Among the many faces to be seen in Baghdad soon as the international community joins in the rebuilding of the war-ravaged country, one that is sure to stand out is that of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the spiritual master who wears a cherubic smile and a flowing beard.
The founder of the Art of Living Foundation, an international non-profit educational and humanitarian organisation, has decided to go to Iraq to help rebuild the country. "It is critical that the world community collaborate on the rebuilding of Iraq. This must be a worldwide effort to help the Iraqi people restore their country," Ravi Shankar said on Wednesday.
Ravi Shankar has come to the US after a visit to Lebanon where he met with religious leaders and social activists to discuss the issue of rebuilding Iraq. "Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is hoping to gather leaders of his stature from the major faiths in Iraq once it becomes a little more calmer and safer in Iraq," his aides said.
Geneva-based International Association for Human Values, founded by Ravi Shankar, will commit volunteers to help restock and rebuild the much-needed facilities such as hospitals and schools as well as create trauma centres in Iraq.
The IAHV, which is also a United Nations accredited non-governmental organisation, is calling on volunteers from all ethnic, cultural and faith traditions to join them in delivering aid to the Iraqi people.
The first group of volunteers to be drawn predominantly from the association's Mid-East offices will work to provide resources to institutions made destitute by the war and subsequent looting. The initial step will be to assess needs and to see how the skills of the volunteers can be best applied.
"Basically what Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is saying is that this (rebuilding) is not a job of one or two organisations or governments. He says that all the major religions of the world have resources and they should utilise these resources to help Iraq. That is what is needed now," one aide said.
"He wants people from other faiths to come together and say 'yes' to helping the hapless people of Iraq."
The humanitarian crisis in Iraq, according to IAHV that has a consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN, may very well be one of the most serious in recent years and because of this it is calling volunteers from around the world to form a multinational coalition of rebuilders.
"The provision of aid through a multinational and multifaith coalition will demonstrate that this is an opportunity to bring greater unity and cooperation to the world," Ravi Shankar said.
