Interviewer: Can you tell me how you came up with the idea for this project? How long ago was it, and why did you decide to do this?

Sri Chinmoy: Two years ago, while I was in Malta, all of a sudden I was inspired to draw birds. Since then I have been drawing birds. I used to get and even now I still get tremendous joy each time I draw a bird. Each time I feel a kind of inner freedom.

I wish to tell you that Canada has a very special place in my art-life. About 19 years ago I started my art-life in the West by doing some paintings and drawings at the Sheraton Hotel in Ottawa. Also, last year 100,000 bird drawings of mine were exhibited in Ottawa. Our philosophy is the philosophy of progress, so from 100,000 I have come up to one million.