David Lynch calls for universities of world peace

FAIRFIELD — Filmmaker David Lynch is challenging the world’s philanthropists to create a “University of World Peace” in two countries, including one at Maharishi International University in Fairfield.

Lynch announced on Thursday, April 14 that he wants to establish large groups of “peace-creating meditation experts” in Ukraine and other hot spots around the world experiencing violence. Lynch is among the most famous practitioners and supporters of Transcendental Meditation, and has founded an international charity to teach Transcendental Meditation to more than 1 million children worldwide.

The Global Union of Scientists for Peace published a video of Lynch detailing his approach to promote peace in the world through meditation. The website states that this peace plan calls for establishing a “Flagship University of World Peace” in two countries, one at Maharishi International University and the other in central India, each with 10,000 students engaged in peace-creating programs.

The second prong of the approach calls for establishing University of Peace affiliates in 10 countries, each with 1,000 students engaged in this program. These would be located in critical hot spots such as Ukraine, Russia, South Korea, China, Israel, Lebanon, Armenia, Yemen, Venezuela, and either Pakistan or Punjab (in India).

Representatives of Maharishi International University had not responded for a request for comment by press time Tuesday. However, the university’s president John Hagelin is quoted in the news release published by the Global Union of Scientists for Peace, of which Hagelin is also international president.

“These large groups of 10,000 experts will help ensure that no force of negativity ever rises to disrupt peace and harmony in the family of nations,” said Hagelin, the website states. The website describes the scientific studies that have documented the benefits of large group practice of TM on society.

“The research has been carefully scrutinized by independent scholars and accepted for publication in leading, peer-reviewed academic journals,” said Hagelin. “In every case, this approach produced marked reductions in crime, social violence, terrorism, and war, and increased peace and positivity in society.”

Tony Nader, international director of TM organizations in 100 countries, is quoted in the news release, too, saying of large group TM practice that, “There has never been a more effective, more extensively validated approach to defusing acute societal stress and preventing social conflict — or stopping war in war-torn areas.”

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com