World Meditation Day Committee Debuts with Global AI + Mindfulness Symposium in Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland – The newly established World Meditation Day Committee will host its first international event, AI + Mindfulness: Enhancing Human Awareness, on October 1, 2025, in partnership with the Zurich AI Festival. More than a debut, the symposium signals the Committee’s commitment to visionary leadership and practical action at the intersection of technological innovation and human consciousness.
Held both online and onsite at the ETH AI Center, the one-day event will bring together global experts in artificial intelligence, neuroscience, meditation, and ethics. It positions the Committee not just as a thought leader but as a collaborative platform capable of translating dialogue into measurable impact.
A Committee of Global Representation
Formed in response to the UN’s proclamation of December 21 as World Meditation Day, the Committee is a non-political, international body supported by the World Meditation Foundation, dedicated to promoting meditation worldwide as a path to inner peace and global harmony.
The World Meditation Day Committee is guided by nine distinguished representatives—drawn from the UN proposal nations (Liechtenstein, Andorra, India, Mexico, Nepal, Sri Lanka) and from diverse meditation traditions across culture. They form a six-member Presidium and a three-member Advisory Group. Together, they embody a balance of governance, spirituality, and global engagement, ensuring both symbolic unity and practical wisdom.
Presidium Mmembers
· Fr. Cyprian Consiglio (Christianity, Italy) – Secretary in General of Dicastery for Inter-Monastic Dialogue, composer, and author
· Mr. Enrico Somma (Liechtenstein) – Legal and governance expert specializing in international trusts and philanthropy
· Mr. Marc Reinhardt (Islam, Mauritania/Switzerland) – Intercultural researcher and practitioner rooted in multiple wisdom traditions
· Ven. Dhammajiva Maha Thero (Sri Lanka) – Renowned meditation master who pioneered mindfulness education in schools
· Manhwa Sunim (Mexico/Korea) – Zen teacher bridging Eastern practice and Western context
· Deshung Rinpoche (Nepal) – Representative of Tibetan Buddhism and contemporary mindfulness practice
Advisory Group Members
· Ven. Pomnyun Sunim (South Korea) – Founder of Jungto Society and global humanitarian leader
· Prof. Jack Sim (Singapore) – Founder of the World Toilet Organization and advocate for social innovation
· Ven. Miaohai – Swiss meditation practitioner
Five Sub-Committees Driving Global Impact
The Committee advances its mission through five specialized sub-committees, each combining expertise and leadership to ensure meditation is both preserved as a universal practice and applied to global challenges:
1. Expert Committee – Led by Fr. Cyprian Consiglio (Christianity, Italy), convening meditation masters across traditions to develop global evaluation standards for meditation and foster interfaith dialogue.
2. Scientific Research Committee – Headed by Prof. Donghong Cui (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), a psychiatrist and pioneer in meditation-based mental health. Deputy leadership is provided by Prof. Elliot Ash (ETH Zurich), a leading behavioral scientist. This committee conducts empirical studies on meditation, rigorously exploring the body–mind–spirit connection.
3. Humanities, Arts & Ethics Committee – Convened by Prof. Chia-ju Chang (Brooklyn College, USA), a Zen teacher and scholar whose work bridges contemplative practice with ecological and social ethics. The committee integrates meditation with arts, ethical reflection, and social responsibility.
4. Global Meditation Retreat Centers Alliance – The Alliance plays a crucial role in sustaining the global meditation movement by implementing evaluation standards, developing training programs, promoting best practices, facilitating certification, and organizing international forums and exhibitions. It is coordinated by Ven. Jinbeom (Bongamsa Temple, South Korea), with Deputy Lan Lu, a certified coach integrating mindfulness into leadership development, to connect retreat centers worldwide and foster collaboration and innovation.
5. World Meditation Foundation – Ensuring the Committee’s long-term sustainability, the Foundation provides strategic, institutional, and financial support. It is led by President Zhaoyang Sun, who brings extensive experience in leadership and organizational strategy.
Symposium Highlights: Depth and Diversity
The October 1st AI + Mindfulness Symposium will highlight the depth and diversity of these leadership circles, with many speakers drawn directly from the Committee’s Presidium and Sub-Committees.
The program combines keynotes, scientific presentations, guided meditation sessions, roundtables, and experiential practices such as tea ceremony—balancing intellectual depth with lived contemplative experience.
Featured speakers include:
· Prof. Donghong Cui (Shanghai, onsite) – AI, Meditation, and Precision Mental Health, presenting her pioneering work using biomarkers and AI for meditation-based therapy.
· Prof. Chia-ju Chang (Brooklyn, onsite) – Zen Pedagogy and Ecological Ethics, leading a guided meditation and reflecting on contemplative approaches to environment and education.
· Marc Jose Reinhardt (Switzerland/Africa, onsite) – Mindful Technology Across Cultures, exploring how meditation traditions shape human–AI relations.
· Distinguished professor from Germany (online) – Contemplative Intelligence and Ethical AI, introducing a new framework for aligning technology with human values.
· Distinguished professor from Shanghai (online) – Meditation as an Inner Anchor in the Age of AI, highlighting its stabilizing role amid rapid innovation.
Looking Ahead: From Dialogue to Action
Beyond the Zurich symposium, the Committee has outlined key initiatives for 2025, including:
● A Global Synchronized Meditation on December 21 (00:00 GMT) inviting millions to practice 15 minutes of mindfulness together;
● Collaboration with earth observation agencies to explore the potential impact of global meditation on planetary metrics;
● Further cross-sector collaborations to embed mindfulness into education, technology, and public policy.
By uniting spiritual traditions, scientific rigor, and global cooperation, the World Meditation Day Committee positions meditation as both an ancient practice and a contemporary solution—cultivating resilience, wisdom, and wellbeing for a rapidly changing world.
For details about the symposium or the World Meditation Day Committee, please contact:
info@worldmeditationfoundation.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
Fei Yu
Board Member
World Meditation Foundation
Email: fei@worldmeditationfoundation.org
Website: www.worldmeditationfoundation.org
About the World Meditation Foundation
The World Meditation Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the practice and benefits of meditation worldwide. Through advocacy, education, and collaborative initiatives, the Foundation seeks to create a more mindful, compassionate, and sustainable world.