Bringing together voices from all cultures and religions, the Charter for Compassion seeks to remind the world we already share the core principles of compassion. The Charter for Compassion is the result of Karen Armstrong?s 2008 TED Prize wish and made possible by the generous support of the Fetzer Institute. It was unveiled to the world on November 12, 2009. The Charter of Compassion is a cooperative effort to restore not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life. Compassion is the principled determination to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, and lies at the heart of all religious and ethical systems. One of the most urgent tasks of our generation is to build a global community where men and women of all races, nations and ideologies can live together in peace. In our globalized world, everybody has become our neighbor, and the Golden Rule has become an urgent necessity. The Charter, crafted by people all over the world and drafted by a multi-fath, multi-national council of thinkers and leaders, seeks to change the conversation so that compassion becomes a key word in public and private discourse, making it clear that any ideology that breeds hatred or contempt ~ be it religious or secular ~ has failed the test of our time. It is not simply a statement of principle; it is above all a summons to creative, practical and sustained action to meet the political, moral, religious, social and cultural problems of our time. The Resource Network is a business partner of the Charter for Compassion. . Compassion is one of the most important and critical concerns in the world. It is a common unifying principle and espoused parctice among all the great traditions in history. More vigorous than empathy, compassion gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. (Formerly Compassion Action Network (CAN)) The Charter for Compassion International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN# 46-3554077. (Sources: Charter for Compassion; ResNet contributor Rick Rodgers)

‍