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The Parliament

In August of 2023, the Parliament of the World’s Religions returns to the birthplace of the modern interfaith movement after 30 years away to celebrate 130 years of history in the city of Chicago. Parliament Convenings attract participants from more than 200 diverse religious, indigenous, and secular beliefs and more than 80 nations.

Registrants enjoy access to all the plenary sessions, hundreds of breakout sessions, art & cultural exhibits, performances, a film festival, and countless opportunities to connect with individuals and organizations committed to justice, peace, and sustainability at the world’s largest and most inclusive interfaith conference.

The 1st Parliament of the World’s Religions, hosted at the historic World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, brought together people of faith from around the world. Some like Anagārika Dharmapāla, A.G. Bonet-Maury, and Swami Vivekananda traveled for months and across continents to serve as representatives of their faiths, and many more journeyed over weeks, through countries, and across oceans to attend what would become the birthplace of the modern interfaith movement.

The 8th Parliament of the World’s Religions, hosted for the first time virtually, brought together people of faith from around the world in an instant.

The virtual Parliament served as a safe way to gather the world’s global interfaith movement and celebrate the enduring spirit and work of religious and spiritual communities striving toward a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.

 

The Parliament and the Charter for Compassion

In 2014, The Parliament of the World’s Religions and the Charter for Compassion announced their strategic partnering for collaboratively supporting the Compassionate Cities movement around the world. 

Since then, the Charter for Compassion has gathered for the Compassion Banquet during the Parliament and recognized some of the most extraordinary and honorable people with a presentation of its annual Karen Armstrong Humanitarian Awards. We will do the same at this year’s Parliament, with our Compassion Banquet being scheduled on August 16. Awardees in the past have included Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and current Chair of The Elders, author Isabel Wilkerson, Buddhist teacher Roshi Joan Halifax, and Krista Tippett, American journalist, author, and entrepreneur. In the next weeks, we will be announcing this year’s awardees in our newsletter, one honoree each week. 

In true compassion for all life, our Banquet will be vegan. Come join us at the Banquet on Wednesday, August 16 at 5 pm, and hear from the founder of the Charter for Compassion, Karen Armstrong.Our invocation will be sung by the Interfaith Amigos, and we will enjoy musical renditions from Pato Banton and Antoinette Rootsdawtah.  Click here to purchase your ticket.

 

Here is a recording of Karen Armstrong's address at the 2021 Parliament:

 

The 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions

Will be hosted in McCormick Place Lakeside Center (2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616) from August 14-18, 2023.

 

Charter for Compassion Parliament Track

General Timeline

InterSpirituality: Its Meaning, Significance and Practice
Tuesday August 15, 2023 from 08:00 AM to 09:30 AM (USA, Chicago Time) Hall E - Room 15

In this session, our presenters engage in a conversation on the history, meaning, and significance of the emerging Interspiritual paradigm. Special attention is given to Brother Wayne Teasdale who coined the term “InterSpirituality,” and to Father Thomas Keating whose interspiritual gatherings included expert meditators from many traditions.  We will also experience a holistic, non-sectarian “InterSpiritual Meditation” process that honors spiritual, ethnic, gender, and cultural diversity. This process is designed to help individuals to create a personal contemplative process by harnessing their own spiritual learning styles. Based on the contemplative wisdom of the world’s great contemplative traditions, this seven-step process guides each person to create a personalized non-sectarian meditation leading to:

  1. Happiness,
  2. Gratitude,
  3. Transformation,
  4. Love and compassion,
  5. Mindfulness,
  6. Wisdom, and
  7. Service to others.

Following the meditation, the interspiritual questions and perspectives of the attendees are welcomed.

Panelists

Marilyn Turkovich, Executive Director of the International Charter for Compassion.

Ed Bastian, Moderator, Founder, Spiritual Paths Foundation, Author “InterSpiritual Meditation”,“Mandala”, “Living Fully Dying Well,” professor of Buddhism and Mindfulness.

Jeanette Banashak, Co-founder/Co-director, Spiritual Guidance Training Institute (SGTI), Faculty, Erikson Institute, Author of “Mindful Pilgrimage.”

Rory McEntee, Co-Founder, Charis Foundation for New Monasticism and Interspirituality. Author of “New Monasticism: A Manifesto for Contemplative Living.”

Alejandra Warden, Founder of Essential Oneness, InterSpiritual Mentor, Author of “Remembrance: A Vision of the Sacred Feminine and Renewal of the Earth.”

Jeff Genung, Managing Director of Prosocial World, co-founder of Contemplative Life, and Transformation 365.org, exemplar of Interspirituality.


Where the Circles Meet: Circles of Trust and Co-Creative Teams
Tuesday August 15, 2023 from 03:00 PM to 04:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

This presentation will bring together the inspiration of Parker Palmer and Barbara Marx Hubbard to illustrate a Way forward.  In Circles of Trust, we learn “trust” as the foundation for every relationship and the meadow wherein solutions and healing lies.  In Co-Creative Teams we learn how to come together around the major issues of our time, globally and locally, to solve collectively those issues in a spirit of partnership, collaboration, and cooperation.  In the Circle we lean into unconditional love and compassion.  In the Co-Creative team we lean into a hopeful path forward.  Together Circles of Trust and Co-Creative Teams work synergistically to enable soul to move both inward, reclaiming trust, and outward, with healing and solutions.

Presenters

Dr. Gard Jameson, Professor, entrepreneur, Charter for Compassion Board of Trustees, founder, Compassionate Las Vegas


Universal Healing: Awakening the Heart of Humanity
Tuesday August 15, 2023 from 05:00 PM to 06:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

The Heart of Humanity is an Ocean of infinite Love and Peace. It is now time for Universal Healing: awakening to this one Heart, so that we may all be healed. Just as we can open up to the same sky through windows of different shapes and colors, there are many pathways to awakening and healing.

This unique workshop encompasses healing traditions from different religions and cultures. Using the seven chakras as windows to Love and Peace, inspired presenters will offer insights and practices to purify and heal our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy fields. They will serve us by facilitating the clearing up of blocks that come in the way of reclaiming oneness with infinite Love and Peace.

This session will include breath work, chanting, meditation, art work and spiritual exercises.

Our intention is to awaken our higher consciousness so that we may connect to the other through the heart, and be of authentic service to God's magnificent creation.

Panelists

All presenters are a part of the Charter for Compassion’s RISE (Religion, Interfaith, Spirituality for Everyone) Sector

Kiran Bali, MBE JP, OBE, Hindu Faith Leader, former chair URI Global Trustees

Rev. Jan Chase, minister of Unity Church, part of Unity’s National Interfaith team, Compassionate Pomona, CA

Steve Kramer, interfaith minister, poet, artist, sector coordinator for Charter for Compassion’s Environment Sector

Donna Mills,  Founder of HumanWell Integrative Healing and Wellness, certified caring economy advocate and practitioner through Riane Eisler’s, Center for Partnership Studies, Compassionate Coeur d’Alene

Imam Jamal Rahman, speaker on Islam, Sufi spirituality, interfaith relations, part of the Interfaith Amigos, Charter for Compassion Board of Trustees

Girish Shah, one of the founders of the Jain Center of Northern California, founder of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council, one of the founders of Compassionate Napa Valley

Morgana Sythove, Wiccan priestess, international coordinator for PFI/Pagan Federation International, Compassionate Netherlands

Arun Wakhlu, Founder Director and Chief Mentor of Pragati Leadership Institute, Pune, India, Charter for Compassion Board of Trustee


Ubuntu – I AM Because WE ARE, WE ARE Because I AM
Wednesday August 16, 2023 from 08:00 AM to 09:30 AM (USA, Chicago Time)

This documentary was produced in 2022 by award winning filmmaker, Kudzai Itinago of Zimbabwe, and Emmy-nominated, Pato Banton.  Spanning twelve nations of Africa, from Kenya to Senegal, from Ethiopia to South Africa, the producers have sought to bring forward the greatest insight that humanity has ever had, representing the culture of Sub Saharan Africa, UBUNTU.  The idea for the film was inspired by Professor Setilione, during the 1999 Parliament in Cape Town, where he shared the vision of Ubuntu.  The time is ripe for the world to hear, digest, and manifest this soul-filled message:  I AM Because WE ARE, WE ARE because I AM, UBUNTU.  Along the journey you will hear indigenous voices of wisdom, including Deogratias Niyizonkiza of Burundi, Prince Abimbola Abuderin of Nigeria,URI Ambassador Mussie Hailu of Ethiopia.You will hear and see UBUNTU manifest in African culture, providing a way out of our present confusion.

Presenter

Pato Banton, musician, facilitator, social justice advocate


The Mayor’s Panel on Compassionate Cities
Wednesday August 16, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 00:00 AM/PM (USA, Chicago Time)

“A compassionate city is an uncomfortable city! A city that is uncomfortable when anyone is homeless or hungry. Uncomfortable if every child isn’t loved and given rich opportunities to grow and thrive. Uncomfortable when as a community we don’t treat our neighbors as we would wish to be treated.” -Karen Armstrong, Founder of the global movement, The Charter for Compassion Charter for Compassion

No single community in the world is a Compassionate Community in any abstract or formal sense, just as no community is devoid of compassion. Each community finds its own path to establishing compassion as a driving and motivating force, and each conducts its own evaluation of what is “uncomfortable” in that community’s unique culture—that is, those issues that cause pain and suffering to members of the community.

This panel, chaired by San Antonio, TX mayor interacts with a panel of international mayors whose cities have either affirmed the Charter for Compassion or are working with local community teams towards that goal.

Additional mayors may join this panel based on their availability.

Panel Facilitator

Mayor Ron Niremberg, Compassionate San Antonio, TX, USA

Mayor Tim Sandoval, Compassionate Pomona, CA, USA

Mayor David West, Compassionate Richmond Hills, ON, Canada

 

Please visit Charter for Compassion, Compassionate San Antonio, Compassionate Nuevo Leon-Mexico, Compassionate Pomona, and Compassionate York Region


Moving from Stress to Connection
Wednesday August 16, 2023 from 03:00 PM to 04:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

There’s a community in California that has taken stress seriously. It’s one thing for an individual to take a proactive stance toward dealing with stress and trauma but when a whole community addresses these inevitable aspects of life it’s something to pay attention to. Pomona California is an mid-sized town with enormous challenges yet an enlightened openness that’s rare in this world. Schools, police, mental health, and faith-based institutions have embraced a set of cognitive and physiological techniques and processes that enhance self-awareness, connection to others, and mental well-being in a way that has taken people by surprise. This session explores abstract concepts such as human values, breath, awareness, and self-care through a set of question-based exercises and interactive processes which take people by surprise. We take a close look at how one community has addressed mental health and nurturing a deeper connection to self and others in this time of great need.

This workshop relates to the theme by addressing how we can equip our youth with tangible tools to manage their minds, emotions and the stress and trauma in their lives.

Solid mental health is a birthright of each human being. In these days of increasing suicidal tendencies and anxiety among youth knowing methods that actually work to alleviate anxiety and address the increased stress and trauma in young peoples lives our conscience tells us that we must provide these tools to every young person in society. One community has done this for over 12 years to its youth through its public schools and the rest of the community is embracing these tools for adult populations as well.

Panelists

Rev. Jan Chase, Compassionate Pomona

Bill Herman, International Director of SKY schools


Compassionate USA
Wednesday August 16, 2023 from 03:00 PM to 04:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

Abstract: Compassionate USA is a learning journey designed to teach selfcompassion and community well-being that honors common humanity and affirms the beauty of our differences. As a project it seeks to help people develop foundational skillsets, a shared vocabulary, and common practice for all people to ultimately decrease violence and trauma and increase individual and collective healing. Announced in January 2023 by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and San Antonio Mayor, Ron Nuremberg and launched at the US Conference of Mayor’s Meeting in June 2023, Compassionate USA is an opportunity to address our common humanity as a Nation and to provide tools to bring about compassion in action across the country,. It is hoped that this USA compassionate model will serve as an opportunity for other countries to create a model based on their own needs.

Compassionate USA is a learning experience that includes videos, activities, resources and a toolkit. It is offered in six parts:

  1. Compassionate Systems: teaches learners how to approach systems such as families, schools, faith communities and governments with compassion.
     
  2. Collective Trauma and Collective Healing will help learners to recognize shared experiences of trauma and how we can heal together.
     
  3. Common Humanity celebrates our differences and recognizes our deep interconnectedness. Charter for Compassion
     

Parliament of World Religions Track

  1. Compassion for Others introduces skills that encourage learners’ to act in ways that reduce harm/suffering and increase well-being for others
     
  2. Emotional Awareness develops practices for creating greater sense of inner calm and more mindful interaction with others.
     
  3. Self-Compassion helps applies principles of compassion to oneself.

Panelists

Mayor Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio, TX

Ann Helmke, co-founder, Compassionate San Antonio, TX

 

Please visit Compassionate USA and Charter for Compassion: Communities


Discovering the Universal Wisdom Experience
Thursday August 17, 2023 from 08:00 AM to 09:30 AM (USA, Chicago Time)

This session is an opportunity to share our direct spiritual experiences, and discover the golden thread of universal wisdom and truth principles within all religious traditions. We will be using the book "Unity and the World’s Religions" by Paul John Roach, who will be one of our presenters. How do we find the truth in all paths? What are the connecting links between faiths? How can we use this understanding to contribute to greater harmony and collaboration in the world? Through presentations and small group sharing, we will find a deep unity with each other.

As we do this work together through reflection, meditation, and conversation, participants will experience a call to action and a deeper understanding and respect of the essential commonalities in other spiritual traditions. Therefore, this new perspective will open the way to a shift in consciousness that brings freedom from fear of differences.

Panelists

Rev. Victoria Etachemendy, Unity Minister

Rev. Paul John Roach, Unity Minister

Rev. Valerie Mansfield, Unity Minister

Rev. Jan Chase, Unity Minister


Tools of Self Realization
Thursday August 17, 2023 from 01:00 PM to 02:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

The goal of the Triple Fold Path of Tam Công in the CaoDai Faith is to help achieve inner and outer peace and liberation through the simultaneous practice of service, self-cultivation and meditation.

Service provides physical, emotional, spiritual well-being to All.

Self-cultivation, a continuous skillful processing of emotions, improves our  actions in love and harmony.

Meditation constitutes a necessary exercise to discover our Divine essence.

This concurrent exoteric and esoteric approach is open to and achievable by all women and men, realizing human equity.

These concepts will be explained in details by CaoDai leaders, followed by reflections from representatives of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the New Thought. We will explore the universality of the CaoDai principles and their relevance to people of all faiths or no faiths.

Panelists

Dang But, RuthBrRehan, International Cao Dai Leader, Interfaith Leader, and former Compassionate Cities Leader (Pomona & San Diego County)

Ruth Broyde-Sharone, Jewish Author, Filmmaker (God and Allah Need to Talk), Interfaith Leader

Rev. Jan Chase, Unity Minister, Compassionate Pomona Convener

Rev. Hoang Le, Cao Dai Leader

Rehana Mowjood, Muslim Interfaith Leader


Beyond the Box: When Religion Limits, How Can We Use It as a Stepping-Stone to a Mystical / Experience?
Thursday August 17, 2023 from 03:00 PM to 04:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

The intention of this diverse panel of interfaith leaders is to shine a light of consciousness around the question of:  What happens when our Religious beliefs, the very ones that gave us freedom; become oppressing and limiting? How can we take the box of our Religion, and shift it to being a stepping-stone of our spiritual unfoldment and mystical experience?

Religion is important to teach morals, values, ritual, but in today’s world but it can become the very thing that keeps us from becoming all we can be. Learn to use the box and stand on it – to go into the more mystical understanding of our faith – to fulfill our potential.

Each panelist has had their own experience of going beyond. The Panel will share, and there will be opportunities for personal reflection and larger group discussion. They will also examine how using the deepest emotional suffering/pain to enter the depth of our being, can open doorways to the enormity of our Being.

Panelists

Rev. Jan Chase, Unity Minister

Rev. Aliza Bloom Robinson, Unity Minister

Ruth Broyde Sharone, Jewish filmmaker, activist

Azim Khamisa, Sufi Muslim, Author, Speaker, Youth Restorative Practices, Founder of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation

William (Bill) Herman, Hindu practicianer, International Director of SKY Schools


Compassion Tree Project
Thursday August 17, 2023 from 05:00 PM to 06:30 PM (USA, Chicago Time)

The Compassion Tree Project (CTP) took root the year before the pandemic hit the world and we are looking forward to expanding our efforts toward re-greening the world. Our goal is to have CTPs on every faith/interfaith/spiritual campus, on every school and university campus, in cities and communities world-wide - even in one's own backyard. A member of the Charter for Compassion's Environment Sector Team will tell you more about the CTP and guide you into starting your own. Our goal is to plant 7.7 billion trees around the world. We have two organizational partners helping us with our efforts - Green World Campaign (Kenya) and Community Green Engagement (Cameroon). Some of our Compassionate Cities have already begun - two Sister Cities challenging one another in their tree planting efforts. The CTP is not only about planting trees, but working toward protecting already existing forests, especially old growth forests as well as initiating native landscapes, including pollinators.

The CTP "raise(s) hope and empower(s) people of faith and goodwill in addressing the foundational issue of our time; the threat to freedom and human rights and the rise of autocracy in our world" by encouraging people to come together and work toward engaging in compassion for our people and our planet by protecting our forests, restoring biodiversity and engaging women and youth in the process of planting native plants and trees to improve air and soil quality, improve living conditions, provide nutrition and medicines, help to stabilize the water cycles, provide income opportunities and a sense of purpose for the people - and as reminders of the responsibility we have to future generations to leave them with a planet that will sustain them.

Information about the CTP will be provided via slide presentation. Examples of existing CTP's will also be shown via slide presentation. These will be followed by Q&A and information on how to start one's own CTP.

Presenter

Kate Tnka, Environment Sector, Charter for Compassion

 

Please visit The Compassion Tree Project and (Video 5) The Compassion Tree Project. Monterrey, Mexico.


Planting Compassion for Our World – A Tree, a Bee and Me!
Friday August 18, 2023 from 08:00 AM to 09:30 AM (USA, Chicago Time)

Our ancestors knew intuitively that the physical world is alive both physically and spiritually, that trees and bees are like spirits forming a gigantic network connecting us all. Indeed, indigenouss cultures have not forgotten this truth. There is a vital energy, an all pervading, all eternal spirit, that flows through all of creation. We live in a fully dynamic world if we care to feel.. though most of the time we can hardly imagine. It has been so long since we held this awareness in our consciousness. Let us revive our ancient memory, delve deep into our sacredness of our own human-ness, and sow the seeds of compassion. Come and join us in...“

Panelists

Moderator: Marilyn Turkovich, E.D., Charter for Compassion

Donna Mills, RISE and Gender Partnership leads, Charter for Compassion

Kate Trnka, Environmentalist, Environment Sector, Charter for Compassion

Morgana Sythove, Wiccan Priestess, Global Trustee for URI


Catalyzing a Global Ethic of Cooperation in Service of Love
Friday August 18, 2023 from 01:00 PM to 02:30 AM (USA, Chicago Time)

Abstract: At the a previous Parliament of the World Religions in Chicago in 1993, Parliament Trustee Brother Wayne Teasdale wrote the following words.

We are rapidly entering an age that will be, perhaps, the decisive time for the Earth. It will be an age unlike any other in the issues it will resolve, in the direction it assumes, in the consciousness that guides it, and in the truly global civilization it will fashion. Nationalism and fanaticism will evaporate before the rising sun of a more universal identity discovered by the human family. Humankind will come of age and will outgrow these forms of association as doubtful luxuries no longer desirable or affordable.

Curiously it is the religions that are playing a central role in leading the world into this new age. It was Mahatma Gandhi who observed so prophetically that there would never be peace on Earth unless there was first peace among the religions.

Now a new paradigm of relationship is emerging as the barriers dividing the world's religions collapse. Faced with the same critical issues threatening all of us, i.e., the ecological crisis, escalating violence, economic instability, hunger and poverty, disease, the population explosion, racism etc., they have found a new mode of cooperation, and through their collaboration, the possibility of genuine community among the traditions. I think, with the Parliament or the World's Religions has a sacred responsibility to create the conditions for formulating, spreading, and implementing the new vision.

It was at the 1993 event that the Parliament released its signature document Towards A Global Ethic. In alignment with the Parliament’s vision, the human family in general, and the community of religious traditions in particular, need to align on a shared identity and purpose.

These panelists represent global networks that are committed to conscious unity and peace. Each organization is based on a foundation of ethics, principles, and universal elements that can serve as a catalyst for the evolution of consciousness to bring communities and networks together toward a common aim.

 

This panel will discuss the foundational principles of each organization with the aim of finding common ground. Moreover, they will explore how increased cooperation between these networks can begin a process of cultural and spiritual catalysis toward a truly global ethic and a civilization of love.

Parliament of World Religions - Towards A Global Ethic Charter for Compassion – The Charter United Religions Initiative – Purpose and Principles Prosocial Spirituality – Ostrom’s Core Design Principles and Teasdale’s 9 Elements Brahama Kumaris – Eight Powers

Panelists

Marilyn Turkovich, ED Charter for Compassion

Stephen Avino, ED Parliament of the World Religions

Jeff Genung, ED Prosocial World (Moderator) Charter for Compassion

Jerry White, ED United Religions Initiative

Sister Gayatri, Brahma Kumaris, UN representative


Workshops and Panels Devoted to Education

Offering #1: Teaching youth nonviolent leadership and Peace Building

The essence of this workshop is to share the mission and practices of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation (TKF)—to create safer  schools and communities through educating and inspiring children  in the restorative principles of accountability, compassion, forgiveness, and peacemaking. 

Integrity is defined as “soundness, incorruptibility and a firm adherence to a code of ethics.”  Our Integrity demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses in our character. People of integrity are honest and genuine in their dealings with others. People of integrity hold fast to their commitments, rather than their desires. We make many commitments to TKF, to ourselves and to our community. At TKF, we understand that at times these commitments are in conflict. At these times of conflict, we must work to remain steadfast to our true and deep commitments. We must bring these conflicts to the light and work with each other to resolve them. We strive to live a life of integrity.

Compassionate Confrontation is defined as “to bring face to face, to cause to meet, a clashing of ideas.” In the context of TKF, we believe in confrontation that occurs with compassion in order to achieve a higher understanding with mutually beneficial results. Compassionate confrontation requires compassionate listening. We understand that compassionate confrontation is a healthy ingredient to human interactions. Confrontation is honest. Confrontation creates opportunities for change. We embrace compassionate confrontation. We confront each other with a loving and compassionate intent.

Forgiveness is defined as “the act of giving up of resentment.” At TKF, we see forgiveness as a process, starting with the acknowledgement that we have been harmed. Through this pain, we tap into the power of forgiveness, the release of resentment. Ultimately, we reach out with love and compassion to the offender. We forgive others when they have wronged us. We forgive others who have wronged someone else. We ask for our own forgiveness when we have wronged others. We will not harbor feelings of resentment after forgiveness. We acknowledge that we are all human and at times will fail in forgiveness. We help each other to forgive, to accept forgiveness and to accept each other through the process. We strive to forgive.

In this session participants will experience the six principles of nonviolence:

  1. Violence Is real and it hurts everyone
     
  2. Actions have consequences
     
  3. We can all make good and nonviolent choices even when we are violated
     
  4. We can choose forgiveness over revenge
     
  5. Everyone including you deserves to be respected and treated well
     
  6. From Conflict you can create love and unity

Presenter

Azim N. Khamisa, founder and CEO, ANK Enterprises and the Tariq Khamisa Foundation (TKF)


Offering #2: Crossing Borders Education (CBE)
Tuesday August 15, 2023 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM (USA, Chicago Time) in Hall E Room 16

You are invited to participate in a workshop that explores topics of ‘Resilience, Creativity and Belonging’ through the art of story.  During three intentional and safe dialogue sessions, you will experience empathetic dialogue and storytelling activities that support you to connect deeply in small groups. 

CBE has engaged in four years of research and practiced and invented a unique Virtual Dialogue Methodology and piloted it throughout 2020-22 with multiple organizations including the University of Glasgow, the University of South California, Purdue University, the Erasmus Student Network and now with the Charter for Compassion. 

CBE created the Story Talk workshops to connect diverse individuals in warm, intimate, caring small groups that can be scaled in concentric circles to large groups.  Belonging is a key driving factor for overcoming a crisis.  CBE developed tools to build deep human social bond through which then Civic Imagination can arise naturally and be cultivated. Come experience ways to support your team, colleagues and associates, whether in an interfaith, student or organization.

Facilitators

Members of the Charter for Compassion staff and Charter sector leads


Offering #3: Transform Conflict into Unity

Teaching How to Achieve Peace, Prosperity and Purpose through the Practice of Forgiveness

Committing his life to halt the continuing cycle of violence among youth, Azim Khamisa became a social activist after his 20-year-old college student son Tariq was senselessly murdered while delivering pizzas in January 1995 by Tony Hicks, a 14-year-old gang member. Out of unspeakable grief and despair, Khamisa was inspired to transform his loss through the miraculous power of forgiveness.

This workshop addresses the importance of self-forgiveness — a much harder journey — from Tony’s journey of redemption. Through this experience you see that peace can only be obtained by not only forgiving people that have harmed you, but is important to forgive yourself as well. This experiental workshop sill explore the six principles on non-violence:

  1. Violence Is real and it hurts everyone
     
  2. Actions have consequences
     
  3. We can all make good and nonviolent choices even when we are violated
     
  4. We can choose forgiveness over revenge
     
  5. Everyone including you deserves to be respected and treated well
     
  6. From conflict you can create love and unity

Facilitator

Azim Khamisa, Founder and Chairperson of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation and Co-Founder of the Constant And Never Ending Improvement (CANEI) program


ProSocial Spirituality (Four Separate Sessions)

ProSocial Spirituality is a research-based program designed to meet the needs of 21st-century groups seeking both inner and outer change, it integrates evolutionary science and core design principles of ProSocial and evolutionary spirituality.

 

Panel #1: Prosocial Spirituality Introductory Workshop (schedule on day 1)

Would you like to come away from the PoWR with a practical toolkit that captures the essence of the Parliament? Does your group, organization, or community want to cultivate depth and breadth on both the inner and outer dimensions of life? Are you interested in exploring cultural evolution from both scientific and spiritual perspectives? 

If so, please join this first phase of a four-part immersion in Prosocial Spirituality. This collaboration between the Charter for Compassion and Prosocial World allows real-time exploration of Wayne Teasdale’s Nine Elements of Universal Spirituality and Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel Prize-winning Core Design Principles (CDPs) as co-developed by evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson, along with contemplative practices, music, poetry, and tools derived from Contextual Behavioral Science.

 

Panel #2: Prosocial Spirituality Open Forum (schedule on day 2)

You’re invited to be part of a small-group “Prosocial Pod” with whom you will co-create a shared Prosocial experience throughout the PoWR and beyond! This is the second phase of a four-part immersion experience. (You can jump in at any point!) Beginning with a basic introduction to Prosocial Spirituality, this workshop will be an interactive open forum.

This collaboration between the Charter for Compassion and Prosocial World allows real-time exploration of Wayne Teasdale’s Nine Elements of Universal Spirituality and Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel Prize-winning Core Design Principles (CDPs) as co-developed by evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson, along with contemplative practices, music, poetry, and tools derived from Contextual Behavioral Science.

 

Panel #3: Prosocial Spirituality Participatory Action Pods (schedule on day 3)

As part of a four-part immersion experience in Prosocial Spirituality, you’re invited to join a self-organized or randomly assigned small group. You and your “Prosocial Pod” will decide which activities to take part in–from fun scavenger hunts to deep listening circles. These relational, interactive Prosocial Pods will help make this a Parliament to remember. 

This collaboration between the Charter for Compassion and Prosocial World allows real-time exploration of Wayne Teasdale’s Nine Elements of Universal Spirituality and Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel Prize-winning Core Design Principles (CDPs) as co-developed by evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson, along with contemplative practices, music, poetry, and tools derived from Contextual Behavioral Science.

 

Panel #4: Prosocial Spirituality beyond the PoWR (schedule on day 4)

Prosocial Spirituality doesn’t end when the Parliament ends. As a newly established “group of groups”, all Prosocial Spirituality participants are invited to explore ongoing engagement within the communities of practice we establish together in Chicago. Post-Parliament collaboration will continue through Prosocial.World.

This collaboration between the Charter for Compassion and Prosocial World allows real-time exploration of Wayne Teasdale’s Nine Elements of Universal Spirituality and Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel Prize-winning Core Design Principles (CDPs) as co-developed by evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson, along with contemplative practices, music, poetry, and tools derived from Contextual Behavioral Science. 

Primary Category (see below) Faith and Interfaith Understanding

Secondary Category The Global Ethic Document

Write four keywords or “tags” that relate to the session (e.g. Racial Justice, Science, Democracy, etc.) Spirituality, Prosocial, Evolution, Science 

How does your session relate to the Parliament’s theme of A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights? The word ‘prosocial’ describes an orientation toward the welfare of others and society as a whole. This might be an attitude, a behavior, or an institution. It might be directed toward family and friends or the social acceptance of all people. Ultimately, Prosocial is an entire worldview.

Contact

Kate Sheehan Roach 
Susan Soleil

 

Please visit Charter for Compassion and Prosocial World

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