KRABI, 14 October 2026 — Ms. Julianne Lee, board member of the World Meditation Foundation and co-founder of Krueger & Lee, and Dr. Zhenbao Jin, independent meditation researcher and practitioner, board member of the World Meditation Day Association and member of its Scientific Research Committee, attended the 2nd United & Present International Gathering on Contemplative Practices, Compassion and Collective Well-Being, held at the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, Krabi, Thailand, from 12 to 14 October 2026. The Gathering was organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in collaboration with the Bodhigaya Vijjalaya 980 Institute (BGVI) and Dharma Alliance.
In the context of the World Meditation Day resolution
The Gathering was convened in the context of General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/137 proclaiming World Meditation Day, and contributed directly to OHCHR’s United & Present initiative, which explores how meditative and contemplative practices can support the work of the United Nations and the broader cause of human rights, diplomacy, and peacebuilding. It builds on the first United & Present Gathering, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in December 2025, and will feed into the forthcoming 2026 United & Present report, Meditation, Compassion and Collective Well-Being.
Three days of dialogue and contemplative practice
The Gathering was structured around three days of thematic sessions, wisdom dialogues, and contemplative practice sessions, bringing living tradition-holders into substantive dialogue with human rights practitioners, researchers, and diplomats. Sessions addressed the cross-traditional dimensions of meditation as a universal human practice, the relationship between compassion and collective well-being, the contribution of contemplative practices to human rights and conflict prevention, the relevance of these practices for children and youth, and the practical pathways through which the United & Present initiative can contribute to human rights and peacebuilding.
The Krabi Declaration
The Gathering closed with the adoption of the Krabi Declaration on Contemplative Practices, Compassion and Collective Well-Being endorsed by all participants. The Declaration affirms the value of World Meditation Day as a common framework for promoting awareness, dialogue and cooperation on meditation and contemplative practices, while respecting the diversity of traditions, approaches and contexts in which they are understood and practiced, and recognizing that this diversity is in itself a source of depth and richness in the shared pursuit of understanding. The Declaration encourages continued collaboration through the United & Present initiative, future research, partnerships and practical activities exploring the contribution of meditation and compassion to collective well-being and the promotion and protection of human rights.
Media Resources and Contact
Email: info@un-worldmeditationday.org
Media resources: un-worldmeditationday.org/resources
About World Meditation Foundation
The World Meditation Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation registered in Liechtenstein and established on 23 September 2024. It supports World Meditation Day activities, research initiatives and community programmes. Its vision is to make meditation a fundamental part of everyday life.
World Meditation Day: www.un-worldmeditationday.org
World Meditation Foundation: www.worldmeditationfoundation.org