Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Connection Across Differences
At the heart of this gathering is the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the ancient Indian vision that “the world is one family.” It invites us to look beyond borders, identities, beliefs, and differences, and recognize our deep interconnectedness as human beings sharing the same longing for peace, belonging, and understanding.
A World in Need of Human Connection
In a world increasingly shaped by polarization, conflict, and emotional disconnection, we are witnessing growing divisions not only within societies, but also within families, friendships, workplaces, and communities. The inability to truly listen to and understand one another often creates distance in our closest human relationships. At such a time, language becomes far more than a tool for exchange. It becomes a bridge between hearts, a pathway toward empathy, healing, trust, and shared humanity.
It is an invitation to slow down amidst the noise of the world and rediscover what it means to communicate with honesty, empathy, and care. Through the practice of Nonviolent Communication, we explore how to speak without blame, listen deeply, and understand the needs beneath conflict. The training creates a safe and compassionate environment where participants from different cultures and lived experiences can learn and grow together.
India: A Living Landscape of Diversity and Nonviolence
India offers a deeply meaningful context for such an exploration. As one of the most culturally, spiritually, and linguistically diverse lands on the planet, India has for centuries been a meeting ground for people, traditions, and ways of life. It has long welcomed people seeking refuge, belonging, and spiritual exploration, including refugees from nearby regions and countless seekers from around the world. India is also the birthplace of major spiritual and philosophical traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, many of which carry profound teachings on compassion, nonviolence, coexistence. The principles underlying Nonviolent Communication resonate strongly with these ancient wisdom traditions, especially the spirit of Ahimsa, or nonviolence, which emphasizes care in thought, word, and action.
At the same time, India also reflects many of the complexities and challenges present in the world today: inequality, social divisions, environmental pressures, and the tensions that naturally arise within highly diverse societies. In this sense, India becomes both a mirror of humanity’s challenges and a living example of coexistence amidst diversity. Yet despite these complexities, there remains a deep cultural thread of hospitality, community, and collective living that continues to hold people together.
Learning Together Across Cultures and Experiences
This 9-day immersive training will be guided by a team of Certified Trainers from the Center for Nonviolent Communication, each bringing unique strengths and lived experience that together create a rich and transformative learning space. Anisha Pandya brings deep experience in psychotherapy, leadership coaching, group facilitation, and emotional awareness; Duke Duchscherer brings decades of work in peacebuilding, restorative dialogue, trauma healing, and reconciliation across conflict-affected communities around the world; Stephanie Bachmann Mattei weaves together mindfulness, compassionate leadership, intercultural dialogue, and awareness of power dynamics within relationships and systems; and Yuri Haasz brings expertise in systemic change, collaborative leadership, peace education, and organizational transformation.
Together, these trainers will support approximately 60-80 participants in exploring the deeper spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - learning how to navigate conflict, heal painful relationships, communicate with honesty and care, and create more understanding in the relationships that matter most.
PRE-REGISTER to attend the Ahimsa in Action on 2 and 3-Oct-2026.
PRE-REGISTER to attend the free meet and greet session on The Language That Deepens Everything by Anisha Pandya on 26-Sept-2026 at 7:00 PM New Delhi Time.
Watch This Meet and Greet Session With Yuri Haasz on Applying Nonviolent Communication to Organizations and Social Change.
Watch This Meet and Greet Session With Duke Duchscherer on NVC in Conflict Affected Communities.
The cost of this training includes two components: 1) Tuition; and 2) Room and Board. Click below for details.
Tuition (USD)
We want to enable as many people as possible to participate in this program, regardless of their financial position. At the same time, we care that the cost of organizing the event is covered, CNVC (as a sponsor for this training) is sustainably funded, and that trainers and organizers can be adequately remunerated. Holding care for all these elements, the tuition fees have been set as follows:
REGIONAL TUITION
If you've been resident of one of the following countries for the past 10 years, you qualify for the regional tuition: India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam.
25% if you are an active Certified Trainer with CNVC - Note, that there is also a limited number of tuition-free spaces available for Certified Trainers, granted by a committee. For more information, contact us.
Note: only one of these discounts may apply; you may combine it with the Early Bird price.
Nestled in sylvan surroundings on IVC road, Devanahalli (meaning the abode of the Gods), The School of Ancient Wisdom is a Spiritual centre following the tradition of the mystery schools, and teaching ancient, yet timeless and eclectic truths, to aid self transformation and higher learning. It is also believed to be the place where Rishi Agasthya himself resided in ancient times.
With a fairyland-like appearance, adorned with purple and green roofed buildings, and beauty in practically every direction you look, the centre also houses at least 40 different species of birds! One can scarcely imagine that this centre was once a barren land, that was transformed by divine touch, when Manize Sait, the founder, was intuitively guided to create a Spiritual centre here. Manize’s artistic prowess and strong design sense are visible in every single room of each of the many buildings at the centre.
Room and board includes your room and all meals throughout the event beginning with dinner the first day and ending with lunch the final day.
Some room types are limited and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Room options include (indicating prices for the whole event per person):
Room and Board prices include your room and all meals throughout the event beginning with dinner the first day and ending with lunch the final day.
Rooms and types of rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Only vegetarian meals offered (no meat or eggs).
If you choose a double room, or a twin sharing dormitory, you can choose your own roommate(s) or we can assign them based upon any preferences you have.
Bed linen and towels will be provided.
THE 3 MAIN GOALS OF THE PROGRAM
The purpose of this training is to give you the opportunity to live the process of Nonviolent Communication in community over an extended period of time, in order to develop the mindsets and practical tools to help you in three areas:
Increase connection and closeness with the people you love.
Speak in a way that inspires compassion and understanding.
Initiate difficult conversations with more ease and confidence.
Remain centered and peaceful when receiving difficult messages.
Express and receive anger fully, safely and respectfully... yet powerfully.
Resolve long-standing conflicts and heal painful relationships.
Parent children from the heart and move beyond power struggles into cooperation.
Translate criticism, judgments and blame into life-serving messages.
Inner Transformation
Shift patterns of thinking that lead to depression, guilt and shame and that perpetuate pain.
Transform anger into self-understanding, thereby increasing inner peace.
Enliven yourself by expressing and receiving gratitude.
Learn to embody unconditional love.
Contribution to others and Social Change
Share NVC in ways that transmit and model its power to transform and inspire others.
Create educational systems where students love learning and teachers love teaching.
Learn to engage in effective, lasting nonviolent social change in the tradition of Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Facilitate meetings and support group decision making in a power-sharing, collaborative, and consensus-based ways.
Support holistic and human-based workplaces.
Engage with others at work and in the community to foster openness, trust and authenticity.
Support mutual understanding and connection when working in colonized countries.
Foster restoration and harmony by mediating conflicts and helping to resolve differences among others.
While we will prioritize these three areas in the curriculum, there is also room for co-creation. There will be opportunities for you to request specific topics and applications to support you in living and sharing NVC at work, home, and in the community as well as internally in how you relate to yourself.
Training team for India 2027
Introducing the Certified Trainers you will learn from and meet during the program. Each will share the core curriculum of NVC as developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, as well as their own unique approach and passion for NVC. You'll also connect with many like-minded people from different countries, cultural backgrounds, professions and walks of life.
You wanted to attend this event, paid for it, and then something changed in your situation. That is when this Cancellation and Refund Policy becomes important!
We value flexibility and understand that “life happens” and sometimes people need to change their plans. At the same time, we want to acknowledge the financial commitments and other plans made by CNVC, the Organizer, and the venue.
Please note: For payments that are made directly to the Local Organizer, the payment transfer options outlined below (storing tuition payments with us as credit for a future program) are not available, due to legal and accounting restrictions.
We have established the below policy to take into account all of these needs.
A. If we cancel:
You receive a 100% refund of all tuition and/or room and board payments.
B. If you cancel:
Tuition
30 days or more before the start date, you have two options:
Transfer 100% of your payment to a future CNVC intensive training within 2 years starting the date you canceled (see credit policy below); or
Receive a refund on the tuition fee minus a 10% cancellation fee
Between 30 days and 4 days before the start date you have two options:
Transfer 75% of your tuition payment to a future CNVC training within 2 years starting the date you canceled - we retain 25% (see credit policy below); or
Receive a 50% refund of your tuition (we retain 50%).
From 3 days before the start date you have two options:
Transfer 60% of your tuition payment to a future CNVC training within 2 years (starting the date you canceled) - we retain 40% (see credit policy below); or
Receive a 30% refund of your tuition (we retain 70%).
From the start date:
No refunds or transfers for tuition and room and board will be provided, even if you do not attend or only attend part of the event.
You will notice that the closer to the start date, the lower your refund. This is to acknowledge the financial commitments that CNVC makes in the planning process (e.g., we are often required to pay the venue whether or not you show up). We also put considerable human resources into the organization of our immersive programs and some of these costs are not recoverable.
Since last minute cancellations are mostly because of an injury or a health issue, we recommend that participants take their own insurance to cover these cases.
Refunds will be issued within 10 business days after you cancel and confirm which option you choose.
Room and Board
Refunds for room and board depend on the unique contractual factors with the venue. Please check the Cancellation Policy for your event or contact the Local Organizer for details.
CREDIT POLICY
If you choose to transfer some or all of your tuition payment to a future CNVC training, the following conditions apply:
Credit is valid for two years from the date of cancellation.
To use your credit, contact us with the name of the training you would like to apply it to.
Credit can be applied to any CNVC training listed here that has space available.
Credits apply only to tuition, and not to travel or room and board costs.
Credit cannot be refunded for cash after it is issued.
Credit is non-transferable.
If the credit is not used within two years, it expires.
If you move your credit to another program and then cancel, the new program’s refund options will apply (and you cannot opt for the credit option again)
If you plan to attend an immersive program that is offered in a language other than English, we strongly recommend that you do not opt for the credit option, as CNVC cannot guarantee that another program in your preferred language will be offered within the next two years.
Note: these discounts only apply to tuition payments (not to room & board or other expenses)
10% if you participated in (and paid tuition for) a previous Foundation Training (FT) or International Intensive Training (IIT) with the Center for Nonviolent Communication
10% if you have been, or will have been, a Supporting Member of CNVC for 6 months or more before the first day of the program
15% if you are a Certification Candidate registered with CNVC. The discount applies only to people who are officially registered candidates.
If you are not sure if you are officially registered as a Certification Candidate, email us at [email protected]. If you're not registered yet, ask your Assessor if it might be possible for you to become registered before the program
If you are not registered as a candidate at the time of payment, you can pay the full price without this discount, and if you become a registered certification candidate by the start date of the program, we will refund you the difference (the 15% discount amount).
25% if you are an active Trainer certified with CNVC
The discount applies only to active Certified Trainers. "Active" means that in the last year, you have completed the renewal steps including filling out the Annual Trainer Survey, making an Annual Trainer Contribution, and signing the Trainer Agreement if applicable (if it has been updated).
Note, that there is also a limited number of tuition-free spaces available for Certified Trainers, granted by a committee. For more information, visit this page.
We realize that life situations make it difficult for some people to raise enough funds to participate in one of our immersive trainings. If this is the case for you, we strongly encourage you to apply for financial assistance and we will do our best to support you to participate in this program.
Since money can be a loaded topic in our world, asking for financial support is challenging and uncomfortable for many people. If you are inspired to attend, we invite you to join us in a mutual process to explore possibilities.
HOW IT WORKS:
After applying the available discounts, if you are not able to afford the tuition, you can request financial assistance to further reduce your tuition fee. (Note: We do not offer assistance for Room and Board, which is a direct expense for your lodging and food). We have limited amount of finances available and we prioritize people who meet one or more of the following criteria:
Foundational NVC knowledge: have at least read the NVC book and/or attended one NVC weekend course
Certification Candidate
Supporting Member
Can increase their impact in the world by participating in this training, e.g., by leading or supporting a social change project, and/or being an active member of an NVC community
Come from a disadvantaged group with less access to resources (examples: race, ethnicity, origin, religion, sex, gender identity, class, age)
From the geographical region where the program is held or from a region where there are no programs offered
Can pay some money toward tuition
Willing to search for other sources of financial support, such as their workplace (professional development), family (personal development), organizations, or crowdfunding efforts
No CNVC financial assistance received in the past
Instructions for how to request financial assistance will be provided after you submit the pre-registration form.
We are happy that you will participate in Nonviolent Communication training – the Foundation Training (FT) or the International Intensive Training (IIT) sponsored by the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC).
In order to create an environment that is supportive and that offers predictability -- and supports you in making choices for your wellbeing -- we ask you to make a series of agreements.
1. If I complete this training, I will receive a Certificate of Completion, which is different from being authorized or certified as an official trainer of the CNVC. If I share NVC, unless I am already a Certified CNVC trainer, I agree to present myself as a student, supporter, or candidate for certification (if I am a registered candidate for certification) rather than as a CNVC Certified Trainer. Also, I agree to follow the “Guidelines for Sharing NVC for Individuals who are not Certified Trainers.”
2. All materials that I will receive are the property of the Trainers who created them. I agree to use these materials only for my personal use -- and refrain from copying or sharing with others -- unless I receive explicit consent from the creators.
3. I understand that while this training might be healing and therapeutic in nature, it is not a substitute for mental health therapy or psychiatric care.
4. I am responsible for my own behavior the entire time I participate in this event. I understand that some activities could be mentally and emotionally challenging. My level of participation in the activities is entirely my choice, and I can modify or end my participation at any time.
5. I agree to follow any relevant public health regulations that may be imposed by the country or municipality where this program will take place. I will follow these regulations and not avoid any of them. At the same time, I understand that CNVC will not impose any additional regulations above and beyond what is required by the country or municipality. (Not applicable for online programs.)
6. If I contract an illness from a virus or other pathogen during this training, I am responsible for the costs of medical care and any other related costs such as changing travel arrangements. I will exercise consideration for others when it comes to contagious illnesses and reach out to the organizer to decide on any actions. (Not applicable for Online Programs)
7. Since the program is a closed event and only registered participants are allowed to participate in the sessions, I agree not to bring or invite to the sessions anyone who is not registered. If there are areas or spaces designated for participants of this event, like conference areas or dining areas, I agree not to bring or invite anyone who is not a registered participant to these spaces.
8. I agree to the Photo & Video Agreement which ensures me choice and gives the right to CNVC to gather photos and videos, celebrate, and for YOU to have memories.