Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland honoured with inaugural Heartfulness Changemaker Award

Jammu Tawi: Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, Rev. Daaji, presented the inaugural Heartfulness Changemaker Award to the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland KC, Commonwealth Secretary-General. The award was presented during her three-day visit to Kanha Shanti Vanam, the world headquarters of Heartfulness, a first for a Commonwealth Secretary-General and for a major United Kingdom-based public service figure.The Heartfulness Changemaker Award is presented to an individual who has exemplified a commitment to service through compassionate action in their areas of work and is dedicated to promoting a more unified and heartful global community.“We are delighted to have the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, visit us in Kanha Shanti Vanam, and to award her with the Heartfulness Changemaker Award,” said Daaji – Global Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission. “In her years of service, she has gone above and beyond to support youth across the globe, which is what we hope to achieve through our own Heartfulness initiatives. I am happy to begin this partnership with Secretary-General Scotland and the Commonwealth through the Heartfulness Essay Event, which is focused on compassionate action. I am certain that this is only the beginning of the many great things we will all achieve by working together.”The Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland KC, said, “Young people are at the very heart of the Commonwealth Charter. Centering their needs, hopes and dreams is critical as not only do they represent the future, but they are important and life-changing work starts right now. I will gratefully accept this award in recognition of all that we do for young people, and I pledge that we will continue to amplify their work, raise their concerns and to ensure that their views are heard. I am also grateful for this partnership which will help us to support more young people across the Commonwealth.”Speaking about Swami Vivekananda’s teachings she said, “Swami Vivekananda’s teachings continue to resonate as loudly today as they ever have. His call for fearlessness, strength, pursuit of knowledge echoes through the ages; and his vision of youth as vanguard of change inspires the commonwealth to place our trust in young people to build a compassionate, understanding, prosperous and equitable world we all want to see.”Emphasising on the National Youth Day, Ms. Patricia Scotland said, “The year of the youth is vital because of the values which guide us. The future success of commonwealth rests with the engagement creativity and the genius of our 1.5 billion young people. As to humanity’s collective prospects for advancing sustainable development, equality and democracy, understanding tolerance and peace. Again and again commonwealth leaders have committed to promote youth development though youth employment and entrepreneurship. This spirit and commitment at the heart of the youth and is the flagship efforts to recognise and recelebrate the young people of the commonwealth family bring it to life. Everything you do here embodies our shared vision,  inclusive of quality education as fundamental right and a powerful tool for a powerful human development and the realisation of everybody’s potential. Good education does not simply mean academics – it develops and instils essential values – of tolerance, respect, solidarity, and inclusivity and global citizenship. These values are essential guides in today’s world and they underpin our commonwealth. The Commonwealth’s limitless potential  isto be a force for good in the world demands our highest ambition. It gives us strength and confidence at a time when the world feels uncertain. And this unity gives us power in a world faced with serious challenges of poverty, economic strife, hunger. The commonwealth stands together and shines as beacon in the international community. It is the commonwealth of 2024 which is committed at serving you and which you will lead into the future. This is the pivotal and blessed moment. The dramatic shifts are shaping our inheritance.  This is your time. You have the will, the skill to stand with us. I know you have been taught well. We are more than equal in the challenges we face and we rely on your courage and thirst for progress.I am grateful that Heartfulness has joined hands with governments and institutions to celebrate our year of the youth. There is a shift in the collective mindset recognizing that young people are agents of change; and leaders of today and tomorrow. Energy, creativity, and determination are the driving forces behind our collective forces. The dreams aspirations, and of young people have the power to transform a country and the world. The youth connect programme equips connects university students with essential life skills to transition successfully through each phase of their personal and professional careers.”Rev.Daaji – Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission said, “What strikes me the most today is all about unity. That cannot happen unless and until there is harmony. Harmony is not possible without contemplative mind and peace. Peace is the product of contemplative mind which is a product of focused mind. A focused mind is a product of meditative mind. And hence we highly recommend meditation to have a contemplative mind, become more harmonious and bring peace within yourself and transform yourself at individual level. Spirituality is all about looking at yourself. We are the makers of our own destiny. We cannot blame anyone else including God. Let’s make this planet heavenly place in such a way that people stop craving for other heavens after death. We have to work together for harmony and love which are products of meditative minds. If half a dozen terrorists can create the ruckus in the world, imagine what these 1.5 billion youth of the commonwealth can do to make it a heaven. We need support. H.E. Hon’ble Secretary General of Commonwealth Patricia Scotland has promised to open doors that will be conducive for them to express their talents, interests and will so that the world can be transformed. Let us begin the journey from our hearts. To sum up what Swami Vivekananda said that the purpose of life is very simple – it’s all about consciousness.”