February: Global Mindfulness Summit and parliament visit, Colombo Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka occupies a singular position in the mindfulness landscape, as both the first developing country to consider mindfulness in politics, and the first Buddhist country to adopt western-influenced secular mindfulness at a national level. There is a strong appetite in this highly religious country to learn from western innovations that can help people to rediscover meditation. At the invitation of secular training organisation the Sati Pasala Foundation, Jamie Bristow spoke at the Global Mindfulness Summit and on national TV, press and radio – and presented to President Maithripala Sirisena, government ministers, cross-party politicians and staff (and joined MPs in walking meditation outside the Parliament!) This was a unique chance to encourage politicians to initiate mindfulness training, with the prisons minister in particular giving the green light to a mindfulness programme for offenders.
