Report from the Charter for Compassion Peace Call July 8, 2014
Lending a Helping Hand As was demonstrated in our conversations, so many of you have access to extensive networks of potential partners and other contacts for our peace network. Would you consider letting your fellow colleagues and associates know about the Charter for Compassion network? We can accomplish a great deal more by adding hands, hearts and minds to our end goal of bringing shared dialogue, and compassionate action to our network efforts. If you were on the call, and even if you weren't and are reading this, please consider inviting others to our compassion movement. It's easy to register.
So many people on the Conference call were new to the Charter. We'd like to encourage you to visit the Charter's Peace section on the website. Here you wll find links to our global peace partners, of which we currently have 107.
While you are at the the Peace section, take note of the Compassion Peace Reader. Each of our sector's has it's own Reader. You'll find that the Peace Reader is currently divided into eight chapters: Visiting and Revisiting History, Peace Building, Practicing Peace, Human Rights and Children's Rights, Women in War, Women in Peace, Restorative Justice, Juvenile Justice, and Peace, Economy and Social Justice. Each of these articles have a series of articles and the Compassion Peace Reader is added to weekly. There is also a new section that has resulted because of our Conference Calls. It is the Annotated Bibliography. Over the last calls somany of you wrote and gave us the names of books, we thought we would organize these into a new page on the website that would continue to grow along with our work and conversations.
Finally, you'll find under Reports and Documents in this section. Here you will find copies of the Peace sector newsletters, the current Charter Peace flyer which you can download and share with others, and copies of reports. Be sure to note that a PDF of individuals who registered for the Conference call is attached to this report. Apologies if you registered late for the call. There is a possibility that your name and e-mail address might not be on the list.
It appeared that we had a good number of educators on this last conference call so here are two references that may be of interest to you. There is a Charter for Compassionate Schools and our education section has almost a thousand pages of articles. The Compassion Education Reader has chapters on Teaching Compassion and Other Related Skills and Successful Education Models and Organizations, along with a number of other chapter topics. We's also like to encourage you to share your thoughts and concerns in our Education Blog.
Also, for those of you in Education you might be interested to know that the Charter has another website: Voices Compassionate Education. Of special interest may be an education packet on Peacemakers and Films to Help Us Rethink War; a special curriculum book on Words and Violence, and a unique storytelling approach, Playback: Stories That Need to be Heard.
Finally, the art poster above is be Debi Strong. She is a partner to the Charter and is offering signed posters for $25 plus handling. She is donating a portion of the sale to the Charter. Contact Debi directly for orders. If you want to see a larger image of the poster go to our Reports and Documents section on our website.
Contact Debi directly for orders. If you want to see a larger image of the poster go to our Reports and Document section on our website.
Format for the Call
The July Conference call followed a different format than most of our conference calls to date. In lieu of a speaker, we asked all those on the call to discuss and brainstorm about the following in small-group discussions:
- What is working for you in your peace work?
- How can the Charter's Peace network make a difference to your work and peace in general?
Marilyn Turkovich, Program Director for the Charter, introduced and facilitated the call. She reported that the Charter is now in about 50 countries, has about 900 Charter Partners, and that 250 cities are working toward being compassionate cities. Marilyn encouraged people to look at the website and become a Partner if they have not already done so. Plans are underway for two new partner sectors: “The Arts” and “Social and Restorative Justice.” The Global Compassion Council consists of 40 members; the staff and Board will look to the GCC for advice, introductions. From that group, there is a Board of Trustees, which held its first meeting in London last week. Now have Executive Committee to help run the Charter, and a Fund Raising Committee was also established. The Board approved the creation of geographic Hubs for the Charter’s work. The Charter’s Peace and Non-Violence Partners- now include 107 Partners.
Reports from Break-Outs
Barbara Kerr: Wonderful discussion. People glad to connect and were eager to hear about what the Charter is doing. The Charter provides some sense of identity as well as helpful resources for doing the work. One suggestion was to determine a specific day or week for a certain event—for example, a day to talk to the Mayor, to school principals, to police departments. The Charter would prepare training and resource materials, and people would go out and do something. Another suggestion was to have people present examples of successes that could be replicated.
Marilyn: Charter has a report of each of the calls. Will send out Peace brochure to all. (See the PDF attached to this report.)
Sande Hart: Wonderful group. What is working--opportunity for connectivity, being part of something bigger, identifying with the Charter and opportunities for connections. Charter can help by increasing opportunity for exposure. Would be great to map where we all are locally and globally. Also, it would be great if there were a way to cross promote programs through training or summit. Billboard idea as way to publicize activities/advocacy.
Michelle Sherman: Call opportunity to realize we had like-minded folk: educators; spiritual leaders; authors. Small steps work; we can start in the classroom and go into the world. The group is about wanting to bring in daily choices. Feel inspiration among like-minded people and having the base of the Charter is encouraging.
Christy: In the group, we had a wide spectrum of experience with the Charter. Talked about what we did in our cities and how to organize. In Dayton, Ohio there is a peace museum- very helpful to orient to peace initiatives. Fayetteville- recognized compassionate city in January, 2014. Wanting to understand how sectors differentiate from each other. Suggested mission/vision statements for sectors.
Lesa Walker: Success in the use of public art to mobilize people. Collaboration is key at local and global levels to bring people together and bring in diversity. Ways that Charter can help: develop a theme and invite partners to act on it. Charter provides a data/communication warehouse where people can share and discuss their thematic activities, progress, and successes. Idea: have a global art theme/project and all Charter partners contribute to express compassion through a global work of art (e.g., music, poetry, drawing, photos). Do a global action-- all Partners asked to participate and Charter provides common orientation, direction, basic materials. Also, the Charter could connect people across themes--e.g., connect all Partners who are working with youth and do a common youth project perhaps involving art.
Dina Capitani: Group discussed an idea similar to a theme idea. Have us as a group come together to address certain issues. Compassion bracelets (see below)--perhaps a media campaign to promote. Have more businesses get involved as sponsors to promote and provide resources. Post newsletter on Charter FB page. Have something regularly from the Charter in the Huffington Post.
Barbara Kauffman: Importance of recording the work and using videos. Peace Crane project encourages the making of peace cranes around the world. Good to have the Charter as a common ground. Charter becomes a motivational force to keep at bay a sense of hopelessness. Teaching and training nonviolence education. Teaching and training materials. Need to exercise compassion-like exercise a muscle.
Roger: None of us (in the group) has an institution we have convinced to sign the Charter. Interested in finding out more. Lively conversation about how authors can contribute to this program. Talked about the way we generate conversations about compassion. How can we emphasize peace in our daily lives? The Daily Good blog is a good source of inspiration. Many studies indicate that it is more effective to work with children than adults. How do we start early with teaching children? Helpful for Charter to help make connections with schools.
Marilyn: There is the Charter for Compassionate Schools. Can be rewritten to meet the needs of the school. Also, there is a rationale with it that contains a number of points about why it is crucial to include in school curriculum. Also, the Charter website has lots of resources in the Education sector pages. If people are having trouble engaging local partners, Charter can help set up a Skype call to help coordinate, etc.
Rabbi Avi Winokur: We had a diverse group in terms of geographic location and different experiences in work with compassion. Discussed the importance of networking that the Charter can provide—and the capacity to learn from each other and be inspired by each other. International economic cooperation: how can we get a network going of some of those models? Peace One Day for the Arts; Recipe for Peace.
Deborah Moldow: Deeply involved in UN International Day of Peace. Great day for events for the Charter- Sept 21st. One person can bring it to the Town Council; however, it is great if a group of people exists to help. Charter has wonderful resources. International Day of Peace has entire website of peace educational resources. Charter can help bring international networks together. The more we work together, the more we can make a world dedicated to compassion and peace.
OOPS! We apologize! More reports . . .
Technology has most often served us well in connecting people all over the world, but sometimes it fails us a bit. Today, several breakout groups did not get to report because we didn’t see a “raised hand” during the report session. So here are their reports. We apologize and are grateful to those facilitators who sent in their reports!
Group 1 (Dana Winner)
In our group: Sarah from San Francisco, Alan from Nashville, Marion from US sometimes London, Dana (American) from Kuwait/Middle East. Alan from Non-violence Communications Nashville. Sarah is a professional musician. Marion is with Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom which teaches 16 Principles. Dana is has a Knowledge and Information Management company and works in the Middle East, US and Europe. She is connected with various peace and reconciliation organizations including St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kuwait and Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation Middle East (FRRME) led by Canon Andre White in Baghdad.
Alan described the importance of living non-violence values more than techniques. There is a larger consciousness about non-violence, and there is a need and desire to connect with others who share that consciousness. Sarah hasn’t found a group to connect with to share purpose and values. She sees it as primarily an individual commitment . She wondered why some people who seem committed to non-violence are actually less then loving in personal relationship.
Marion described the Buddhist base of the 16 Principles and the experiential courses that her organization provides globally. Dana describes the realities of living in the Middle East – the divisions and the barriers - a whirlwind of escalating violence and hate – the blessing of connecting with the oasis that is The Charter for Compassion.
Group 2 (Louisa Hext)
Mark is based in Bangkok and showcases jazz, blues and world music. I mentioned the work of Playing for Change, an incredible group of musicians who travel the globe using music as a catalyst for social change: http://playingforchange.com/. Charlie referenced the Compassionate City work in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and the pending gathering in November with Andrew serving as keynote.
I shared the significance of the Charter for Compassion being a gathering place for people with a mutual value system to come together and share their vision and their work. Often times to ensure that they don't feel "so alone" doing the work. It's always powerful for me to convene on such a call and meet incredible people. The Charter is doing such incredible work. It is however, potentially overwhelming for new people and to know how to engage so that we can walk-the-walk as well as talk-the-talk. Of course I referenced The Forgiveness Project.
Group 3 (Michelle Sherman)
Our wonderful group included: Carmen from Oklahoma had her 4th grade make pinwheels during Peace Week expand into celebrating the eleven days of global unity from 9.11 – 9.21. Choose themes and the pinwheels turned into a larger movement with Carmen’s commitment and vision. Arnold from Tenn. wrote an online book that focuses on his truth that God is Love. www.LoveGod is Love.org. Arnold shared the following form Einstein, “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous”. Now his cover is blown. Diane, a Unity Minister from Arkansas has been holding Taze or refuge services with many opportunities to pray, chant and meditate in peace. Rick from Northern CA United Church of Christ is passionate about the faith project. How do we express a collective identity and still take meaningful individual action? He’s on it. Michelle from Seattle- a long time peacenik who has traveled the world and knows humans often handle themselves with grace and are capable of great kindness. The Vast Institute is here to stimulate your positive imagination about the future of humankind.
Group 4 (Dina Capitani)
Jim Armstrong, New York. www.Factivist.info --message to end global poverty with facts. Climate change, etc.
Dina – suggests getting more business sponsors and media sponsors such as Huffington Post articles to support the cause and raise awareness.
Add a link to newsletters on Facebook page
Add a link to Youtube videos on newsletter.
Mary, Durango, Colorado – been reading Karen Armstrong, community gardening, growing vegetables with kids at a local detention center. Connecting people in the Natural world/ Edible Gardens
Sara Shire – Compassion It. San Diego, CA. Inspire daily compassionate action. Wrist bands. Certified Teacher for Compassion Cultivation Training.
Perhaps Charter could address Major Conflicts around the world and as a group we can brainstorm on solutions
Resources
One of the great things about connecting many people on our conference calls is that we learn a lot more about the good work that is already being done to further the cause of peace. Below are some organizations (and their web addresses) that were mentioned on today’s call and that may be of interest to you or your organization.
Casady Peace Week
The Forgiveness Project
Georgia Conflict Center: This is this is the link to the Conflict Center in Athens, GA. They have workshops and are very open to sharing ideas. Georgia Conflict Center and Youtube: Georgia Conflict Center
International Day of Peace: Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the General Assembly Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace is the “Right of Peoples to Peace.” This anniversary offers a unique opportunity to reaffirm the United Nations commitment to the purposes and principles upon which the Organization was founded. The Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace recognizes that the promotion of peace is vital for the full enjoyment of all human rights.
Peace One Day: In 1999, Jeremy founded Peace One Day, a non-profit organisation, and in 2001 Peace One Day’s efforts were rewarded when the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September – Peace Day. Peace One Day’s objective is to institutionalise Peace Day 21 September, making it a day that is self-sustaining, an annual day of global unity, a day of intercultural cooperation on a scale that humanity has never known.
Peace Crane Project: 84 countries joined us for the Peace Crane Project in 2013. We are on a quest to have one million children join us in 2014. You can help us to reach our goal!
Playing for Change: an incredible group of musicians who travel the globe using music as a catalyst for social change.
Recipeace: Recipeace is a social movement that brings people together over food. The intent is to build awareness for Peace Day on a global scale, while inspiring peaceful action on an individual level.
ThaPeaceMob.com: Do you want to be part of a global dance wave celebrating peace? Are you ready to get your groove on for peace? Do you want to send the message that Peace is cool? If you answered, YES, then get your dancin shoes ready for thaPeaceMob, International Day of Peace, September 21, 2014.
We the World, 11 Days of Global Unity.
Compassion It: COMPASSION IT is a nonprofit and global social movement that inspires compassionate actions and attitudes. Compassion It believes that when you “compassion it” in your daily life, you can positively impact the entire world.
Closing
Andrew Himes (Executive Director of the Charter). Conversations were inspiring! Invites everyone to join the Charter for Compassion as members.
