Sporting the latest designer tuxedos and elegant evening gowns, over 70 people attended one of New York’s festive October fund-raisers at The Plaza Hotel. The air was filled with the usual excitement and sparkling glamour associated with a New York black tie event, how-ever this one was unique.

"As soon as I entered the room, I felt peaceful," said one New York socialite, who attended because "something new must be done to prevent violence in the US and around the world." Co-sponsored by the Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy at Maharishi University of Management, and by the Maharishi Global Development Fund, an Evening of World Peace banquet was held to inform the New York community about the creation of Maharishi’s University of World Peace campuses around the world.

According to Dr. John Hagelin, President of the university, "The University of World Peace is being established to fulfill the urgent need for a high-level academic institution dedicated to cutting-edge peace research and to effective solutions to crime and international conflict."

The guest of honor, His Excellency Joaquim Alberto Chissano, President of Mozambique, spoke about how he ended his country’s 20-year civil war and has maintained peace, stability and democracy in his nation for the past seven years, using the technologies that will be offered by the new university.

"The culture of war has to be replaced by the culture of peace," said President Chissano. "For that purpose, something deeper has to be changed in our mind and in our consciousness to prevent the recurrence of war." President Chissano pointed out that when people have always lived in a peaceful country, they may not comprehend the influence of war on the daily life of a nation. "In Mozambique we know very well what we are talking about when we say, ‘No more war,’ and ‘Peace forever.’"

President Chissano stated that stress is the root cause of fear and conflict. Stress in the family generates domestic violence. Stress in the government generates misperceptions, power struggles, and lack of achievements for the country.

In 1992 the benefits of the Transcendental Meditation technique were introduced to President Chissano. He successfully applied them to his family life and implemented them in the administration of his country. "I had a group of coherence creating individuals next to my office," said President Chissano. "When representatives from other organizations came to me for a meeting, they were all expecting strong disagreements. However, the atmosphere was so relaxed, we were like old friends meeting after a long time."

Dr. Hagelin, who is also Director of the Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy, spoke about reversing the neuropathology of violence. "The Transcendental Meditation technique effectively reverses the neurochemical, electrophysical, and metabolic imbalances in the brains of violent individuals. Research reveals that there is a simple physiological approach to treating violent offenders and ‘at-risk’ children, providing a promising antidote to the current epidemic of violence."

As Master of Ceremonies for the banquet, Dr. Neil Paterson, Director of the International Endowment Fund for Perpetual World Peace, presented an overview of the need for a new approach to the creation of lasting world peace. "Despite the sincere efforts of compassionate leaders in every generation, violence and conflict continue to afflict mankind. Today, with the uncontrollable spread of increasingly formidable means of destruction particularly chemical, biological and nuclear weapons—it is increasingly crucial that peace be pre-served, and that dangerous acts of terrorism and full-scale war be averted." 

While the nations of the world are equipped with military academies and graduate war colleges dedicated to advancing the science of war, Dr. Paterson noted that there is no university in the world dedicated wholly to advancing the science of peace. "The University of World Peace will meet these needs utilizing proven technologies."

The final presentation was made by Jeffrey Abramson, Partner, Tower Companies in Bethesda, Maryland. Mr. Abramson is co-developer of the Institute of World Peace in Israel. "The goal of the Institute is to build a permanent facility which will train 500 to 1,000 students," said Mr. Abramson. Possible locations have been identified in several regions of Israel. In addition, affiliations with existing universities have been explored.

As people left the banquet hall filled with new inspiration for the future, the president of an inter-national design company said, "The speakers were very dynamic, and what they said made sense. But what really struck me was how peaceful they seemed in their own life. That’s what I want."

Jennine Fellmer is Director of Information for the Maharishi Global Development Fund in New York.

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