The Unified Mind: Bridging Science and Tradition for the Future of Meditation Globally – The 2nd World Meditation Day Forum

March 20-21, 2026

On-site in Korea + Zoom for virtual sessions + YouTube livestream

1. Background 

Guided by the vision of “The Unified Mind”, the World Meditation Day Forum convenes as a landmark international gathering, dedicated to weaving the distinct threads of scientific, religious, and secular thought into a coherent tapestry of understanding. Building on the success of its predecessor, this second edition moves beyond dialogue toward integration—seeking to establish a common identity for meditation that is both empirically sound and wisdom-informed. By uniting meditation masters, neuroscientists, researchers, and practitioners from across the globe, the Forum aims to forge a shared path forward, laying the foundational framework for a unified global meditation ecosystem.

 

2. Forum Objectives and Themes

a) Establish a Common Foundation 

        Synthesizing a unified understanding of meditation across scientific, religious, and secular perspectives.

        o Suggested Themes: Cross-traditional dialogues on methods and goals; historical and contemporary adaptations of practices; identifying shared core principles or definitions.

b) Define Measurable Impact 

        Identifying the core human qualities that meditation cultivates, alongside developing standards for assessing its impact.

        o Suggested Themes: Presenting empirical research (neuroscientific, psychological, clinical) on meditation’s effects; discussing methodologies for measuring outcomes like awareness, compassion, or well-being.

c) Catalyze a Global Movement 

        Fostering a collaborative ecosystem to mainstream meditation worldwide, and translating insights into actionable collaboration.

        o Suggested Themes: Proposing models for public engagement, education, or policy; designing frameworks for future collaborative research or campaigns; sharing case studies of successful community or institutional integration.

 

3. Preliminary Program Schedule 1

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.

Use meditation as a bridge to resonate with the world

-- Global Collective Meditation on December 21 connects the world

As the first rays of the winter solstice on December 21 light up different continents one after another, a spiritual action that transcends language, culture and national boundaries quietly unfolds.

 

The "15 Minutes of Global Silence" meditation initiative, jointly launched by the World Meditation Council and the World Meditation Foundation, connects the hearts of tens of millions of people around the world on this day.

 

From the United Nations Headquarters to the serene valleys of the Himalayas; 

From the skyscrapers of busy cities to the open squares of the countryside;

People of different skin colors, beliefs and backgrounds settle in their hearts at the same moment and pass on peace, awareness and empathy through meditation.

 

At this moment, the world is quiet, yet closer to each other.

As a global spiritual community long committed to promoting meditation practice and cross-cultural understanding, the World Meditation Day Committee and the World Meditation Foundation officially launched the initiative:

On the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, which symbolizes the first movement of the sun, people around the world are called to join in a silent meditation of no less than 15 minutes at 12:00 GMT on December 21.

 

The initiative received a swift response from more than 70 countries.

Global meditation organizations, educational institutions, businesses and public welfare groups have joined in to support it. Multilingual meditation guidance audio and online synchronization channels have been made freely available to the world through platforms such as Zoom and YouTube, making it easy for people of all cultures and ages to join.

 

Ms. Fei Yu, a member of the World Meditation Day Committee's presidium and acting director-generall, said:

"15 minutes of silence brings together spiritual power that transcends mountains and seas.

It's not just a global collective action, but a growing mental movement."

It is reported that the committee will systematically summarize the experience of this global meditation event and continue to promote inner practices such as meditation, mindfulness, sitting in stillness and meditation to be more deeply integrated into personal life and the daily life of society.

 

This global meditation campaign once again proves:

In a world full of noise, silence is the common language of humanity;

And when hearts are truly connected to each other, the world has more possibilities.

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.

Freedom Begins Within — A Glimpse of Inner Awakening from Behind Prison Walls

 

In a juvenile correctional facility in Chengdu, China, dozens of young residents sat quietly in the morning light, focusing on their breath. The air was calm, filled with a rare stillness.That day was December 21, 2024 — the first World Meditation Day adopted by the United Nations.

This meditation event was organized by the Chengdu Juvenile Correctional Facility itself, independently echoing the global call of World Meditation Day. Without any formal coordination with the World Meditation Day Committee, the initiative reflected a natural response to humanity’s shared longing for peace, awareness, and inner freedom.

 

Over the past year, the facility has systematically integrated mindfulness meditation into its rehabilitation programs. Starting from an introductory phase for newcomers, the practice gradually extends into daily life through structured modules: mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindful cognition, loving-kindness meditation, mindful rehabilitation, and mindful living. This framework allows participants to deepen self-awareness at different stages of their sentence, cultivating non-violent, patient, and compassionate ways of responding to conflict.

Through consistent practice, many have begun to experience genuine inner calm and transformation. Mindfulness meditation not only offers these young people a means of emotional regulation and self-healing—it also demonstrates its potential to foster empathy, stability, and positive behavioral change, contributing to long-term reintegration and reduced recidivism.

 

This spontaneous resonance with World Meditation Day reflects the deeper mission behind the initiative. On December 6, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed December 21 as World Meditation Day, reaffirming meditation’s importance in an age of rising global anxiety and mental health crises.

 

Since then, the World Meditation Day Committee has continued to promote the “15 Minutes of Meditation Every Day” global initiative, encouraging individuals to pause daily—to find stillness amid speed, and clarity amid complexity. From the AI + Mindfulness Global Symposium at the Zurich AI Center to community-based meditations across continents, this movement has grown into a shared awakening—linking technology, humanity, and inner wisdom.

 

The practice in Chengdu’s correctional facility is a quiet yet powerful reminder: Meditation transcends circumstance. True freedom begins within.

On December 21, 2025, the world will celebrate the first anniversary of World Meditation Day. The Committee will launch a synchronized worldwide meditation, inviting millions across time zones to participate, and will collaborate with research institutions to study the broader impact of meditation on humanity and the planet. 

 

Let us meet again—in breath, in stillness, in the quiet light of awareness. 

 

World Meditation Day — December 21, 2025.

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.