Global spiritual leader and peace ambassador Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation, has shared a heartfelt tribute following the passing of former Suriname President Chan Santokhi, praising the late leader’s decades of dedicated service to the South American nation.
In his statement, Sri Sri highlighted Santokhi’s legacy of leadership, noting that the former president served Suriname with courage, dignity, and unwavering sincerity throughout his time in office. Even amid periods of significant national crisis and political challenge, Sri Sri said Santokhi remained steadfast in his principles, clear in his policy vision, and deeply compassionate toward the Surinamese people, working tirelessly to advance national stability and improve living standards for all citizens.
The bond between Santokhi and the Art of Living Foundation dates back years, with Sri Sri making his fourth visit to Suriname in 2022 at the personal invitation of the then-president. During that trip, the renowned peace advocate brought his global peace campaign to Suriname, an initiative rooted in the vision that global peace can be achieved by building violence-free, low-stress communities around the world. Santokhi made history as the first head of state to publicly commit to the campaign’s flagship online pledge, “I Stand for Peace,” adding his official signature to the movement.
Sri Sri emphasized that Santokhi’s legacy of selfless service will endure long in the memories and hearts of everyone whose life he touched during his years of public service.
The Art of Living has operated in Suriname since 1998, offering a range of programs including breathwork and guided meditation courses designed to help practitioners cultivate lasting inner peace. Beyond his public role, Santokhi maintained a strong personal interest in spiritual practice, and completed a full AOL training course in 2023 to deepen his practice. Even with the heavy demands of his presidential schedule, Santokhi made consistent effort to integrate the breathing and mindfulness techniques he learned into his daily routine.