|
The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organizations (NGO).〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/77-0240101/art-living-foundation.aspx )〕 It was founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The Art of Living Foundation spread in 156 countries and is considered the world's largest volunteer-based NGO.〔http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/sri-sri-ravi-shankars-59th-birthday-10-interesting-facts/1/437746.html〕 The Foundation is working in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Art of Living Facts )〕 of the United Nations. The International Association for Human Values is a partner NGO that Shankar founded, that focuses on the upliftment of human values at the grassroots level. == Organization == Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) has its international headquarters in Bangalore, India at Ved Vignan Mahavidyapeeth or VVM campus (usually referred to as the Art of Living's international facility in Bangalore, or as the Bangalore Ashram)and has regional centers in more than 150 countries. In Europe, the organization is known as the Association for Inner Growth. The Foundation was founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and offers a variety of personal-development and trauma-relief programs around the world. AOLF has been an educational and humanitarian organization in the U.S. since 1989. Accredited as a United Nations non-governmental organization in 1996, it works in special consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council, participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and disaster relief. The Art of Living is a DPI NGO (Department of Public Information), which means it plays an active role in communicating and contributing to various United Nations goals (such as the UN Millennium Goals and the Stand Up initiative). The majority of the officers of the organization, along with most of its teachers and staff, are volunteers. Many humanitarian programs, disaster relief efforts, and training programs are conducted through, or in conjunction with partner organization, the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) . Some of the key worldwide chapters include the Art of Living Foundation (U.S.A.), Vyakti Vikas Kendra (India), Die Kunst des Lebens (Germany), Art of Living Center (Canada), Art of Living South Africa, Art of Living Israel, Art of Living Brazil, and Art of Living Argentina. The Foundation operates as a charitable organization actively conducting "Art of Living" stress-relief courses, based on yoga, breathing, and meditation.〔Gautier, Francois. The Guru of Joy. New York: Hay House, 2008.〕 Guided by Sri Sri’s philosophy of peace, "Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace", the Art of Living offers several stress-elimination and self-development programmes based mainly on breathing techniques, meditation and yoga. Art of living hopeline, a telephonic hotline available 24/7, is a dedicated program to reduce suicidal tendencies. A number of medical studies on the organization's core life-enhancing/trauma-relief techniques (''Sudarshan Kriya'' and its preparatory practices) have been published in international peer-reviewed journals. A range of mental and physical benefits are reported in these studies, including reduced levels of stress (reduced cortisol—the "stress" hormone), improved immune system, relief from anxiety & depression (mild, moderate & severe), and increased antioxidant protection, enhanced brain function (increased mental focus, calmness and recovery from stressful stimuli), among other findings.〔Gautier, Francois. The Guru of Joy. New York: Hay House, 2008. p. 155-164.〕〔Scientific Research on Art of Living Practices http://www.aolresearch.org/published_research.html〕 The organization is involved in community service through its centers, and, though not a religious organization, and programs are taken by people of many traditions and religious backgrounds, underlying principles are compatible with Vedic philosophy.〔Melton, J. Gordon (2003), ''Encyclopedia of American Religions'' (Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 1004. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0〕 In March 2014, the organization's yoga center in Islamabad, Pakistan was burned down followed by reports of threats issued to the organization by Taliban.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/Taliban-Threatens-Art-of-Living-Volunteers-in-Pakistan-AOL/844058 )〕 According to the tax return filed by the American chapter, AOL Foundation had total revenues of $5.5M (mainly 3.5M from course fees and 1.7M from public support ) and expenditure of $3.6M from July 2006 to June 2007. Net assets at the beginning of July 2007 amounted to $7.7M.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Art of Living Foundation, Fairfield, IA – Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, IRS 2006 )〕 EIN for the American chapter of AOL Foundation is 77-0240101.〔http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/77-0240101/art-living-foundation.aspx〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Art of Living foundation」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|