Charter for Compassion 2016-2017 Highlights

On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit officially came into force. Over the next fi`een years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequali>es and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is le` behind.

At the Charter we know that we can collec>vely overcome the challenges that we face as a global community. To that end we have incorporated each of the goals into our communi>es tool box and shown how the goals relate the work of our partners throughout our twelves sectors (art, business, educa>on, environment, healthcare, interfaith/spirituality, peace, restora>ve jus>ce, science and research, social jus>ce, social services, women and girls).

The new Goals are unique in that they call for ac>on by all countries, poor, rich and middleincome to promote prosperity while protec>ng the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including educa>on, health, social protec>on, and job opportuni>es, while tackling climate change and environmental protec>on.

The Charter for Compassion Community Toolbox gained a new sec>on in 2016: “Spirituality Assets for Community Building.”

The Community Tool Box is a four-part model or framework for building a Compassionate Community. Those working to create Compassionate Communi>es are moved through empathy to compassionate ac>on—a desire to address pain and suffering wherever it occurs—not only in their own communi>es but in all communi>es and for all living beings everywhere.

“Spirituality” refers to the quali>es that inspire us to do what is right and good–for ourselves and for others. This new chapter of the toolbox is about those quali>es and their applica>on in one’s personal, professional, and community life. “Spirituality Assets for Community Building” was wrimen with the support and contribu>ons of experts connected with the Charter for Compassion and simultaneously appear on our website and on the University of Kansas' Community Tool Box. Individual sectors of the chapter include: Being Compassionate, Being Charitable towards Others, Forgiveness and Reconcilia>on, Promo>ng Peace, Spreading Hope, Promo>ng Hospitality. New segments will be added in 2018.

New Sector Added to the Charter for Compassion: Women and Girls

Since the beginning of recorded >me, we know women sit at the center of our communi>es. Women are first to gather together when their families and communi>es are threatened. We are drawn together by a biological innate impera>ve to heal, nurture, support and protect our environment and preserve our cultures and tradi>ons. Indigenous wisdom reminds us of this and the cri>cal need to collaborate and cooperate, hold one another up and blow in one another’s sails.

The mission of the Charter for Compassion

Women and Girls sector is to provide a plaPorm that would enable and foster the partnerships of our Charter Partners who encounter and advocate on all issues, such as those related to gender equality, educa>on, feminine leadership, and spirituality. All who explore crea>ve solu>ons that contribute to promo>ng the crea>on of a balanced and peaceful global community are embraced and supported. With our Partners, we aim to co-create healing one heart at a >me for swi` and regenera>ve change of our communi>es and world.

Goals of the Women and Girls Sector

Along with our Partners: we address condi>ons that impact women and girls in order to accomplish our goals of co-crea>ng a balanced, healthy and sustainable society for all humanity.

Empowering Poli6cal Literacy: The founda>on of the Charter for Compassion is built on the Ci>es ini>a>ve. We want to ensure women have a fair and equitable role in local government. To that end we are commimed to working within our Ci>es network and with our Partners to to bring awareness to programs, organiza>ons and educa>onal opportuni>es so women are well equipped to enter the poli>cal arena and have a voice in their community’s policy and solu>ons based decisions.

Advancing Educa6on for Girls in STEAMD (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, Design); When we focus on the cri>cal importance of girls becoming well educated in these areas of study, we are ensuring they are prepared to compete and thrive in the world ahead of them. Like all of our ini>a>ves, we operate in the manner of collabora>on and support of our Partners and elevate their efforts to help us accomplish our mutual goals of crea>ng a culture of compassion and peace and where all girls and women reach their fullest poten>al. Please let us know if you are interested in mentoring girls.

Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. We recognize the role women and girls play in addressing each of these goals and the impact each of them have on helping us achieve or Vision. We consider each of these goals in our decision making and programming.

Ambassador program: empowers the most important layer of our leadership.

Consor6um connec6ons: Charter Partners who iden>fy in the Women and Girls sector are further organized by their body of work. We encourage opportuni>es to network, learn, share, and explore with others in similar fields of interest and work.

We strive to elevate: our Partner's work on social media, through our programming and in our newslemers.

Webinar Series: We host webinars throughout the year that promote issues and bring high profile amen>on to certain ini>a>ves. We are careful to engage our Partners who work on these ini>a>ves.

The Charter for Compassion Joins Sound Vision and Compassionate Atlanta to Launch One America Coali6on encourages all Americans to sign and join its One America Registry as a way of recalling the unique and incomparable nature of the modern American iden>ty whose very founda>ons are diversity and immigra>on.

Not only does the One America Coali>on repudiate the U.S. government’s uncons>tu>onal policies on immigra>on, but also, on a broader front, seeks to combat an emerging vision of America relinquishing its long-held moral high ground among the community of na>ons.

The One America Registry at hmp:// oneamericaregistry.org is a na>onwide campaign to inform Americans about the harmful consequences of these policies and provide ideas, ac>on items and materials for individuals to help defeat them. Such policies include a domes>c Muslim registry, faith-based bans on refugees and visas, mass deporta>on policies and amacks on U.S. sanctuary ci>es.

Imam Malik Mujahid, the President of Sound Vision (a co-founder of the One America Coali>on) and Chair-Emeritus of the Parliament of World’s Religions, called the current government’s ac>ons “dangerous, discriminatory and uncons>tu>onal.”

“The One America Registry is a powerful way to show President Trump that he cannot divide Americans so easily. Americans of all races and religions, men and women, young and old, we stand together as one America in opposi>on to divisiveness and hate.”

What Makes a Compassionate City?

We want all Charter members to consider being a part of an informa>ve project which started in 2017. The Charter for Compassion announced a new collabora>on with the “What is the Meaning of Life” project and its founder, Nicolae Tanase, and Dr. Lesa Walker, founder of the Compassionate Aus>n movement. The Project is >tled, “What makes a compassionate city?” We have begun to gather and publish the insights of individuals in several communi>es in response to the following ques>ons:

• What makes a compassionate city/ community?

• How do you personally measure compassion?

• What do you do to contribute to crea>ng a more compassionate community and world?

• Where is compassion needed in your city?

• Where does it exist?

• If your city was one of compassion, what would that look like? What is your idea of a compassionate city?

Compassion Summit in Amman, Jordan

The American Community School and the Charter for Compassion hosted the first annual Compassion Summit from March 22-25, 2017. Over 250 students, teachers, administrators and parent representa>ves from eleven schools, from seven countries (Bahrain, Dubai, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia) amended the session.

The three day session was reported in the Near East and South Asia school publica>on:

The messages that students were given from the range of workshops and keynote speakers, Marilyn Turkovich from the Charter for Compassion, and Kathy Kelly from Voices in the Wilderness, were the kinds of inspira<onal life lessons that will be cherished for years to come. It was the kind of event that can be a catalyst for life-altering commitments to service, to finding voices to oppose injus<ces, and to working on the maWers of the heart.

All par<cipa<ng students came up with an Ac<on Plan for their schools on how to infuse compassion into all aspects of school life, from K-12. All of the delegates used Design Thinking to work through some tough problems, to listen to the story of the other, and to make a commitment to compassionate ac<on. Our keynote speakers and workshop leaders inspired delegates to do more, to think more, to dare more, and to love more.

Culmina<ng in a day of service learning with nearly 70 refugee children on campus, we debriefed as the visi<ng students who par<cipated were leZ in tears from the impact of their work.

Student voices from the Compassion Summit: hmps://youtu.be/y-eKarO47Ic

The Charter for Compassion the Bridge Alliance Award in 2016

The Bridge Alliance named the Charter for Compassion the top organiza>on that embodies civilu<on. Criteria for the award included the following core principles:

• Collabora>ve partnership -- excellence in collabora>on with other individuals or organiza>ons, finding crea>ve ways to work together.

• Innova>ve solu>ons pufng country before poli>cs—crea>vely addressing even the most challenging of problems across poli>cal divides or special interests.

• Display of Curiosity and Inquisi>veness in poli>cal conversa>ons—demonstra>on of openness and curiosity, display of respect and civility.