Today, with deep concern and sorrow, the Charter for Compassion acknowledges the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—an institution that, for over six decades, stood as a symbol of humanitarian responsibility, international solidarity, and compassionate action.

At a time when over 700 million people around the world face hunger, when access to clean water, basic healthcare, and education remain out of reach for millions, the dismantling of USAID represents not only a bureaucratic decision—it is a moral failure. It is an abdication of our shared human responsibility to care for one another, especially those most vulnerable.

USAID was never just an agency—it was a bridge. A bridge between despair and dignity, between suffering and support, between isolation and international care. Its efforts in eradicating disease, uplifting women and girls, responding to disasters, and fostering democratic resilience have been expressions of compassion made manifest on a global scale.

To remove this lifeline is to turn away from the values of empathy, justice, and interdependence. It sends a devastating message to the world: that compassion is expendable, that aid is negotiable, and that human lives are a matter of political convenience. This is not only short-sighted—it is ethically indefensible.

The Charter for Compassion was founded on a principle found in every major religious and spiritual tradition: to treat others as we would wish to be treated. The loss of USAID violates this moral imperative. It disproportionately affects the poor, the sick, the displaced, and the voiceless. It deepens the global inequities that compassion seeks to heal.

We call upon the conscience of the American people and the global community to see this decision for what it is: a rupture in our collective moral fabric. We urge leaders, citizens, and organizations to speak out, to organize, and to continue the work of compassionate action even in the absence of institutional support.

Let this moment awaken, not extinguish, our resolve. Let it be a call to rise—not retreat. We must not allow compassion to be shuttered by policy. We must become the compassion that is needed now more than ever.

We are the memory keepers. We are the future builders. Let us carry forward the torch that USAID once held, lighting paths of hope where darkness now threatens to fall.

The Charter for Compassion