Toronto Celebrates Charter for Compassion

(November 20, 2009) – Toronto residents took part in the launch of the Charter for Compassion last week by holding lectures, discussions, film screenings, reflective walks and dedicating weekly sermons to the topic of compassion.

The Charter for Compassion, officially launched on November 12, is a 330-word document that was crafted by people from all walks of life, nationalities, beliefs and backgrounds with the intent to unify, inspire and bring compassion back into the heart of society.

The Charter initiative was funded out of the Ted Prize, awarded every year to three “exceptional individuals,” and includes $100,000 and the granting of “one wish.”

Karen Armstrong, winner of the 2008 TED prize, had the wish “that you would help with the creation, launch and propagation of a Charter for Compassion crafted by the three Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and based on the fundamental principle of The Golden Rule.”

Events to commemorate the launch of the Charter took place across the globe from Australia and South Africa to Argentina and Thailand with more than 100 partner organizations.

To celebrate the launch, Muslim Presence Toronto, one of the many world-wide partner organizations, produced a large ‘Wall of Compassion’ banner which sought to remind people that they already share the core principles of compassion.

“I am very inspired by the Charter for Compassion which is centered on the Golden rule – ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” says Afaun Mandol of Muslim Presence Toronto, organizer of the Wall of Compassion.

“We will be asking those who agree with the statement to pledge to integrate it into their life by signing the Wall of Compassion.”

On the day of the launch, November 12, the Tikkun Toronto group met at noon in the heart of High Park, the city’s largest park, in a labyrinth shadowed by a grove of oak trees.

The Charter for Compassion was read and the group took part in a reflective walk of the labyrinth and affirmed the Charter by signing of the Wall of Compassion.

Later that evening, Scarboro Foreign Missions, another partner organization featured a premier presentation of ‘Animating the Golden Rule,’ a new documentary film by Tina Petrova, followed by an interfaith panel discussion on compassion at the Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Toronto. Muslim Presence Toronto also took part in the gathering and invited attendees to sign the Wall of Compassion.

Around the city, the Muslim Friday sermons on November 13 were dedicated to the topic of mercy and compassion.

At the Anatolia Islamic Centre in Mississauga, Taha Ghayyur reminded the congregation in his Khutba (sermon) of the importance of compassion and mercy in the Islamic sources.

“It’s interesting to note that God uses the word Rahma, meaning compassion and mercy in Arabic, and its derivatives 326 times in the Quran,” he said.

“Allah did not limit His Mercy to those who believe in Him only and the Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, shared his compassion with his neighbours and anyone he saw as disadvantaged, oppressed or needy in the community, regardless of his or her faith,” Ghayyur added.

He challenged the audience to engage in sharing and compassionate works.

“If God and His Prophet didn’t limit their mercy and compassion, what is holding us back from sharing our humanity?” he said. ”Borrowing a phrase from Piero Ferrucci, we should be concerned about the ‘global cooling’ of relations, in a world where genuine love, compassion, care, and warmth are quickly fading.”

In the east end of Toronto, Irshad Osman delivered the Khutba at the Danforth Islamic Centre, and invited the congregation to reflect on the Allah’s Mercy and Compassion for all of His creation.

“The earth we live in, the air we breathe, the nature we enjoy, the rain we benefit from are all signs of Allah’s Mercy,” he said. “These bounties in nature are not solely for us; but for every living being on earth.”

Osman then spoke of living the ethic of reciprocity in all aspects of daily life.

“For our family, friends and relatives let us live by the Prophetic advice, ‘Love; you will be loved; Forgive; you will be forgiven’; for people in need, ‘Help them as you would like to be helped’; and for relating to fellow human beings, he invoked the Qur’anic verse, ‘Treat them with kindness and justice.’

Delivering the Friday Khutba in the historic Hart House building of the University of Toronto, Muneeb Nasir reminded the congregation of the urgent need for a focus on compassion in an increasingly fractured world.

“While we are all connected as never before in human history – electronically, economically and politically – we are experiencing disconnectedness,” he said.

“We have a choice – we can choose to be bystanders, throw our hands up and despair or we can choose to become aggressive and isolate ourselves or we can be courageous and cultivate relationships based on compassion.”

“Compassion which requires us to put ourselves into the place of the other requires courage; cowards need not apply,” he added.

Nasir then reminded the audience of the nature of the relationships that Islam wants Muslims to develop.

“Compassion is connected to our capacity to love – love for others what we love for ourselves – as the Prophet Muhammad advised in the famous tradition,” he said. “When we give of ourselves we must give of what we most love as Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘You will not attain piety until you give of what you love’.”

AFFIRM THE CHARTER -> www.charterforcompassion.org

Be more proactive – Monia Mazigh to Canadian Muslims

(November 17, 2009) – Canadian Muslims need to be more proactive when it comes to supporting other Canadians who are detained overseas, according Dr. Monia Mazigh.

Mazigh, the wife of Maher Arar, was a keynote speaker at the Inspired and Engaged Citizens: Canadian Muslim Conference held over the weekend in Hamilton, Ontario.

“A few individuals who were brave came forward,” she said about the Muslim community’s reaction to her husband’s situation. “After 9/11 organizations were so afraid.”

Monia Mazigh fought relentlessly for the release of her husband after he was accused of being a terrorist by the United States and sent to Syria where he was tortured and held without charge for over a year before being returned to Canada.

“After Maher Arar came back, more people started to speak out,” she added.

She thinks this is not enough and Canadian Muslims should have been more outspoken.

The day-long conference featured an all-female panel of speakers and drew over 500 delegates from Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area.

Sessions dealt with the importance of civic engagement, interfaith relations and dialogue, the education system and youth identity.

Dr. Mazigh also advised the community and mosques to ask themselves some tough questions in the case of the young people in the Toronto 18 terror case.

“In the mosques, did they fail these kids?” she said. ‘There is a lot of lack of leadership.”

“Offer young people alternatives – to think, read, and open their minds,” she added.

Another keynote speaker was Zarqa Nawaz, the creator and executive producer of the CBC show Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Prominently featured at the conference was a large Wall of Compassion that celebrated the world-wide launch of the Charter for Compassion on November 12.

The Charter which seeks to restore the message of the Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – was created collaboratively by people around the globe via the Internet and then refined by a team of religious leaders and thinkers from all faiths.

Conference attendees were invited to affirm their support of the Charter by signing the Wall of Compassion.

 

Religious leaders: ‘Commit to living a life of compassion’

(November 12, 2009) – Karen Armstrong, winner of the 2008 TED prize, along with religious leaders from around the world, gathered today at the National Press Club to unveil the Charter for Compassion (www.charterforcompassion.org).

The Charter is a single document, endorsed by HH the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu among others.

It was crafted by people from all walks of life, nationalities, beliefs and backgrounds with the intent to unify, inspire and bring compassion back into the heart of society.

Compassion is the principled determination to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, and is often referred to as the Golden Rule – a tenet that is central to all major religions.

At the unveiling, Ms. Armstrong, and religious leaders, called upon the world to make a commitment to living a life of compassion.

Over 60 Charter for Compassion Plaques, designed by Yves Behar and his team at fuseproject, will be hung in significant religious and secular locations around the world, in cities such as New York, Cairo, London, Ramallah, Melbourne, and Buenos Aires.

The design focuses on the power and meaning of the Charter’s words rather than purely the form. Consisting of sustainable maple, simple construction and laser-engraving, the plaques have a unique and iconic design reflective of the key messaging of Karen Armstrong. The text can be viewed at www.charterforcompassion.org.

As Ms. Armstrong explains, “Compassion is not the feeling of good will or pity. Instead it is the principled determination to put ourselves into the place of the other [that] lies at the heart of all truly religious and ethical systems.”

The final text of The Charter, unveiled today, calls upon all men and women
to restore compassion to the center of morality and religion.

Events to commemorate the launch of the Charter are taking place across the globe from Australia and South Africa to Argentina and Thailand with more than 100 partner organizations today and in the following week.

They include everything from art exhibits and film screenings to small lectures and large conferences.

Religious leaders will be giving services on compassion and the Charter in houses of worship this following weekend, November 13-15.

Affirmers of the Charter hail from near and far and include luminaries such as Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Sheikh Ali Gomaa, Professor Tariq Ramadan, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Candido Mendes, Jody Williams, Deepak Chopra and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, as well as cultural icons Meg Ryan, Vusi Mahlasela, and Salman Ahmad.

Charter for Compassion

A call to bring the world together…

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others – even our enemies – is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings, even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.

AFFIRM THE CHARTER -> www.charterforcompassion.org

 

Countdown to Charter for Compassion begins

(November 1, 2009) – Today, TED.com released six short talks on compassion from six different perspectives — from a Rabbi, an Imam, a Reverend, a Tenzin, a Swami and a secular voice of compassion.

These short talks are being presented prior to the launch of the Charter for Compassion on November 12.

“We hope these talks inspire you so that in the week following the launch, thousands of services on the nature of compassion will be preached all over the world … thousands of discussions will be held around dinner tables … thousands of ideas will be shared,” according to a release from TED.com and charterforcompassion.org

In February 2008, British religious scholar, Karen Armstrong, won the TED Prize and called for the creation of a Charter for Compassion to bring together people of different religions and moral codes in a powerful common cause.

The Charter launches November 12, accompanied by thousands of self-organized events, services and sermons.

In the short talks, the six speakers bear witness to the fact that compassion and the Golden Rule lie at the heart of all religion and all morality.

“Be ready for a surprise. Compassion is not the soft, fuzzy notion you might expect. Indeed, it might just be the best idea humanity’s ever had,” TED.com said.

“Our work is only just beginning. After the launch on November 12, we begin the challenging task of translating the Charter for Compassion into practical action to heal our torn world. That requires each one of us to meditate deeply on the meaning and challenge of compassion and make it central to our own lives. These six speakers will give us food for thought as ~ together ~ we embark on our endeavour to create a more compassionate world.”

To view short talks go to: www.ted.com or www.charterforcompassion.org

Charting Compassion – Treat others as you would wish to be treated

(October 21, 2009) – On February 28, 2008, well-known religious historian and author, Karen Armstrong won the TED Prize and made a wish: for help creating, launching and propagating a Charter for Compassion.

Karen Armstrong’s Wish: “I wish that you would help with the creation, launch and propagation of a Charter for Compassion, crafted by a group of leading inspirational thinkers from the three Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and based on the fundamental principles of universal justice and respect.”

Since that day well over 150,000 people from over 180 countries participated in the course of the six weeks so that on November 12, 2009 the Charter will be unveiled to the world.

The Council of Conscience, a multi-faith, multi-national group of religious thinkers and leaders, reviewed and sorted through all the world’s contributions to craft the final Charter. They continue to be vigorous supporters and advocates for the Charter and its message.

The Council of Conscience includes Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Professor Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University; Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST); Professor Mohsen Kadivar , the distinguished Shi’i Muslim thinker and visiting professor of Religion at Duke University; Anglican Archbishop emeritus and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu. (see: Council of Conscience)

Armstrong’s work is to establish a document that would bring attention back to the principles of universal justice and respect that are central to all the world’s great religions.

Each faith has its version of the Golden Rule, she explains — always treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself — and those “others” include all the peoples of the Earth, not just our own familiar community, religious congregation or group of friends.

Compassion, as Armstrong explains, is not the feeling of good will or pity.

Instead, she says, “it is . . . the principled determination to put ourselves into the place of the other [that] lies at the heart of all truly religious and ethical systems.”

When the Charter is unveiled on November 12th, a week of celebratory activities will take place around the world – in places of religious worship, public spaces, schools, universities and workplaces.

Across the world, many partner organizations are already planning events and activities to demonstrate their commitment to spreading the message of the Charter for Compassion. (See: Partner organizations).

You are invited you to take part.

##

ABOUT THE TED PRIZE

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It is an annual conference which brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes). TED.com makes the best talks and performances, the ideas worth spreading, from TED available to the public, for free. The TED Prize is designed to leverage the TED Community’s exceptional array of talent and resources. It is awarded annually to three exceptional individuals who each receive $100,000 and, much more important, the granting of “One Wish to Change the World.”

The Fetzer Prize for Love & Forgiveness awarded to Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu

(September 27, 2009) – The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu were awarded the Fetzer Institute’s Prize for Love and Forgiveness on Sunday at the 2009 Peace Summit in Vancouver.

Each will receive a $100,000 monetary prize to support their work and they both were presented a handcrafted, inscribed journal.

The Archbishop Emeritus was unable to attend in person and his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, accepted the prize on his behalf.

The Institute’s Prize honors the courage and persistence with which the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have both worked to bring love, compassion and forgiveness to all that they do, as well as their ability to inspire these same impulses in others around the world.

“Love, compassion and forgiveness have the power to change, the power to heal and the power to transform any situation—no matter how violent or troubled—into something that is generative and life-giving,” said Tom Beech, president and CEO of the Institute.

“The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu are renowned, revered, respected and loved the world over. In giving this award, the Fetzer Institute celebrates their humanity and the consistency with which their lives stand for compassion in the face of isolation, love in the face of fear and forgiveness in the face of violence.”

As part of the Fetzer Institute’s work to promote the awareness of the power of love, forgiveness and compassion, the Institute is the primary sponsor of the Charter for Compassion, a collaborative effort to build a peaceful and harmonious global community.

The Charter is the result of noted author and scholar Karen Armstrong’s one wish to change the world.

The Charter for Compassion will be unveiled formally in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 12, 2009.