Spiritual leader, humanitarian and visionary Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known throughout the world simply as "Amma", will make her fourth visit to Nairobi from April 17-18, 2016.
During her visit, Amma will give a spiritual discourse, sing devotional songs, lead a guided meditation and receive one and all with her loving embrace.
Thousands of visitors will receive her unique embrace, a symbol of compassion, unity and peace during the free public programmes to be held at Oshwal Community Centre.
Throughout her life, Amma has embraced and comforted more than 35 million people.
She inspires, uplifts, and transforms through her physical embrace, her spiritual wisdom and her network of global charities.
When asked where she gets the energy to help so many people, she said: "Where there is true love, anything is effortless."
While Amma is widely regarded as one of India’s foremost spiritual leaders, Amma says that her religion is love.
She has never asked anyone to change their religion, but only to contemplate the essential principles of their own faith and try to live accordingly.
In 2014, Pope Francis invited Amma to the Vatican for a historic gathering of the world’s most influential spiritual and religious leaders, to sign a joint declaration to end human trafficking by 2020.
Amma’s global network of charitable organisations, Embracing the World®, with special consultative status to UN ECOSOC, offers a wide range of social welfare projects in education, health care, housing, financial support and disaster relief.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, after meeting Amma and learning about her work said, “Amma has done more for the poor than many governments.”
Amma’s message of love as the underlying principle of existence attracts people of all nationalities and faiths to spend time in her presence.
For her humanitarian work, Amma has won international honors and accolades such as an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters conferred by SUNY University in 2010, the Gandhi King Award for Non Violence in 2002, previously awarded to Kofi Annan and Nelson Mandela; and the James Parks Morton Interfaith award in 2006, previously presented to the Dalai Lama.
During her visit to Nairobi on April 17 and 18, Amma will give a spiritual discourse, sing devotional songs, lead a guided meditation and receive one and all with her loving embrace.