The Peace Education Program is an international non-religious effort by The Prem Rawat Foundation to help prisoners throughout the world discover inner peace and translate the inner peace into outward expressions of peace. Prem Rawat started the foundation in 2001 to facilitate his life's purpose as an international ambassador of peace. He has personally brought his message that it is possible for each human being to find personal fulfillment, regardless of race, culture, religion, economic and social status to over 12 million people in more than 50 countries.

In addition to working with reputable nonprofit organizations to provide food, water and eye care to people in need, including disaster victims, the foundation created the Peace Education Program (PEP). The program has ten, one-hour workshops each consisting of a DVD with video segments taken from Prem Rawat's talks and a graphic story, a manual for facilitators and a workbook for participants. Six short supplemental videos are also available.

The ten videos and workbook lessons each address a different topic: Peace, Appreciation, Inner Strength, Self-Awareness, Clarity, Understanding, Dignity, Choice, Hope and Contentment. The classes usually proceed with an about 20 minute talk by Prem Rawat, a time for reflection, a 3-5 minute illustrated story, a second talk of similar length, a second period for reflection and a graphic article reinforcing the lesson learned in that workshop. There are no tests as the course is about individual self-discovery. A certificate is awarded upon completion of the course.

In 2014, the PEP was being offered in 28 countries with over 155 workshops reaching 9,000 prisoners a month. Since then, PEP's presence has grown to include 70 countries and 18 languages.

The reports about PEP's success from senior correctional officials simply glow. In institutions as varied as the Atlanta Transitional Center of the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Buncombe County (North Carolina) Detention Facility, the Montgomery County (Maryland) Correctional Facility, and the Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio, Texas, senior staff praise not only the lasting calming effect the workshops have on the prisoners, but also on the staff who supervised the classes.

Stephen J. Steuer, Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association sums it up nicely: "The Peace Education curriculum that TPRF has created is high quality, simple to understand, and nondenominational. The benefit that a person can gain from these classes is independent of their religious beliefs. I recommend this program to you as an effective means to help increase the harmony within individuals and the community in which you serve. This letter is simply my endorsement of the fine work the TPRF does."

The PEP materials are available without charge from The Prem Rawat Foundation, P. 0. Box 24-1498, Los Angeles, CA 90024 or tel. (805) 889-2468 or by filling out a simple information form at www.tprf.org.

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