Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, humanitarian and founder of the Art of Living, joined District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser to unveil the dates for the highly anticipated World Culture Festival 2023. Set to take place from September 29 to October 1 at the iconic National Mall in Washington, D.C., the inaugural U.S. edition aims to foster global diversity, unity, and peace.

The festival kicked off with a special pop-up event on Saturday, May 20, featuring a captivating live meditation session led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself. It served as a preview of the immersive cultural experience that await attendees.

‌Emphasizing the festival's significance, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, "We need to bridge the gap. There is a lot of polarization in the world. The World Culture Festival is an occasion for people to come together and celebrate each other's differences. It is the need of the hour, to bring people together in celebration and to spread the message of peace and to say that we are one human family."

Under the theme "#YOUnitedWeCelebrate," the festival invites the public to participate in the world's largest celebration of diversity and belongingness. It aims to unite world leaders, combat loneliness, and promote social connection amidst societal polarization.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said, "We are delighted to host the fourth-annual World Culture Festival. Washington, D.C. is the perfect city to bring people together from around the globe... We know that Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's message that 'diversity is the beauty of creation' aligns with our D.C. values..."