace.  Peace doesn’t see age. Need and necessities don’t see age or qualifications or social structure. A need is a need is a need.

The good news is: All peace requires is a little effort, and no money has to be spent. Why? Because peace dwells in the heart of every single living human being. It does not have to be imported. People do not have to be lectured into it. It is sufficient to be given the opportunity to seek the peace inside, to look within, and to see that resource that is possible.

We have a fantastic, incredible, amazing opportunity to begin with the fundamental steps of recognizing the need for peace for every person. And then, I think for the first time, we can begin to see a difference.

What will the outcome be? Will there be no wars? I don’t know. But I’m talking about the peace that can be even experienced in the middle of war. What would the world be like if every human being had peace? I don’t know what the world would be like, but I know that human being would look beautiful because human beings wear peace so well. They’re so attractive when they have peace dancing in their eyes. And that is possible.

Prem Rawat

What People Say
Read what notable people say about Prem Rawat

Conversations with Prem Rawat

Watch short excerpts from interviews of Prem Rawat by TV journalists Marta Robles and Burt Wolf

The Lamp that Needs to Shine

Read an excerpt from Prem Rawat's address at London's Guildhall

About Peace
Read the transcript of an interview where Prem Rawat answers questions about peace