Editing Prem Rawat (section)

===2001 – present===

In 2001, Prem Rawat founded The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF),<ref name="About Prem Rawat">"[http://tprf.org/prem-rawat/about-prem-rawat.htm About Prem Rawat] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509144440/http://www.tprf.org/prem-rawat/about-prem-rawat.htm |date=9 May 2008 }}" at the [http://www.tprf.org website of The Prem Rawat Foundation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040624065557/http://tprf.org/ |date=24 June 2004 }}</ref> a [[501(c)|Public Charitable Organization]] to support his message, and worldwide humanitarian efforts.

[[File:Maharaji Salamanca.jpg|thumb|30 June 2003. Prem Rawat addressing the first "Conference on Peace" at the [[University of Salamanca]], [[Spain]]]]

Writing in 2006, professor Ron Geaves, a long-time supporter of Rawat, noted how Elan Vital had explained that the only effective way of reaching out to the over 80 countries where Rawat's message was being promoted was by leased private jet, which Rawat self-piloted, flying around a quarter million miles a year.<ref name="Geaves2006a" />

A biography of Rawat, ''Peace is Possible'', by [[Andrea Cagan]], was published in 2006 with a foreword by [[Emilio Colombo]], former President of the [[European Parliament]] and [[Prime Minister of Italy]].<ref name="AndreaCagan">Andrea Cagan: ''Peace is Possible, The Life and Message of Prem Rawat''. Mighty River Press, {{ISBN|0-9788694-9-4}}</ref> In 2007, Rawat started the Peace Education Program for inmates which, as of 2012, operates in 25 prisons across 10 countries. Michael Gilbert, [[University of Texas at San Antonio|UTSA]] associate professor of criminal justice, stated that,"The constructive changes in behavior among participants have been noticed in our local Dominguez prison".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://utsa.edu/today/2012/01/premrawat.html|date=Jan 2012|title=University of Texas at San Antonio|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229105520/http://www.utsa.edu/today/2012/01/premrawat.html|archive-date=29 February 2012}}</ref>

In 2006, Pierre Weil, Rector of UNIPAZ in Florianopolis, Brazil - a campus of an 'International Peace University' non-profit organization - awarded Prem Rawat the honorary title of Ambassador of Peace.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Weil|first=Pierre|date=2006|title=Festival Mundial da Paz|journal=Diario do Paz Caderno I|language=Portuguese|publisher=UNIPAZ Associacao Campus ilha de Santa Catarina}}</ref> In 2009, Prem Rawat was made Ambassador of Peace for the [[Basilicata|Basilicata region]] of Italy. In 2010, he spoke at the "Words of Peace for Europe" conference in [[Brussels]], at the invitation of European Parliament Vice-President [[Gianni Pittella]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agenziaaise.it/esteri/unione-europea/65024-.html|date=2 July 2010|title=WORDS OF PEACE FOR EUROPE: LA BASILICATA PROTAGONISTA NEL PROCESSO DI PACE|publisher=Agenzia Internazionale Stampa Estero|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424231024/http://www.agenziaaise.it/esteri/unione-europea/65024-.html|archive-date=24 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.basilicatanet.eu/news/print.asp?Id=734979|title=Domani a Bruxelles la conferencia "Words of Peace for Europe|publisher=basilicatanet.eu|access-date=3 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120302064146/http://www.basilicatanet.eu/news/print.asp?Id=734979|archive-date=2 March 2012}}</ref>

In 2011, he again spoke at the Brussels conference, "Peace and Prosperity. Founding Values of the European Union."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.provincia.potenza.it/provincia/detail.jsp?otype=1101&id=120788&sec=111375 |title=Province of Potenza Newsletter |publisher=Provincia.potenza.it |date=5 October 2010 |access-date=17 July 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205859/http://www.provincia.potenza.it/provincia/detail.jsp?otype=1101&id=120788&sec=111375 |archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref> At this conference, he was named ambassador of the Brussels Declaration “Pledge to Peace,” signed at the European Parliament. The Pledge to Peace was inspired by the principles of freedom, equality and solidarity enshrined in the preamble of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The Declaration of Intent encourages signatory governments, organizations, and companies to act independently in the design and development of peace projects.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pledge to Peace|url=http://www.associazionepercorsi.com}}</ref>
	
In 2012, in Malaysia, Prem Rawat was awarded the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, "for his contributions in championing and promoting global peace."<ref>{{cite web|title=Ambassador of Peace honoured at Peace Forum|url=http://www.razor.tv/video/747624/ambassador-of-peace-honoured-at-peace-forum|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714163432/http://www.razor.tv/video/747624/ambassador-of-peace-honoured-at-peace-forum|archive-date=14 July 2014|access-date=17 July 2014|publisher=RazorTV}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=29 October 2012|title=Opening The Doors of Peace in Prison ⋆ The Malaysian Times|url=http://www.themalaysiantimes.com.my/opening-the-doors-of-peace-in-prison-2/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611031142/http://www.themalaysiantimes.com.my/opening-the-doors-of-peace-in-prison-2/|archive-date=11 June 2017|access-date=8 May 2018|website=www.themalaysiantimes.com.my}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=The Star Online|date=28 September 2012|title=Ambassador of Peace, Prem Rawat honoured at Peace Forum|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwJdEa1TTF8|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414085957/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwJdEa1TTF8|archive-date=14 April 2016|access-date=8 May 2018|via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=19 May 2015|title=Dialogo, in Campidoglio visita di Prem Rawat, ambasciatore di pace - RomaDailyNews|url=http://www.romadailynews.it/politica/dialogo-in-campidoglio-visita-di-prem-rawat-ambasciatore-di-pace-0251391|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323031129/https://www.romadailynews.it/politica/dialogo-in-campidoglio-visita-di-prem-rawat-ambasciatore-di-pace-0251391|archive-date=23 March 2018|access-date=8 May 2018|website=romadailynews.it}}</ref>

In 2016, Prem Rawat delivered the keynote address at a forum hosted by TPRF and the Tutu Foundation UK at the British Film Institute in London. Government officials and NGO leaders met to explore peace education, reconciliation, alternatives to violence, prison reform and breaking the cycle of crime.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Prem Rawat Foundation and the Tutu Foundation UK Partner on Forum Exploring Peace Education, Reconciliation, Prison Reform and Breaking the Cycle of Crime|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/the_prem_rawat_foundation_and_the_tutu_foundation_uk_partner_on_forum_exploring_peace_education_reconciliation_prison_reform_and_breaking_the_cycle_of_crime/prweb13475570.htm|publisher=PRWeb|date= 9 June 2016}}</ref>{{third-party inline|date=July 2021}}

In March 2021, the Italian Ministry of Justice, Department of Penitentiary Administration, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement the Peace Education Program for inmates' rehabilitation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 March 2021|title=Carcere di Potenza 'innovativo e all'avanguardia nel trattare l'esecuzione della pena'! Questi i progetti|url=https://www.potenzanews.net/carcere-di-potenza-innovativo-e-allavanguardia-nel-trattare-lesecuzione-della-pena-questi-i-progetti/|access-date=23 May 2021|website=Potenza News|language=it-IT}}</ref> In April 2021, a similar agreement was signed with the South African government to implement this Program throughout the country's correctional centres.<ref>{{Citation|title=Peace education programme to be used in the rehabilitation of inmates| date=15 April 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ni0mvVUYGk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/1Ni0mvVUYGk |archive-date=21 December 2021 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=9 May 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On 17 June 2022, 51 years after he spoke at the Glastonbury Music Festival in June 1971,<ref>//https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/prem-rawat-and-counterculture-9781350090873/</ref> Prem Rawat received the first “Key of Avalon” award from the Council of Glastonbury, United Kingdom, in recognition of fifty years of working for peace across the world and his services to humanity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2022 |title=Prem Rawat gets Glastonbury Council honour for humanitarian service |url=https://www.indianstar.news/prem-rawat-gets-glastonbury-council-honour-for-humanitarian-service/ |access-date=7 July 2022 |website=★ Indian Star |archive-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705102637/https://www.indianstar.news/prem-rawat-gets-glastonbury-council-honour-for-humanitarian-service/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Rawat is mentioned in the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'': "The largest audience at a book reading for a single author is 114,704 and was achieved by Prem Rawat (USA), in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, on 2 April 2023. The author read chapter 3 of his latest book “Hear Yourself” in Hindi to a ticket paying audience. The attempt was held at the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in Lucknow."
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-audience-at-a-book-reading-(single-author) | title=Largest audience at a book reading for a single author }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://pragnews.com/national/Noted-author-Prem-Rawats-book-launch-event-enters-Guinness-World-Records-for-largest-gathering | title=Noted author Prem Rawat's book launch event enters Guinness World Records for largest gathering }}</ref>
Another Guinness world-record: The largest attendance at a lecture is 375,603 and was achieved by Prem Rawat (USA), in Gaya, Bihar, India, on 26 November 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/prem-rawat-sets-another-new-guinness-world-record-for-the-largest-attendance-at-a-lecture/ | title=Prem Rawat sets another New Guinness World Record for 'The Largest Attendance at a Lecture' | date=8 August 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Largest attendance at a lecture {{!}} Guinness World Records | url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.de/world-records/104097-largest-attendance-at-a-lecture | access-date=2025-02-17 | website=www.guinnessworldrecords.de}}</ref>