Prem has spoken about peace from an early age, inspiring audiences with his unique perspective and wisdom. He speaks from the heart, without script or rehearsal, bringing simplicity to important issues that human beings often find complex.

Background

Born in India to a prosperous family, Prem left his native land as a teenager to travel to Europe and America, with a desire to know the world. His driving ideal was to promote, to every person, an optimistic vision of life, a vision of peace, both individually and collectively. This ideal continues as strongly today, some four decades later.

In pursuit of his life's goal he has maintained a challenging travel schedule since he was a teenager. In an average year, he can fly over 100,000 nautical miles. In 2011 alone he spoke live to over 500,000 people at 78 events worldwide. During that time, there were over 1.1 million downloads of his videos, excluding Youtube.

Prem attracts audiences from all walks of life, regardless of their education, beliefs, age, or status. As well as speaking in front of intimate audiences and vast crowds — sometimes exceeding 300,000 in India — he has been invited to speak at a number of important institutional venues and forums. These include the European Parliament, the United Nations (UN), the Italian Senate, the parliament buildings of Australia, Argentina and New Zealand, the Young President's Organisation, and the Guildhall in London, as well as numerous universities across the world.

Recent achievements and recognition

In November 2011, he was invited as keynote speaker and inspirer of the “Pledge to Peace” launched at the European Parliament, under the patronage of the First Vice-President Gianni Pittella. The Pledge to Peace, a call to peaceful action, was the first of its kind ever presented at the European Union, to which 37 institutions signed. The pledge activities, announced on UN Peace Day each year, continue to develop momentum.

In 2012, Prem was awarded the Asia Pacific Brands Association’s BrandLaureate Lifetime Achievement award, reserved for statesmen and individuals whose actions and work have positively impacted the lives of people and the world at large. The other three recipients of this prestigious award include Nelson Mandela and Hillary Clinton.

In the spring of 2012 he was invited to launch the Third Festival of Peace in Brazil. This initiative, hosted by UNIPAZ (University of International Peace), which works towards world peace, involved more than one million people.

Speaking in a specially prepared video for the Nordic Peace Conference in Oslo, Prem emphasized the very real possibility of peace in our lifetime. He said:

There are people who are very greedy, there are people who don't care. But in my opinion, that is a minority. The majority of the people on the face of this earth want peace, and if this is true, then peace on earth is a very achievable objective. People say it's not going to happen. Well, let this time belong to those who believe it can happen, not to the ones who say it cannot.

In recognition of his profound impact on individuals and his contribution towards the world's understanding of peace, Prem has received many keys to cities and awards, and has been named an Ambassador of Peace four times — by UNIPAZ and three other governmental organizations.

Humanitarian efforts

In 2001, Prem Rawat started The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), which addresses the fundamental human needs of food, water, and peace so that people everywhere can live their lives with dignity, peace, and prosperity. In the 11 years since its inception, the Foundation has made 158 grants to assist people in 40 countries.

Prem has spoken at several prisons around the world and his peace education program, set up to help prisoners rehabilitate, is running in 28 prisons. The program is now the subject of academic study due to its unusual success in reducing recidivism and in helping transform and give hope to those incarcerated.

Personal

Very much a modern man, he embraces creativity and cutting-edge technology. He is an inventor and highly accomplished pilot, with over 12,000 hours flying time, most of it spent flying himself to events. Prem is married with four grown-up children.