Maitreya has been based in the Asian community of London since July 1977, working incognito, gradually emerging into full public view. In 1988, Maitreya began appearing, both in person and in dreams, to well-known leaders in various countries and to many ordinary citizens.
On June 11, 1988, he appeared ‘out of the blue’ before 6,000 people at an open-air prayer/healing meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was instantly recognized as the Christ. The event, with photographs, was reported in the Kenya Times and subsequently picked up by news media around the world.
After this event, until 2001, Maitreya appeared regularly before gatherings of orthodox religious groups worldwide. He addressed them briefly in their own language and was recognized by the majority of people in attendance as their awaited Teacher. He also created healing springs of water in the areas near these appearances. The healing waters in Mexico, Germany, and India have drawn millions of visitors.
On April 21-22, 1990, Maitreya held a weekend conference in London for around 200 world leaders or their emissaries from the fields of government, business, science, religion and journalism. Many pledged their co-operation to help implement his priorities.
Artist, author and lecturer Benjamin Creme spent 4 decades lecturing all over the world, informing the public of these events, thus helping to prepare the way for Maitreya’s emergence. In December 2008 he announced that in the very near future a large, bright star would appear in the sky visible throughout the world, night and day, heralding the imminent appearance of Maitreya in his first interview on a major US television network. Within weeks, reports from all over the world of an unusually bright star, often moving and changing colour, began to appear in the media and on the internet.
On 14 January 2010 Benjamin Creme announced that Maitreya had given his first interview, on American television, and that millions had heard him speak both on television and the internet. Benjamin Creme explained: “He was introduced not as Maitreya, the World Teacher and Head of our Spiritual Hierarchy, but simply as an ordinary man, one of us. In this way he ensures that men follow and support him for the truth and sanity of his ideas rather than for his status. He spoke earnestly of the need for peace, achievable only through the creation of justice and the sharing of the world’s resources.”
His open mission in the world has begun. As Maitreya himself has said: “Soon, now very soon, you will see my face and hear my words.”
At the earliest possible moment, Maitreya will reveal his true identity. Eventually, through a growing public response to his presence and ideas, he will be invited to speak to the entire world. On this Day of Declaration, Maitreya will be seen on television worldwide via linked satellite networks. He will mentally ‘overshadow’ all of humanity simultaneously and everyone (over the age of 14) will hear his words inwardly, telepathically, in their own language. Even those who are not watching Maitreya on television will have this experience. His energy of love will enter the hearts of all, galvanizing humanity to save the world. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of spontaneous healings will take place throughout the world. In this way we will know that Maitreya is truly the World Teacher for all humanity. Maitreya will outline the future life for humanity and make his appeal for justice, for sharing as the only way to justice, and so to peace in the world. Our response to this event will determine the entire future of the world. Maitreya has already said: “My heart tells me your answer, your choice, and is glad.”