At the historic Harvard University Faculty Club, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) officially launched the AIWS Esteemed Digital Assets Series of World Leaders, a collection of twelve e-cards designed in BGF’s signature digital art style.
Each digital card honors a world leader whose ideas and actions have profoundly shaped peace, democracy, ethics, and innovation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. The launch took place during the World Leader Spirit Symposium, an annual gathering that brings together distinguished thinkers, innovators, and global leaders to define the moral and spiritual compass of the AI Era — and to honor Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security Award.
The event was attended by Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-founder and Co-chair of the Boston Global Forum; Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of the Art of Living Foundation and recipient of the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security Award; along with leading policymakers, scholars, and creative pioneers who are shaping the ethical future of AI.
A Digital Tribute to Global Leadership
The AIWS Esteemed Digital Assets Series features twelve original e-cards representing presidents, prime ministers, and global figures who have advanced humanity through integrity, vision, and compassion.
Each card integrates art, technology, and philosophy — reflecting both the individual leader’s legacy and the shared mission of the AI World Society (AIWS) to build a civilization where AI serves human dignity, truth, and peace.
A Journey from Nha Trang to Boston, from Varanasi to the Grand Canyon – Where Spirit, Nature, and Wisdom Converge in the Age of AI.
Throughout human history, people have always sought sacred spaces—mountains, rivers, ancient cities, forests, and temples—as places that touch the deepest layers of the soul and spirit. These spaces hold collective memory, inspire transcendence, and connect humans with nature, the divine, and themselves.
In the AI era—where technology surpasses imagination—the great question is: How can artificial intelligence help preserve and elevate our human spirit, rather than disconnect us from it?
AIWS: A New Civilization Uniting Intelligence, Spirituality, and Nature
The Boston Global Forum (BGF), through its AI World Society (AIWS) vision, has created a humanistic model for society in the AI age—one in which humans are not merely technology users, but ethical guides leading AI with compassion, wisdom, and enlightenment.
A key initiative of AIWS is to connect sacred, spiritually rich landmarks—cultural and natural symbols—into a transnational, intergenerational network that forms the “spiritual backbone” of a future society.
As part of this journey, BGF honors Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the great spiritual leader of India, with the World Leader for Peace and Security Award 2025. This milestone marks the beginning of a profound cultural initiative: connecting sacred landmarks—from Varanasi, India’s spiritual capital, to Vietnam’s celebrated sites such as Ha Long Bay (with Yen Tu), Nha Trang (with Po Nagar Cham Towers), Hoi An (with My Son Sanctuary), Dalat (with Langbiang Mountain), and iconic national parks of the United States and the world such as Grand Canyon, Zion, Acadia, Yellowstone—and Boston, the global center of intellectual life.
Nha Trang and Boston: Symbols of East-West, Intelligence and Spirituality
At a special event held at Harvard University in May 2024, Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-Founder of BGF, presented a symbolic gift to Mr. Nguyen Hai Ninh, Secretary of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, and the people of Khanh Hoa: a photograph depicting the Harvard Baker Library alongside Hon Chong Rocks in Nha Trang.
This image represents the friendship and cultural connection between Nha Trang and Boston—two cities geographically distant yet spiritually aligned: lovers of nature, champions of education, and seekers of lasting peace.
More than a gift, the photograph is a symbolic key—unlocking new cultural and spiritual bonds between Vietnam and the United States in the AI era, through film, education, and shared human values. It reflects a relationship forged over time—from war and peace to a comprehensive strategic partnership—and now uplifted to a civilizational level where technology becomes a compassionate companion to humanity.
The Book “30 Years of Vietnam–U.S. Partnership” and AIWS as a “Shared Child”
At the same moment, Professor Thomas Patterson (Harvard Kennedy School) and Nguyen Anh Tuan (Director of BGF) published the commemorative book: “AI World Society: 30 Years of the U.S.–Vietnam Partnership, from Nha Trang to Boston (1995–2025)”.
The book presents AIWS as a “shared child”—born of American intellectual power and Vietnamese aspirations for peace and development. This AI society is not just a place where technology grows, but a space where human values are guided by knowledge, dialogue, and spiritual connectivity among great civilizations.
From Sacredness to Innovation: A Harmonious Development Path
Landmarks like Varanasi (India), Ha Long – Nha Trang – Dalat – Hoi An (Vietnam), and Grand Canyon – Yellowstone – Acadia – Boston (United States) will evolve beyond tourist and academic destinations—they will become spiritual nodes on the AIWS map.
These nodes will host activities like:
AIWS Film Park
AIWS Music for Humanity
AIWS Digital Assets
Educational, artistic, and spiritual dialogue programs
Notably, AI technology itself—through its ability to digitize, analyze, and deeply engage—will amplify and globalize these spiritual values, reaching younger generations and people who may never have imagined experiencing:
a sacred ritual in Varanasi
sunrise over the Po Nagar Towers in Nha Trang
music echoing through Yellowstone
a soul-stirring lecture at Harvard
Building a Humane Society in the Age of AI
From symbolic acts like the Nha Trang–Boston photo, the 30-Year Vietnam–U.S. Partnership book, to honoring Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and linking sacred global sites, BGF and AIWS are lighting a new path:
A path toward an AI World Society with soul, memory, and spiritual depth —where technology serves spiritual awakening, compassion, and lasting peace.
At a historic gathering at the Harvard Faculty Club, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) officially launched the book “The AI World Society: 30 Years of U.S.–Vietnam Partnership, from Nha Trang to Boston (1995–2025)”, co-authored by Professor Thomas Patterson of Harvard Kennedy School and Nguyen Anh Tuan, CEO of the Boston Global Forum and Director of the Michael Dukakis Institute.
The launch took place during the World Leader Spirit Symposium, where BGF honored Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of the Art of Living Foundation, with the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security Award for his extraordinary global leadership in promoting compassion and peace.
Speakers included Professor Thomas Patterson and Nguyen Anh Tuan, who reflected on the enduring friendship and innovation shared between the United States and Vietnam.
Bui Thi Thu Hang, Director of Tri Thuc Publishing House, which released the book, highlighted it as “a bridge of knowledge, humanity, and partnership between two nations.”
Ramu Damodaran, former Chief of the United Nations Academic Impact, praised Nguyen Anh Tuan’s vision: “He has built bridges of intellect and compassion, shaping a new moral foundation for the AI Age.”
The event featured a display of photographs of Governor Michael Dukakis, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and the book, symbolizing unity across leadership, spirituality, and intellect.
The publication marks a milestone in U.S.–Vietnam relations and in the global development of the AI World Society (AIWS) — an ethical framework guiding the integration of AI, democracy, and humanity for a better future.
Honoring Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Celebrating Governor Michael Dukakis’s 92nd Birthday
Cambridge, Massachusetts – November 3, 2025
At the historic Harvard University Faculty Club, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) hosted the World Leader Spirit Symposium, a landmark event honoring Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security Award.
A highlight of the Symposium was the presentation of the Shinzo Abe Film Project by the AIWS Film Park team — a cinematic initiative celebrating the life, vision, and legacy of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, recipient of the 2015 World Leader for Peace and Security Award. The film is part of the broader Shinzo Abe Initiative to promote peace, democracy, and innovation in the Age of AI.
The event also joyfully celebrated the 92nd birthday of Governor Michael Dukakis (born November 3, 1933), Co-founder and Co-chair of the Boston Global Forum, honoring his lifelong contributions to public service, education, and ethical leadership.
Distinguished global thinkers, innovators, and leaders attended this memorable gathering — a fusion of reflection, creativity, and vision — reaffirming BGF’s commitment to building an AI World Society grounded in peace, compassion, and enlightenment.
Announcement at the World Leader Spirit Symposium Harvard University, November 3–4, 2025
Boston Global Forum
From Boston to the World: U.S. Leadership for the AI Age
As we look toward 2026 and beyond, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the AI World Society (AIWS) family will launch a series of visionary initiatives to celebrate this historic milestone and reaffirm America’s role as the guiding light of freedom, innovation, and ethical leadership in the AI Age.
BGF contributes strategies and solutions to keep the United States a pioneering, innovative, and creative force in the Age of AI, ensuring that America continues to lead the world with integrity, compassion, and enlightenment.
Key Initiatives
The World Leader Spirit Symposiums
Bringing together world leaders, innovators, and artists to define the moral compass of the AI Age, guiding humanity toward a more ethical and enlightened civilization.
The AIWS Government 24/7 Initiative
Pioneering a model of ethical, transparent, and responsive governance through AI, where artificial intelligence serves people 24/7 with fairness, trust, and accountability.
The AIWS Digital Asset Standards Initiative (AIWS-DASI)
Creating trust, fairness, and value in the digital economy through transparent standards and ethical certification — ensuring that AI-generated content and digital assets reflect truth, creativity, and integrity.
The AIWS Music for Humanity and AIWS Film and Culture Park Programs
Celebrating the harmony of technology and art.
These programs remind us that even in an age of machines, the human heart remains the greatest source of wisdom, compassion, and creativity.
Connecting Sacred Places and Spiritual Values in the AI World Society (AIWS)
A Journey from Nha Trang to Boston, the Grand Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone, and Acadia — Where Spirit, Nature, and Wisdom Converge in the Age of AI.
This global initiative, part of the AIWS Film and Culture Park, connects sacred and inspiring locations through film, music, and digital art — illuminating how AI can enrich humanity’s relationship with nature, spirituality, and culture.
A Message for America’s 250th Year
In 2026, as the world celebrates 250 years of American independence, the Boston Global Forum and the AI World Society will proudly stand as part of that celebration — a reflection of the ideals that made America great: its faith in education, its openness to innovation, and its belief in the moral power of human creativity.
We call upon all nations to join hands in building a New Society in the Age of AI — a world of peace, enlightenment, and shared humanity.
America: A Beacon of Light in the Age of AI
As we approach this historic year, the BGF–AIWS Family will contribute transformative initiatives to make America a true beacon — guiding the world in building a beautiful, creative, and compassionate AI civilization through the AIWS Model.
In this glorious year of America’s 250th anniversary, we reaffirm that the nation that once pioneered democracy will once again illuminate the path forward — guiding humanity toward a world where AI serves love, peace, and enlightenment.
The Boston Global Forum (BGF) hosted its annual conference on November 4, 2025, at Harvard University’s Loeb House, where Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-Founder, Co-Chair, and CEO of BGF, announced the launch of the AIWS Digital Asset Standards Initiative (DASI).
This groundbreaking framework aims to set global standards for ethical, transparent, and sustainable digital asset issuance, aligning with the Boston Finance Accord’s 24/7 AI Governance Vision (launched April 22, 2025). DASI establishes benchmarks for blockchain-certified assets, including NFTs honoring World Leaders for Peace and Security and World Leaders in AIWS, ensuring integrity, humanitarian allocation, and integration with AIWS initiatives like AIWS Government 24/7 and the Abe Finance AI Protocol.
Speakers included:
Professor Tarun Khanna, Harvard Business School
Professor Thomas Patterson, Harvard Professor
Professor Nazli Choucri, MIT Professor
Elisabeth Moreno, Former French Minister
Alvaro Rodriguez, Harvard Business School Executive Fellows, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of IGNIA
Jeff Saviano, MIT Senior Lecture, Harvard AI Ethics Contributor
Cansu Canca, AI Ethics Scholar
Kanetsugu Mike, President, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) Bank
Jodeph Jye-Cherng Lyu, Chairman, International Economic Cooperation Association, Taiwan
“DASI is a beacon for responsible innovation, transforming digital assets into tools for global enlightenment,” said Governor Michael Dukakis, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of BGF, emphasizing BGF’s commitment to balancing technology with humanistic values.
The conference featured discussions on the initiative’s early December 2025 rollout, including the issuance of AIWS World Leader Tokens and foundational leader assets, projected to generate $12–15 billion by 2030 to support not-for-profit AIWS models. Key highlights included panels on ethical AI finance and sustainable governance, with contributions from BGF Board Members Nguyen Anh Tuan, Alex Pentland, David Silbersweig, Jeff Saviano, Yasuhide Nakayama, and Elisabeth Moreno.
DASI builds on BGF’s 2025 milestones, including AIWS Bank’s launch (May 26) and the 10th anniversary of the World Leader for Peace and Security Award.
Your Holiness, distinguished leaders, scholars, and friends,
It is a profound honor and privilege to stand before you today to recognize one of the world’s great spiritual and humanitarian leaders — Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar — as the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security Award recipient.
From the very beginning, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) has sought to celebrate those whose leadership transcends borders, politics, and ideology — individuals whose vision uplifts humanity and reminds us of the moral foundation of peace. Gurudev, you embody precisely that spirit.
Through The Art of Living Foundation, you have touched millions of lives across continents — teaching peace not as an abstract ideal, but as a daily practice rooted in compassion, forgiveness, and understanding. You have shown that inner peace is not separate from world peace — that governance, technology, and progress must always be guided by the light of conscience.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has dedicated his life to building bridges among faiths and cultures, to universalizing wisdom, and to nurturing compassion, love, and mutual understanding — toward a stress-free, violence-free world. Guided by the Gandhian principles of nonviolence, you have advanced reconciliation and healing in conflict-stricken regions such as Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, India, Iraq, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Venezuela.
At moments when our world feels fractured — by war, polarization, and fear — your voice has reminded us that reconciliation begins in the human heart. You have built bridges between nations and faiths, between reason and spirituality, and between humanity and nature.
The Boston Global Forum and the AI World Society (AIWS) are deeply inspired by your message that technology must serve humanity, not dominate it — that the intelligence of machines must always be guided by the wisdom of the spirit. Through the AIWS model, we seek to bring spiritual and interfaith values into the digital age — to build a world where innovation and compassion advance hand in hand. In honoring you, we affirm that the future of peace depends on both ethical innovation and moral imagination.
As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of this Award — whose past recipients include world leaders such as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chancellor Angela Merkel, and President Emmanuel Macron — we see in you, Gurudev, a beacon of continuity: the union of spiritual leadership and ethical responsibility in an age defined by artificial intelligence and digital power.
On behalf of the Boston Global Forum – AIWS Family, we express our deepest respect and gratitude.
Now, the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, becomes a distinguished and esteemed member of the BGF–AIWS Family.
Your Holiness, your life’s work reminds us that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the active creation of harmony — within individuals, among societies, and across our shared planet.
May your example continue to guide global leaders and citizens alike toward a more compassionate, secure, and enlightened world.
Congratulations, Gurudev, and thank you for your unwavering service to humanity.
Governor Michael S. Dukakis
Chair and Co-Founder, Boston Global Forum
Director, The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation
Nguyen Anh Tuan
Co-Founder, Co-Chair, and CEO, Boston Global Forum
Director, The Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation
Join the Boston Global Forum as we celebrate 10 monumental years of the World Leader for Peace and Security Award (2015–2025).
This video pays tribute to all past recipients who have dedicated their lives to building a more peaceful and ethical world.
We proudly honor this spirit of service by recognizing our 2025 laureate, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, for his profound work in transforming human consciousness and fostering global harmony.
Discover the vision and impact of a decade of the Award, and why the “World Leader Spirit” is more vital than ever in the AI Age.
Watch now to celebrate the leaders shaping tomorrow’s peace:
To Our Distinguished World Leaders for Peace and Security Award Recipients,
It is with profound respect and gratitude that we write to you as we celebrate ten years of the World Leader for Peace and Security Award (2015–2025) — ten years of honoring extraordinary leaders whose vision, integrity, and humanity have strengthened the moral and strategic foundations of global peace and security.
From its inception, the Boston Global Forum (BGF) has sought to highlight and support those who lead with both conscience and courage — leaders who understand that true peace is built not only through policy but through principle.
From Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chancellor Angela Merkel, to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President Sauli Niinistö, President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President Ursula von der Leyen, Speaker Andreas Norlén, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the People of Ukraine, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), President Emmanuel Macron, and now Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar — each of you has inspired the world to see leadership as service, innovation as responsibility, and power as stewardship.
A Decade of Moral Leadership: 2015–2025
Since the first World Leader for Peace and Security Award in 2015, this recognition has celebrated those who have shaped global harmony and advanced the cause of democracy, dialogue, and human dignity.
Each recipient represents a pillar of peace — and together, you form a living fellowship of leadership that transcends borders, ideologies, and generations.
Your collective example has inspired the creation and growth of the AI World Society (AIWS) — an initiative founded by BGF to define and build a human-centered, ethical, and enlightened civilization in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
The BGF–AIWS Family and the World Leader Spirit
As we begin the next decade, we are proud to introduce a new movement —
the World Leader Spirit, a symbol of the unity, wisdom, and moral imagination that define our shared global purpose.
The BGF–AIWS Family now brings together:
All World Leader for Peace and Security Award recipients,
All World Leader in AIWS Award recipients,
The BGF leadership, scholars, and innovators,
And the Enlightenment in Action Alliance (EAA) — an international community of outstanding students from top universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Oxford, and Cambridge.
Together, we represent a global alliance of conscience — a living embodiment of peace, ethical innovation, and interfaith understanding.
New World Leader Spirit Events
In celebration of this 10th anniversary, and in anticipation of the next chapter, BGF and the AIWS Family will host a series of global events — uniting leadership, culture, and moral imagination:
🌍 World Leader Spirit and Interfaith Values
A dialogue among world leaders and spiritual figures — across Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism — dedicated to integrating spiritual and ethical wisdom into governance and AI development.
2025 laureate Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will lead this initiative as its guiding moral voice.
🕊️ World Leader Spirit Symposium
An annual forum of world leaders, scholars, and innovators — hosted at Harvard University, MIT, and distinguished global venues — to deliberate on moral governance and peace in the AI Age.
🎵 World Leader Spirit Concert
A celebration of humanity and creativity — featuring global artists and orchestras in partnership with AIWS Music for Humanity, symbolizing unity, empathy, and enlightenment through music.
🍷 World Leader Spirit Dinner
An intimate gathering for dialogue, reflection, and fellowship — celebrating leaders who embody moral courage and human values in a complex world.
Honoring Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Legacy
We hold with deep reverence the legacy of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of our earliest and most inspiring honorees.
Following his tragic passing, the Boston Global Forum established the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security on July 10, 2022, to honor his vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and his lifelong commitment to peace through strength and moral clarity.
In continuation of that legacy, the AIWS Film Park is producing a feature film about Shinzo Abe’s life and leadership, highlighting his courage, vision, and enduring impact on global peace.
This film will be presented to the world on July 8, 2026, marking four years since his passing and serving as a tribute to his spirit — a leader whose ideas continue to inspire generations.
The Next Decade: Building the New Society in the AI Age
In the decade ahead, the BGF–AIWS Family will focus its collective resources, intellectual capital, and moral strength on creating the New Society in the Age of AI — one built on peace, innovation, trust, and human dignity.
Our initiatives include:
AIWS Government 24/7 — creating responsible, transparent, and citizen-centered governance enhanced by AI;
Trusted Digital Asset Economy — setting ethical, cultural, and technical standards for digital assets;
AIWS Cultural and Creative Innovation Parks — merging art, technology, and humanity through film, music, and design;
Global Collaboration for AI Ethics and Security — uniting world leaders, innovators, and faith communities to ensure AI serves humanity responsibly.
Our Shared Vision
The BGF–AIWS Family believes that the next chapter of world leadership will be defined not by dominance, but by moral depth — not by speed, but by wisdom.
Together, we will continue to build:
A world where technology serves humanity,
A world where peace is guided by conscience,
A world where leadership is inspired by spirit.
With our deepest gratitude for your leadership and friendship over the past ten years,
and our sincere hope for your continued guidance and collaboration in the years to come,
we welcome you — always — as the heart of the BGF–AIWS Family.
With respect and admiration,
Governor Michael S. Dukakis Co-Founder and Chair, Boston Global Forum
Nguyen Anh Tuan Co-Founder, Co-Chair, and CEO, Boston Global Forum
