The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) and the Amber Group have collaborated to donate US $5 million towards humanitarian aid, educational work, and prisoner rehabilitation locally.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Amber Group, Dushyant Savadia, made the commitment during a handover ceremony on Friday, 13 December, at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Also in attendance was Indian guru and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is also the founder of AOLF, a volunteer-based, humanitarian, and educational non-governmental organisation.

The peace ambassador noted that the commitment of his foundation is to make the world a happier place, which he said would be extended to Jamaica.

“Here, we would like to bring more AOL teachers, create more AOL volunteers who can uplift the happiness index of the country, and it’s very doable,” said Shankar, adding that this is in line with the peace vision of Prime Minister Andrew Holness for the country.

He further highlighted the importance of taking care of the emotional resilience and wellness of the population. “Taking care of the mental, emotional, and physical wealth of the population is very important; it’s not just about bread and butter, but also about taking care of emotional resilience and wellness.”

The spiritual leader, who commenced his three-day visit on Thursday, 12 December, will be conferred with the honour of the Key to the City of Kingston and the honour of a citation from Montego Bay City.

During his visit to the island, Shankar will also address some 1,800 inmates at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, participate in public talks, and meet with local dignitaries.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who was also present at the handover ceremony, acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly impacted many Jamaicans, and the government is now focused on helping to rebuild resilience in Jamaicans.

“The issue of mental wellness is not just a central focus for the population; it is also a direct focus of government policy. We recognise that the pandemic has impacted people’s mental wellness, and governments must have civic programmes focused on rebuilding resilience in people as they face conflicts, challenges, and disasters, recover, and move forward,” he said.

Holness said his administration has been working to tackle crime through equipping its security forces and community development. However, he noted that a long-term sustainable solution to addressing crime requires deliberate social intervention, such as training in dispute resolution.

“As part of the government’s strategy shift, we have invested heavily in our national security apparatus; we have invested heavily in improving our ability to detect and deter criminal activity. Now is the time to focus on actually building peace, and building peace starts with the individual—getting the person right, getting their mental state, and getting them to live at peace with their environment, their neighbours, and themselves,” he said, noting that peacebuilding will be an instrumental part of government policy.

He further thanked the Amber Group and the Art of Living Foundation for their contribution to humanitarian efforts, which he said would provide real and lasting benefits to the people of Jamaica.

“Gurudev, we warmly welcome you and your delegation to our island and express our deepest gratitude for your life-changing work. May your visit inspire even greater bonds of peace and mutual understanding between the people of Jamaica, India, and the global community,” Holness said.