The community is a global and inclusive contemplative family. The roots of the World Community lie in the desert tradition of early Christianity dating back to the 4th century. In 1975 John Main, an Irish Benedictine monk (1926-1982), started the first Christian Meditation Centre in London. The first of the family of weekly meditation groups around the world began to meet then. At the John Main Seminar in 1991, led by Bede Griffiths OSB, meditators from around the world came together to shape the future direction and organization of the community as a ‘monastery without walls’. They named it The World Community for Christian Meditation because it was not only formed and nurtured by the practice of meditation but existed to share this gift with others. The symbol of the Community - the two birds looking in different directions but resting on the chalice - is a modern version of an ancient way of representing the union of the contemplative and active dimensions of life. The World Community is now present in 120+ countries. Individuals, weekly groups and centres share the peace and compassion that are the spiritual fruits of meditation. Groups meet in homes, parishes, schools, offices, hospitals, prisons and universities.There are groups for the homeless, for those in recovery from addiction and a special emphasis of the community is to share this gift of meditation with the poor and marginal. Christian Meditation Centres, such as the John Main Centre at Georgetown University, help to share the teaching. There are also online meditation groups. Because meditation is a universal wisdom, contemplative dialogue with other faiths is a priority. The realtionship with the Benedictine monastic family is especially valued and a WCCM Oblate The Mission Statement of the World Community is: "To communicate and nurture meditation as passed on through the teaching of John Main in the Christian tradition in the spirit of serving the unity of all"