Mr.Cassam Uteem, President Of Mauritius:

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is the right organization to implement the IYCP project as in the past the University has successfully coordinated Million Minutes of Peace Appeal and Global Co-operation for a Better World. We are living in a world where unfortunately a culture of violence has become a way of life. Violence breeds violence and can hamper peace and development. We must imbibe the value ofrespect. We must respect our self, our parents, our neighbours, our elders and our environment.

Mr.Abdoulaye Deiye ,Member Of Parliament,Senegal:

      The modern education system has given rise to a sense of ego, illusion of power and unnecessary desires in people. Spirituality is the unifying principle of all religions. I find that the relevance of the Sufi teachingsare confirmed after my visit to the Brahma Kumaris Academy for A Better World here.

Justice V.R Krishna Aiyer ,Former Judge Of Supreme Court:

      Mount Abu now represents a worldwide movement. I have toured many countries. Wherever I went, I found Brahma Kumaris centres. Once I had been to Newziland and Australia, as directed by Maharshi Mahesh Yogi. In all these countries I could witness the presence of Brahma Kumaris centres. Two years back when I visited New Jersey in United States, I found out a center of Brahma Kumaris with the help of telephone directory. The head of these centers was a Brahma Kumari who was very much familiar to me. Next day was Deepavali festival. She insisted that I should participate in the function. It was a period when I suffered mental depression. During this period I had been to Sri Satya Sai Baba also. I visited the BK center at New York also and spent two hours there. Then I could listen the voice of shanti (peace). Absorbing the message of shanti I returned. To see Brahma Kumaris and Kumars indulge in meditation was a real experience. When my sister Dr. Meenakshi desired to spend one week in peace, I directed her to Mount Abu. Later, my niece and her husband went there. It is their firm belief and conviction that real sanctity pervaded in the premises of Ishwariya Vidyalaya at Mount Abu. Now I stand before you on the basis of all these experiences. My intention is not to deliver speech as a scholar in Bhagavath Geetha. It requires not only talent and scholarship but also realexperience. Motivation and inspiration are essential to convey spiritual message.

Sh.V.S.Sonfranchuk ,Under Secretary General Of U.N.O:

      In these days world peace can be possible only through re-establishment of moral values. Now the countries of the world have started understanding the importance of human values and solve their problems through mutual co-operation. Now the United Nations is not a World government but a place for peace oriented efforts by the countries and a place where they can find solution of their problems. The Non- Governmental Organizations (N. G. Os) play an important role in activities organized by UNO for establishment of peace. Prajapita Brahma kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya has an important role in it on account of which it has been honoured with Peace Messenger award. There is an urgent need to constantly strive for bringing transformation in the world. This day a change is visible is every field -– political, social oreconomic.

Sh. Rajiv Gandhi , Former Prime Minister Of India:

         For establishing World Peace, apart from disarmament, there is also required a change in the mentality of those who are trying to show their authority in the world. The Disarmament is progressing fast but mere annihilation of arsenals is not sufficient. There is a dire need to change the mentality of the dominant countries that use them, so that the possibility of the use of nuclear arsenals is totally eliminated. For having Universal Brotherhood and Peace in the World, re-establishment of human values is necessary and our country has been continuing this legacy. Mahatma Gandhi got freedom for the country through the Principles of non- violence and without any jealousy or ill will. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru based on these principles, sustained human values through Socialism, Democracy and Secularism. Likewise, Mrs. Indira Gandhi tried her best to spread these ideals on national and international level. There is an urgent need to give up narrow mentality and develop mutual goodwill and co-operation. This will provide a new direction to world peace and development. If we want to take human civilization to its zenith, we have to eradicate all sorts of discrimination. The efforts of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Mt. Abu, in the direction of World Peace are highly commendable. Here, two things have impressed me: Self-Transformation is a pre-requisite for World Transformation And There should be peace in the mind. It is only peace in the minds of lacs of people, which will bring World Peace.Knowledge and Science based on Spiritual Power will rule the World

P.V Narsimha Rao , Prime Minister Of India:

      This is a universal conference in which there will be discussions on how to develop and to promote harmony. Efforts will be initiated to make people understand its significance. I believe that everything starts in the mind—be it violence or non-violence; quarrels or brotherly feel-ings. War does not be-gin with weapons but it emanates from the mind. As a thought spreads, it ultimately becomes destructive or beneficial. So, which direction should the mind take is not the order of today only. For thousands of years, in all civiliza-tions, such endeavours have taken place. Many cultures disappeared because they could not fulfill these responsibilities. In their history, a devastating cycle of events occurred from which they could not escape. The upheaval in society was uncontrollable. Unable to quell it, such civilizations were ultimately destroyed. But the culture of Bharat has continued, which people say is 5000 years old. I think it is much older than that. You could trace it up to 5000 years, but you cannot even imagine that it could be thousands of years beyond that. We have a lofty and resplendent heritage, and we should be proud of it. But we, the heirs of such a great civilization, have some responsibilities, which we should understand very well. Today, we are talk-ing about har-mony. We are talking about sym-phony. Har-mony or sym-phony exists where there are different tones. There would be no need for har-mony if there were only one tone or one sound. According to classical music, there are some sounds, which are concordant, and there are other sounds, which are discordant. These various tones co-exist. Harmony takes place only when there is an arrangement between the concordant and discordant tones, which results in music, and not clamour. - 27 - Are we making such an arrangement? Are we able to accomplish it? Do we have the atmosphere for creating such an arrange-ment? Are we also making efforts for creating such an atmosphere? We should ask ourselves these questions. I believe that such an initiative is divided into two parts. The first part comes from the inside and the other half comes from the outside. Both are needed. The leaders of society, including the government, perform the external part. Sometimes they are successful in this and sometimes they are not because that part is incomplete. The effort is half-baked.

          The other is the effort, which comes from within. When it is said in the scriptures that “Religion has the highest place in the world,’ we mean that religion is the foundation and the support of the world. But if in the name of religion, violence erupts, then I think that there is some misunderstanding in religion. There is something wrong; therefore, we should examine it. This is why when the word ‘spirituality’ is mentioned here, then the word ‘religion’ becomes more distinguished. That distinction enables all the religions to merge unknowingly. Which religion blends where is not known because of the assimilation. The efforts you exert here may not bear fruit immediately. But the initiatives are very powerful and very effective. This effort is perpetuated to many. One person sows a tiny seed somewhere, which reaches 60 countries and becomes a big tree. There is definitely some power, which may not be in me, in you or in many. But it can be in one individual. That is an asset. How much can we take from Him? He is an ocean. You will get the amount of water from it depending on the size of your vessel. Dip in a tumbler and you get a tumbler full of water. Dip in a pot and you get a pot full of water. The question is how worthy are we? We wish to increase our worthiness either through education or through spiritual awakening. It is in our culture to speak profundities; to sing hymns praising God and to communicate in a comprehensible manner so that it touches the heart. This is a grandiose heritage, which has come a long way; A very powerful heritage indeed. It goes on and on and we should never renounceit.

Rama Devi , Governor of Himachal Pradesh:

      When we review the current education scenario, we understand the need of value education. In Himachal Pradesh, we are giving high priority to education and have also initiated value education in schools. The government has provided several facilities to spread literacy in every district. Children should be taught about social or political issues at an appropriate age when they would understand them properly. Mixing politics with education at higher levels is eating into the roots of our education system. Students are spoiling their lives after getting involved in party politics. Student life is the time when they have to be taught about values respect, compassion, love for nature etc. Prajapita Brahma, the founder of Brahmakumaris, was a great visionary who empowered a group of women sixty-four years ago, andthey are now doing a great work in value education around the world.

Gen. B.K.N. Chibber , Governor of Punjab:

     I came in contact with this B.K.I.V.V. a few years back when I was stationed at Amritsar. I have studied in depth and experienced Rajayoga meditation taught by the BKs. Purity vibrates from this place. We have learnt from various scriptures that our God Father is one, our true religion is one and our ancient culture is the same, but the practical aspect of this can be seen here. This Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya leads one to the path of spiritual awakening of moral upliftment. Today we need the world peace the most. World peace, however, can be attained by inculcating divine qualities. Today not only in India but also in the whole world, there is a dire necessity of noble behaviour, goodwill, and universalbrotherhood as preached and practised by the Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya.

Mr Arvind Dave, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh:

      It gives me great pleasure to be at the World Headquarters of the Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya at Mt. Abu to interact with educators on a subject, which greatly contributes to creating a Better Society. I have the added pleasure in being here today as I not only belong to Rajasthan, which houses the world Headquarters of this Vidyalaya, but am also the Head of the State of Arunchal Pradesh, where the Brahma Kumaris have been doing commendable work for the past 25 years. Since I take pride for both these reasons, it becomes essential that I briefly narrate to you the pioneering activities of the Brahma Kumaris in my State of Arunchal Pradesh as well as in the other seven Sister States of the North East, including Sikkim. The Prajapita Brahma Kumaris are well represented in all the seven North Eastern States. For the North Eastern Region, they have Divisional Offices in Guwahati and Tinhsukia, both of which started over two decfades back. While the Guwahati Divisional Office is connected with the Brahma Kumari Branches in Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura and part of lArunchal Pradesh, the Tinsukia Divisional Office over-views the Brahma Kumari branches in Nagaland, Mizoram and in parts of Arunchal Pradesh, their main branches are in Itanagar and Naharalagun with informal contacts in Yinkiong and Ziro. Brahma Kumaris have fairly widespread activities in the North Eastern Region under a sister organization named “Raja Yoga Education and Research Foundation”.(RERF). So far 17 wings of this Foundation have been formed to serve the people from various spiritual backgrounds and to providepractical applicatioin lof wisdom.

LK Advani ,Union Home Minister:

     I think whosoever has made efforts and endeavored for social change, has done so in his own way. Some have excelled in the spiritual field, others in the social or the political field. They will realize that EQ is surely greater than IQ, but even greater than EQ is the Moral Quotient (MQ). Emotional Quotient is greater than the Intelligence Quotient and Moral Quotient is greater than the Emotional Quotient. Even if one has good IQ and EQ but no moral or spiritual power, there cannot be full development of the personality and therefore one cannot bring about the desired, benevolent transformation in society. I appreciate that in institutions like Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, the Brahma Kumaris are putting forth best efforts to enhance this Moral Quotient in society. Their activities arehighly appreciable.