On the occasion of International Youth Day 2026, Youth for Global Peace and Transformation (YGPT), the youth wing of MaitriBodh Parivaar, hosted the third annual edition of Meet My Maitreya, bringing together young minds for an open and thought-provoking dialogue with spiritual visionary, global humanitarian, founder Maitreya Dadashreeji. Hundreds of youth gathered in person at ShantiKshetra Premgiri Ashram, while 50+ schools and institutions from across India joined online with their faculty and students to witness the moment.
The annual gathering explored some of the defining questions confronting today's youth, from uncertainty, purpose and technology to mental well-being, social movements, substance abuse, leadership and everlasting peace. The interaction sought to encourage young people to look within, think independently and take responsibility for the direction of their lives.
Opening the discourse, Maitreya Dadashreeji reflected on how every generation questions the circumstances created by the one before it. The deeper question he raised was, “Are young people living by goals that genuinely belong to them, or are they pursuing goals imposed by someone else? It is important to examine the motivations behind our choices and learn to distinguish between what others direct us to pursue and what truly emerges from our own inner voice.”
At the same time, the dialogue cautioned against reducing an entire generation to a label. He expressed, “Gen Z, like every generation, is diverse, and young people need not allow categories to define their identity or potential.”
With artificial intelligence rapidly transforming education, careers and everyday life, the discourse also underlined the need for young people to understand AI rather than remain passive users of it. On the question of whether young people should stand with the government or oppose it, the discussion advocated a sense of responsibility towards the nation. Dadashreeji shared, “Young people need not support or oppose anyone blindly. Their responsibility is towards the nation. They should support policies of the government that they believe serve the country, and where they disagree, they should constructively suggest improvements.”
Dadashreeji urged young people to work meaningfully and peacefully towards the betterment of their communities and states. “The youth of today have a responsibility to serve the nation, especially rural India, which represents the majority of our country. The opportunities, knowledge and privileges they have access to must reach even the villages, so that no one is left behind. Bring real change with your involvement.”
The same principle emerged strongly in the discussion around peace: the answer to conflict need not be another conflict. The gathering and His presence reaffirmed a pro-peace approach, over a protest approach, emphasizing that meaningful change can be pursued through calm, constructive and peaceful action.
The third edition of Meet My Maitreya ultimately moved beyond the celebration of a single day. It created a space for young people to question, reflect and engage with issues that directly shape their lives, their future and our nation’s. At its heart was a call for youth to move from external validation to inner clarity, from complaint to responsibility, from reaction to conscious action, and from confrontation to peaceful transformation.
