As 2025 comes to a close, all of us at the Charter for Compassion extend our heartfelt gratitude. Whether you participated in our programs, contributed your expertise, helped grow a Compassionate Community, or supported us through your generosity—you made this a meaningful year of compassion in action.
This season invites reflection, not only on what we have accomplished but on what the world is asking of us in the year ahead. During uncertain times, compassion becomes more than a moral ideal—it becomes a form of resilience and a global necessity.
“Compassion is not a luxury; it is essential for our survival.” — The Dalai Lama
As we prepare to enter 2026, we are inspired by the work that lies ahead and the many ways we will continue building a more compassionate world together.
A Year Beginning in Peace: 40 Days of Peace
We will begin the new year with our annual 40 Days of Peace, a constellation of offerings designed to deepen understanding, strengthen community, and encourage personal and collective action. Through conversations, meditations, youth engagement, and reflective practices, we hope to create a sustained period of grounding and unity.
These 40 days provide a meaningful start to all that follows in 2026.
Keep Your Eye on the Charter's Homepage to Keep Up-to-Date on our 2026 Offerings.
World Interfaith Harmony Week – February
In the first week of February, we will join communities around the globe in celebrating World Interfaith Harmony Week, honoring the beauty of religious and spiritual diversity. Our programs will highlight interfaith collaboration as a cornerstone of compassion—one of the most powerful ways to build trust, mend divides, and foster peace.
March 2026: A Global Conference on Democracy & Compassion
In March, we will host Thrive, a major global gathering examining the deep relationship between democracy and compassion. Around the world, democratic systems are strained, yet democracy at its best is built on compassionate principles: shared dignity, civic responsibility, and a belief that every voice matters.
Our conference will:
- Explore democratic renewal through a compassionate lens
- Highlight youth leadership in shaping democratic futures
- Provide tools for civic engagement and compassionate governance
- Bring together scholars, activists, practitioners, and global citizens
“Democracy is not a state. It is an act.”
— John Lewis
And compassion, we believe, is the heart of that act.
Launching the Compassion Transformation Institute
Immediately after the global democracy gathering, we will launch the Compassion Transformation Institute (CTI)—a major step forward in the Charter’s mission.
The Institute will unify our compassion education programs and become the central hub for:
- Cognitive-Based Compassion Training (CBCT)
- Compassionate Community development tools
- Educational curriculum, workshops, and certification pathways
- Facilitation resources and leadership training
- Trauma-informed community approaches
- Cross-cultural and interfaith programming
CTI will support cities, educators, grassroots leaders, health practitioners, youth, and organizations seeking to expand compassion-based learning and practice.
“Compassion is not passive. It is the active, collective work of creating the world we dream of.”
— Karen Armstrong
Strengthening Compassionate Communities Worldwide
Throughout 2026, we will continue to nurture and expand the Compassionate Communities movement. Our focus will include:
- Offering step-by-step pathways for communities beginning their journey
- Providing guidance and mentorship for newly forming Compassionate Cities
- Strengthening regional hubs and global networks
- Supporting local initiatives through compassion-based education
We remain committed to helping communities build systems grounded in dignity, safety, and shared responsibility.
Registration is now open for these courses, special events, and programs:
Global Reads, EdNet Forums & Deepening Compassion Education
We will continue our beloved Global Read series, bringing together authors, activists, scholars, and readers to explore works that expand our understanding of compassion in the world.
Our EdNet Forums will continue to connect educators and practitioners to share best practices, resources, and emerging insights.
And our ongoing commitment to Cognitive-Based Compassion Training will deepen, offering new cohorts and leadership opportunities for those wanting to make compassion a daily lived practice.
April: Poetry & Compassion with Alignment
In April, we will join Alignment in offering a month-long exploration of Poetry and Compassion—celebrating how poetry awakens empathy, honors the human spirit, and bridges cultures. This special series will include daily poems, writing workshops, and gatherings that remind us how language can heal and transform.
“Poetry begins in delight and ends in wisdom.”
— Robert Frost
Looking Ahead: A Year of Shared Action
We look forward to deepening our collaboration with you in 2026. Together, we will:
- Champion compassion in democracy
- Expand global peacebuilding partnerships
- Strengthen Compassionate Communities
- Grow our educational offerings
- Support youth leadership
- Foster belonging across cultures and traditions
Your presence—your advocacy, partnership, and generosity—make this work possible.
If you are able, we welcome your support as we prepare for a year of ambitious, vital work.
A gift of any size helps sustain the Charter’s global programs and expand our reach in 2026.
Most of all, we thank you for being part of this global movement.
There is no Charter for Compassion without you.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
— Aesop
With appreciation and hope,
The Charter for Compassion Team
