Zonewide Activities
The spirit of collective devotion was further strengthened by an ongoing initiative begun in October 2023. Every morning from 6:30 to 7:00 a.m. C.E.T., an online daily prayer session, brought together around 20 participants throughout 2025. The session included 21 Oms, the Lord’s Prayer, the Suprabhatam, 21 Gayatri mantras in Sri Sathya Sai’s voice, a guided light meditation, the song ‘Start the Day with Love,’ and concluded with the Samasta Lokāh prayer for universal peace.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The SSSIO in Bosnia and Herzegovina continued its meaningful collaboration with Pomozi.ba, a humanitarian organization dedicated to serving those in need. In 2025, SSSIO volunteers contributed a total of 1,140 kg of fruits and vegetables, along with financial assistance to support families and students facing hardship.
From September 26 to 28, a regional spiritual retreat was held in Zavidovići, bringing together around 40 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia. The gathering provided an uplifting space for reflection, unity, and shared spiritual inspiration.
In October and November, SSSIO members took part in tree-planting initiatives in Sarajevo (Mount Igman) and Tuzla, planting approximately 150 trees as part of a global effort—contributing to both environmental sustainability and collective responsibility.
On November 15, SSSIO members participated in an annual Interfaith Prayer Meeting in Sarajevo, organized by the Franciscan Community. Representatives from diverse religious traditions came together in a spirit of peace and mutual respect. The SSSIO was represented by Mr. Jadranko Panjeta, former National Council President.
Devotees also gathered at Atelier Figure in Sarajevo to commemorate the 100th Birthday of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. A video talk by Mr. Aravind Balasubramanya was translated into Bosnian and presented, followed by heartfelt sharing from long-time devotees. The evening unfolded in a warm and devotional atmosphere.
The year concluded with the 'Yoga and Music' event on December 20. SSSIO members presented devotional songs from various religious traditions during the program titled 'Kirtan with Sai Friends,' which was warmly received.
Croatia
During 2025, SSSIO members made continuous devoted efforts to prepare and renovate the new premises in Zagreb, creating a sacred and welcoming space for spiritual gatherings. Additionally, Sathya Sai Centers and Groups joyfully organized celebrations for Swami’s 100th Birthday, filling each gathering with love, devotion, and a deep sense of spiritual unity.
Various representatives actively participated in the 11th World Conference in Riverside, California, where hearts were uplifted through shared experiences, inspiration, and a renewed connection with the Sai community from the whole world. Moreover, throughout the year, Sai quotes were translated and published daily, with a total of 365 messages shared on social media. These messages served as a ‘Thought for the Day’ desk calendar, which compiled daily spiritual messages into a printed format to mark the Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 100th Birthday.
France
On the occasion of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 100th Birthday celebrations, four young adults presented a heartfelt violin concert featuring Indian music. The program continued with two graceful Indian dance performances.
Throughout the year, the spirit of service brought comfort and care to those in need. Each month, a dedicated group of up to nine SSSIO volunteers served the homeless community living in the Vincennes wood near Paris, distributing about 20 bags of food and warm clothing.
Greece
Across Greece, the SSSIO continued to nurture both spiritual growth and selfless service throughout the year. In Patras, SSSIO members gathered twice a month for study circles, while in the Marousi neighborhood of Athens, a senior member opened their home every two weeks to host study circles for the local community, fostering a spirit of shared learning and unity.
In 2025, a range of service activities reached communities across the country. Volunteers supported families in need by distributing food and essential items, and regularly visited a foundation for disabled children. A special Christmas celebration was organized with them, filled with songs, dances, shared delicacies, and thoughtful gifts, bringing joy to all involved. Visits were also made to the Agia Varvara institution for incurable diseases in Athens, where activities such as dancing and sharing food created moments of warmth and connection. These interactions uplifted everyone involved with a deep sense of joy and love.
At the Sai Prema farm, SSSIO members continued to practice regenerative agriculture, responding thoughtfully to current challenges related to soil, food, and climate—demonstrating care for both people and the planet.
The serene surroundings of Sai Prema, a spiritual center near Athens, which has truly become an European ashram, provided the setting for a rich array of inspiring retreats, camps, and meetings throughout 2025. SSSIO members from both North and South Europe came together to participate in a diverse program of gatherings, including yoga retreats, Sai Art Retreats, sadhana camps, family camps, and Young Adult retreats and Officer meetings. While each event had its own unique focus, everyone shared a common rhythm of daily prayers, devotional singing, spiritual practices, physical exercise, and time spent in nature. Each gathering unfolded in a harmonious and inspiring atmosphere, and participants left with a deep sense of unity and gratitude.
The year also included two special weekend events open to the public. The first event, held in May, focused on Socrates’ Apology, while the second, in September, explored the Eleusinian Mysteries. Participants appreciated the rich historical insights and the depth of the discussions. In addition, the SSSIO in Greece warmly hosted several European events at Sai Prema, strengthening bonds across the region.
Ireland
In 2025, the monthly Ekadasa Rudra Parayanam was introduced in devotees’ homes, bringing the sacred vibrations of the Rudram into their living spaces. Each gathering included the chanting of the holy Sri Rudram 11 times in succession, followed by a short session of devotional singing. Held across different homes, these occasions created an atmosphere of peace and reverence, while strengthening bonds within the devotee community.
Alongside these spiritual efforts, devotees continued their commitment to selfless service. On the third Saturday and second Sunday of every month, SSSIO volunteers served at the Lighthouse Soup Kitchen in Dublin, preparing meals for over 200 people in need. This initiative, which began three years ago, was expanded from once to twice a month in 2025—reflecting the growing dedication and enthusiasm of the volunteers.
Israel
In preparation for the Centenary Birthday Celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, members of the two Sri Sathya Sai Centers deepened their spiritual focus throughout 2025 by holding weekly devotional meetings with renewed fervor. Conducted both in person and online, these gatherings included devotional singing and the study of Sai’s discourses.
On May 8, a public outreach talk was delivered by Ms. Brigitte Kashtan, National Council President, at the Theosophical Society of Israel’s annual retreat. Titled 'How to Implement the Universal Human Values in Everyday Life,' the talk shared key aspects of Sri Sathya Sai’s teachings, including SSEHV, the Ceiling on Desires program, and the foundational ideas of the E.A.S.E. program, offering participants practical ways to integrate these lessons into daily life.
To mark Baba’s 100th Birthday, two major celebrations were held - one at the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Tel Aviv and another near Haifa. Each event brought together over 100 devotees in an atmosphere filled with devotion, reverence, and joy. The programs featured prayers, Vedic chanting, devotional singing, and inspiring talks, including sharing personal experiences and accounts of inner transformation under Baba’s loving guidance.
Alongside these collective efforts, SSSIO members engaged in individual acts of service. Volunteers prepared and distributed food to underprivileged and elderly individuals, visited those who were bereaved, lonely, or unwell, and extended both psychological and spiritual support online, demonstrating a heartfelt commitment to care and compassion in everyday life.
Italy
Sixty-one online national meetings brought members together, exploring topics such as stories from the life of Sathya Sai Baba, along with programs from the three SSSIO Wings—Beyond the Dual (Devotional), The Garden of Human Values (Educational), and Love All Serve All (Service). Some of these gatherings also featured testimonials and interviews with Sai devotees, recorded during public conferences and festive occasions, offering moments of reflection and shared inspiration.
This spirit of unity was complemented by ongoing service activities across various locations. Volunteers extended assistance to disabled individuals, hospital patients, prison inmates, animals, and served the environment, while continuing to help the Faenza Soup Kitchen, where meals were distributed to those in need.
At the same time, the Devotional Wing guided study circles in centers and groups through the two-year spiritual program Beyond the Dual, alongside the study of the Upanishads and Sri Sathya Sai’s teachings. The Singing School further contributed by organizing two meetings in Northern Italy to update the Italian book of devotional songs, with a new edition to be published soon.
To commemorate Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 100th year of advent, celebrations were held in all centers and groups, along with a special national online meeting on the evening of November 23. During the Christmas season, a national online presentation titled 'Christmas: The Representation of the Nativity Scene as a Loving Service, Rediscovery of Values and Spiritual Rebirth' offered a meaningful reflection on the deeper significance of the occasion.
Throughout the year, public conferences were conducted on Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s life, teachings, and legacy, as well as on healthy living and environmental care. In addition, three articles were published each month in the Sai Vivere online magazine, covering a wide range of topics including nutrition, wellbeing, spirituality, philosophy, service, human values, nature, and ecology. Tree-planting initiatives were continued to care for the environment and for a more sustainable future.
Serbia and Montenegro
In 2025, a spirit of introspection, personal growth, and deeper connection blossomed among SSSIO members. Sacred occasions such as Maha Shivaratri and Guru Poornima were observed with devotional singing and short study circles, creating moments of reflection and spiritual renewal.
On June 1, 12 members came together for the National Summer Meeting. The day’s program included physical exercise, guided meditation, a workshop on '100 Steps to Sai,' talks on the meaning of Sanskrit prayers and songs, and devotional singing.
SSSIO members visited the Saint Sava School for children with special needs twice, as well as a boarding school for children with special needs on two occasions. During these visits, they offered new bed sheets, clothes, and mattress toppers. The continued cooperation with these institutions led to an invitation for the SSSIO in Serbia to return to the school on January 27, 2026.
Beginning in July, preparations for Sri Sathya Sai’s centenary gradually unfolded with monthly singing practices and study circles. The national 100th Birthday celebration, held on November 23, brought members together for devotional singing and the sharing of prasadam. A second celebration in Senta, in northern Serbia, included devotional singing followed by a shared dinner.
The year concluded on December 28 with a Christmas gathering, attended by Mr. Adriano Bratovic, Chair of SSSIO Zone 6. The program featured multifaith prayers, an exploration of the origins of the Serbian Orthodox tradition along with its symbolic representation, a quiz, and a study circle on the life of Jesus. The event included sharing experiences by Mr. Bratovic, as well as a special ‘Angels’ activity, where participants selected an angel and reflected on the personal message it conveyed.
Slovenia
Every Thursday, between 9 and 15 SSSIO members gathered to chant 108 Gayatri mantras, followed by jyoti meditation and devotional singing, creating a peaceful space for collective prayer and inner reflection.
Twice a month, study circles on '108 Mirrors to Self-Realization' were held, along with the chanting of the 108 names of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, supporting a deeper journey of self-inquiry and spiritual growth.
Every Saturday, SSSIO members, together with members of the local community, came to the Sri Sathya Sai Center to prepare lunch packets for a homeless shelter in Ljubljana. Over the course of 2025, approximately 4,800 lunch packets were prepared.
Special festivities were lovingly observed, drawing between 50 and 80 participants and fostering a shared sense of joy and togetherness. On the occasion of Guru Poornima, the book Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi was published in the Slovenian language.
Akhanda Bhajan was organized as a regional event, bringing together members from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia for a two-day devotional gathering filled with unity and devotion.
To commemorate Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s centenary, a special program was organized to deepen the connection with beloved Sri Sathya Sai, leaving participants with a strengthened sense of devotion and spiritual purpose.
Spain
From December 6 to 8, around 30 members of the SSSIO of Spain gathered at the Casa Cristo de El Pardo in Madrid for the National Retreat, centered on the theme 'Peace in the Heart, Peace in the World.' Ms. Esther Cristina Puentes, a member of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education of South Europe, attended as the guest speaker. The retreat unfolded in an atmosphere of love and joy, offering participants a meaningful opportunity to deepen their understanding of Sai’s teachings on peace.
In celebration of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s centenary, and as an expression of love and gratitude, a special offering titled 'The Importance of Following the Message of Sathya Sai in My Life' was organized. Members shared personal experiences, poems, drawings, graphics, and reflections, which were thoughtfully compiled into a beautiful digital book of more than 150 pages.
Earlier in the year, a spirit of selfless service was expressed through a meaningful initiative in Tenerife. The La Milagrosa Soup Kitchen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, managed by the Daughters of Charity, serves around 100 vulnerable individuals daily. Due to its closure on January 5 and 6, volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Center in Tenerife responded to a request for assistance by organizing a food distribution on January 6, 2025. They prepared and collected food for 60 people, including pasta, sandwiches, desserts, canned goods, fruit, and drinks. The initiative also encouraged the participation of children and young people.
Switzerland
In 2025, the SSSIO in Switzerland dedicated its activities to the 100th Birthday celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In preparation for this significant occasion, 2,000 rainforest trees were donated, and a 108-day sadhana was undertaken, reflecting a spirit of commitment and reverence. The celebration brought together over 200 members, marking the largest gathering in Switzerland in recent years. The program included an opening procession, concerts, and heartfelt speeches, creating an atmosphere filled with inspiration and love for Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
United Kingdom
Throughout 2025, various festivities such as Maha Shivaratri, Aradhana Mahotsavam, Guru Poornima, Swami’s Birthday and Christmas were celebrated, with some events exceeding 200 attendees. The main highlighted event was the 100th Birthday Celebrations, which was observed with great devotion and enthusiasm by the SSSIO members. Alongside the spiritual programs, several service initiatives were carried out as a commitment to community welfare and humanitarian service.
These included monthly food bank collections to support local families in need, community park litter picking to promote environmental responsibility and community engagement, a 100 shoebox collection for Moldova, organized in partnership with the Rotary Club to support children and families, and a flood relief collection for Muttur, Sri Lanka, providing assistance to communities affected by the severe floods.