Prem Rawat at the Guildhall, City of London 1st June 2007

The (former) head of a religious cult is involved in raising funds for this year's Lord Mayor's appeal. Prem Rawat, who has acquired vast wealth after years of being worshipped by millions of followers, is listed as a 'key supporter' to the annual appeal, the Evening Standard can reveal. Tomorrow Mr Rawat will give a speech to dignitaries and adherents at an invitation-only event at Guildhall in exchange for donating £25,000 to this year's fund.

Mr Rawat, himself, claims to have been talking about Peace for over 50 years. This quote is falsely attributed to Einstein. Rawat gets it wrong again.

A VSO spokeswoman said: 'Prem Rawat Foundation approached us earlier this year because they wanted to support the Lord Mayor's Appeal.' For £25,000 Prem Rawat's minions bought him a fake medieval scroll gifting him the Keys to the City of London (not London City) and the chance to make a speech at the Guildhall and all the publicity PR they could spin thereafter.

There is a copy of one of PRNews press realeases here.

Prem Rawat at the Guildhall, City of London 1st June 2007

I'm so pleased to join you as a fellow freeman. When I was coming here, just looking around every corner of this wonderful city which is so full of history. But even though history is so fascinating, if we look at it, there's a pattern. There is a pattern of peace, there's a pattern of war, and there's a pattern of people wanting prosperity, and there's a pattern of people being squashed. What does that mean? Einstein said something wonderful. He said, while defining insanity, is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. For such a long time, I feel, that people of this world keep doing the same thing and hoping and praying for absolutely different results. And that's what I wanna bring your attention to!

The City of London Corporation Guildhall was made available to Rawat for a speech and PR spin on payment of a significant donation. The Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister did not attend. There may well have been some distinguished guests who weren't pwks and were expected to attend such functions. Rawat got his press releases this time honestly by paying for them in the time honoured fashion of publicity for charitable donations. Professor Ron Geaves, a long time worshipper of Rawat's, from a very minor academic institution added intellectual gravitas. Ordinarily I would applaud people who give away money to charitable causes to buy social respectability. How else can Capitalist Robber Barons do good in the world? Buying ridiculoudsly expensive art, holidaying in Monaco with a supermnodel younger than your grand daughter just won't work in the age of scoial media. Rawat, however, makes relatively measly donations of $½ milllion per annum and has himself promoted as if he is a real philanthropist and do real good.