It feels like breathing out all the stress of war and breathing in a new life." This was how 32-year-old Iraqi Ahmed Hinoon described his experience at the ongoing training programme at the Art of Living International Centre in Bangalore.

Hinoon is one of the 55 Iraqi youth sent by the government of Iraq for a month-long spiritual training conducted by the Art Of Living Foundation.

This initiative is an effort between the Art of Living and the Iraqi government and is aimed at training the youth to combat violence in non-violent ways. This joint initiative comes as a follow-up to a proposal made by Jasim Mohammed Jafar, the Iraqi minister for sports and youth, during AOLF founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's visit to Iraq in May. The Iraqi youth at the camp come from all parts of Iraq including Kurdistan, Baghdad, Basra, Suleimania, Karbala and Najaf.

Reportage: Vicky Nanjappa in Bangalore | Photographs Courtesy: Art Of Living Foundation.

Image: Sri Sri Ravishankar conducts a meditation session for the Iraqi youth.

Also read: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar speaks!

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