Gerthe Lamers on the 2025 Compassion Prize

The 2025 Compassion Prize will be awarded on Friday, November 21st, in Amsterdam — a remarkable event that will honor no fewer than fifteen organizations and individuals whose work embodies compassion in action.

** For information about attending the event, please contact secretariaat@barmhartigheid.nl **

NieuwWij.nl, a platform in the Netherlands that focuses on cultural and philosophical diversity, spoke with one of the initiators, Gerthe Lamers of the Movement of Compassion, about the origins of the award, the meaning of compassion, and the hope that continues to guide her work.

“I feel deeply connected to the international Charter for Compassion and to the many compassion workers around the world,” Lamers said. “The network keeps growing, and I have faith that these gentle forces will ultimately prevail — even if I may not live to see it.”

How and why did you become involved with the Compassion Prize?

“On November 12, 2009, I attended the launch of the International Charter for Compassion by British author Karen Armstrong. The launch took place at more than thirty locations worldwide, including the United Nations and, in the Netherlands, at the Moses and Aaron Church in Amsterdam.

Rabbi Abraham Soetendorp, one of the Charter’s co-authors, read the text aloud. It was a powerful and moving moment. As he spoke, I felt deeply touched — as though a new seed was being sown across the world: a universal, unifying message endorsed by representatives of all the world’s religions.

Intuitively, I knew: this is something I want to be part of. I wanted to dedicate my energy to cultivating compassion in the world. I felt that same unifying energy a month later at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne.”

What is the Compassion Prize?

The Compassion Prize is a Dutch award that has been presented annually since 2011 to a person, initiative, or organization that warms hearts, connects people, and promotes well-being. The award was originally conceived by theologian Tom Mikkers, then General Secretary of the Dutch Remonstrants, a faith based group.

Each year, the prize focuses on a different theme and consists of a certificate, a compassion lamp, and a monetary award. Its inspiration lies in the International Charter for Compassion (2009), written by Karen Armstrong, which calls for the restoration of the Golden Rule as a global moral compass.

In 2014, Lamers and Monica Neomagus co-founded the Charter for Compassion Netherlands Foundation, which went on to organize the annual Compassion Prize, host networking events, and support the growth of compassionate cities across the Netherlands.

Since 2021, the Dutch Charter for Compassion has been incorporated into the Beweging van Barmhartigheid/Movement of Compassion, which now organizes the award in collaboration with partner organizations.

“Driven by our shared commitment to compassion,” Lamers explains, “we sought to expand our reach and impact. The Movement of Compassion, with more than twenty years of experience, was a natural partner. Together, we continue to build on the legacy of the Charter and the Compassion Award.”

Compassion as a Way of Life

“For me, compassion is the key to connection — with my fellow human beings, with myself, and with nature,” Lamers reflects. “The Golden Rule — treat others as you would like to be treated — sounds simple, but it requires courage and perseverance.

Karen Armstrong reminds us that ‘Compassion is not an optional extra, but essential for the survival of humanity.’ I feel that deeply. Compassion is the only way to live in balance with humanity and the natural world. I don’t always succeed, but it is the compass by which I live. Compassion has become my core value, and I believe it lies at the heart of all creation. Despite struggle, injustice, and discontent, we all long for peace, love, and connection.”

Are you hopeful about compassion in the Netherlands?

“Despite all the negativity we see in the Netherlands, I remain unwaveringly hopeful,” Lamers says. “The ugliness often dominates the headlines — bad news sells better than good news — but beneath the surface, I see countless beautiful initiatives driven by people working steadily for a compassionate and just world.

In healthcare, for example, during my mother’s stay in a nursing home, I witnessed incredible love and patience shown to those in their final days. In sustainable agriculture, I see inspired farmers finding new ways to live in harmony with the Earth and its creatures. Even in business, new ethical and regenerative approaches are emerging.

We live, in the words of Jan Rotmans, in a time of transition — a change of era. That brings uncertainty, but it also brings opportunity for renewal and transformation.”

The Challenges

“There are always forces that question compassion or try to undermine it,” she acknowledges. “Sometimes I feel like a voice crying in the wilderness. But I try not to dwell on it. Resistance can also be a teacher — it helps me stay focused and grounded.

For me, compassion means taking action: organizing conferences, bringing people together for reflection on All Souls’ Day, supporting cultural events, reading to my grandchildren, tending the garden, or volunteering for the Luisterlijn (Listening Line, a free and anonymous helpline available day and night for people who need someone to talk to). These small acts of connection are where compassion becomes real.”

A Celebration of Compassion — and of Amsterdam

“On Friday, November 21st, we are organizing the conference ‘A Caring City is a Peaceful City’ in collaboration with the Community of Sant’Egidio at the Moses and Aaron Church in Amsterdam — the same location where the Charter for Compassion was launched in 2009.

This theme aligns with Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. The city’s coat of arms bears three words: Heroic, Determined, Compassionate. It is this ‘compassion’ in particular that inspired us to organize the Compassion Prize differently this year.

“We want this event to be both a celebration and a call to action — a reminder that compassion is not passive, but powerful. It connects us, heals us, and lights the path forward.”

** For information about attending the event, please contact secretariaat@barmhartigheid.nl **