IVOH Thought Leader: Gayatri Naraine

Gayatri Naraine has been a part of Images & Voices of Hope since its inception, working as one of the main organizers of the first IVOH Conversation in New York City in 1999 and helping to facilitate conversations in Africa, Malaysia and various locations in the United States. She currently serves on the board of directors of Images & Voices of Hope.

Gayatri is a spiritual educator, writer and speaker. Since 1980 she has been the Brahma Kumaris' (BK) representative to the United Nations in New York. As the BK's representative to the UN, her role has been to identify areas of UN policies with practical relevance for individuals' lives; to explore and develop values-based and spiritual dimensions of these areas; and to create programs and publications to expand awareness through the BKs network in 120 countries. Gayatri was pivotal in the development of the Living Values Education program and worked closely with UNICEF and UNESCO in its implementation. She has also contributed to ILO's (International Labor Organization) Agenda on Decent Work in their consultation with nongovernmental organizations. 

To honor the UN International Year of Youth (2010-2011) she reached out to young people around the world to create an initiative that could bring new thinking on values.  Spotlight Values was created by young people for young people and is a multi-media initiative in which values are being explored, expressed and exchanged.

She is also part of the design team for the Call-of-the-Time Dialogues, a global leadership dialogue that is currently exploring the concept of "Mind and Matter: The Confluence of Two Living Systems," in preparation for Rio+20.

Gayatri's recent work and related links:

• Something Beyond Greatness Blog