Prem Rawat’s ongoing tour of the Asia Pacific region included recent visits to Indonesia and Malaysia where he delivered an uplifting message to university students who are enrolled in the Peace Education Program (PEP).
A flagship initiative of The Prem Rawat Foundation, PEP is an innovative program available in 48 countries that helps empower participants to cultivate inherent inner resources such as strength, hope, and peace.
At a September 16 event at Stikom University, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika praised PEP for the important role it can play in changing hostile mindsets across the world. “Society is plagued by many fears and conflicts. Peace education empowers people so that they’re able to solve conflicts in a good way, so that our hopes for peace can be achieved,” he said. “Students need to get peace education so that they can be creative and use their heart to solve problems. Peace education teaches us to respect others.”
On his first visit to Bali, Indonesia Prem Rawat delivered the keynote address at a Stikom University forum about peace that also included traditional music, dance, and a Q&A session with students.
In his keynote remarks to hundreds of students and dignitaries at the business school, Prem Rawat emphasized that people have the power to find peace in their own lives despite immense societal challenges.
“What you are looking for is within you. If you want peace, it is very possible—because peace lies in the heart of every human being,” he said.
On September 26, Prem Rawat brought a similarly profound message of peace to hundreds of students and faculty at Taylor’s University in Kuala Lumpur. The first institution to offer PEP in Malaysia, Taylor’s University is a prestigious school with a holistic mission to enrich student’s minds, hands, and hearts.
In his address, Prem focused on encouraging students to learn how to listen to their own hearts when making choices. “Peace comes from the heart. I’m not talking about the physical thing that pumps blood,” he said. “Exactly 50 percent of each human being is bad, and exactly 50 percent of each human being is good. That good 50 percent is what peace is all about. The heart gives us the ability to choose the good. Make a choice in your life to be real, to find joy. Allow this heart to become a major player in your life.”
During a lively discussion period at the forum, attendees embraced Prem’s call to action, and in the months ahead the school is planning to expand PEP.
“Prem Rawat has perfectly encapsulated the Taylor’s University ethos of head, hands, and heart,” said Rani Kaur, a professor and host of the event. “We were struggling with the heart aspect, but with the Peace Education Program we have been able to fulfill that missing element for students and faculty alike.”
Taylor’s University is the first institution in Malaysia to offer PEP and Prem Rawat participated in a Q&A session with students and faculty about peace.
