Compassion is a choice. Though it is innate, compassion comes into its own once we act upon it and release it in that action as a powerful force in the world, a snowball effect merging with and influencing other worthy acts of kindness. The Qur'an says "The parable of a good word is like a good tree, firmly rooted, reaching out with its branches towards the sky, yielding its fruit at all times by its Sustainer's leave." There is no wavering, no doubt, in that firmly rooted compassion - no doubt that peaceful coexistence and oneness is our origin as well as our destiny. When we implement this vision of compassion, it can spread, its impact can multiply, and it can reach higher and higher as do the branches of that strong and true tree to yield more abundant fruits of that compassion. To make the choice of harmony and coexistence viable for the future, we must embody this effort in our words and actions and pass it on as well as we can to our children and others we influence: in our everyday economic decisions, during our grocery shopping, and even (or especially!) in our media viewing and listening. We do have an effect on others' lives around the world, and our meaningful choices in acting with compassion is an acknowledgment of that fact. No word, thought, or act is too insignificant to be enhanced by compassion.

Check out today's news video of the San Diego man who lost his family after a plane crashed into his home. He bravely stands before the cameras and asks us to support the pilot whose plane just killed his wife and children, to think about what he must be going through. He does not blame the pilot. He knows it was not his fault, and that he did the best he could. As the Final Declaration comment period draws to a close, this man's story is moving millions of people around the world to goose bumps and tears. That is the power of compassion.

My offering: not perfect, half-baked, but still may be different enough to be of some use:- Our contemporary secular culture appears handicapped by its materialism. Many people around the world are beginning to see that beyond the political, economic, social and environmental problems our fundamental challenges are spiritual. Solve the spiritual problems and the solutions to the other problems will follow. Intuitively many of us turn to our ancient religious traditions for guidance. There we can discover not just guidance but also hope: hope in the understanding and conviction that in facing the world’s difficulties, all traditions speak with one voice: “The Golden Rule”. This, then, is not just a call for world peace in the shadow of impending disasters: it is a call to religious believers to look into the heart of their own traditions and rediscover the compassionate depth of their chosen religion and the joy, freedom and confidence that the path of compassion can bring. Here more than anywhere the great religions can lead by example. It is also a call to the secular world to reflect upon its humanist ideals and revitalise our definition of humanity. This Charter can be our first step in creating a new conversation.

As we dream it, so it is, and so it will be.

In the 21st century technological advances, widespread immigration, and international media have profoundly changed the landscape of human interaction. They have enabled contact without knowledge, information without context, and communication without community on a scale previously unknown. To meet the challenges that this new complexity presents to productive human relationships, we must as a world community embrace the living out of 'compassion.' Compassion, as it has been defined above in thought, in practice, and in exhortation, is an important part of all human philosophies. Now as we follow its call compassion will become a part of an international practice of good faith, assisting us in enriching our communication, preserving our relationships, and improving our communities.

We all live in this world together. The sun shines on all of us; winds respect no borders. We may frustrate, frighten and confound one another. But let us commit ourself not to harden those disagreements to into defining ideologies. Let us strive, not for an elusive certainty that leaves some human beings outside, but rather for an embrace of the contradictions and confusions we all experience. Let us celebrate each other's joys and grieve each other's sorrows. Compassion is our birthright, but it is not some kind of phony "making it nice"; it calls for our deepest and most fearless personal investigation. May our lives see relationships formerly constricted in judgment gradually eased and healed as they are transformed by compassion.

We, the undersigned, present this Charter for Compassion to the world and all its people as a bold call to action. Let all who sign this document and all who read it have the courage, conviction, and discipline to act in its spirit and in furtherance of its goals. Many inspirational words have been written throughout history, but not all have abounded in fruitful results. May the words of this Charter inspire us to live according to our highest calling: to love one another, come together and work together as one to create a better world for ourselves and for posterity -- that the fruit of the tree of the oneness of humanity may be tasted by all and enjoyed by all forever and always. Amen/Amin/Astu/So be it.

The Golden Rule takes rational precedence over the Platinum Rule because the way the Golden Rule plays out is that most people want to be treated with mutual tolerance and respect for having freely chosen the values, ideals, and beliefs that matter to them, even if these values, ideals, and beliefs are different from yours or mine. Empirically, there turns out to be a rather large set of commonly shared values, ideals,and beliefs, but their commonality is easily disguised by the cultural clothes they wear. It is no accident that the Golden Rule, and not the Platinum Rule, is a virtually universal proposition among faith traditions. As a monotheist and as a physician, I find that compassion opens the channel for meaningful connection, which then opens channels for inspiration, the elevation of dignity, and social trust. At an abstract level, radical empiricism and a theology of evolution are giving birth to a new worldview, a form of idealistic realism whose metabolic first principles include compassion and the Golden Rule, and this Charter for Compassion, however it may be worded,gives me hope and makes me proud to be alive.

The application of the Golden Rule begins within each person.Peace has to prevail inside us before being transcended outside us.Peace between 2 nations starts by Peace within each nation and each nation is composed of individuals.Then compassion towards others is basically crucial to attain peace in the world.When each individual, each community, each organization, each nation and all nations would have implemented the Golden Rule, We may as one people on earth consider the following conclusion: "They were englishspeakers, frenchspeakers,nederlandspaekers,arabspeakers,swahilispeakers,spanishspeakers,portugesespeakers,chinesespeakers,russianspeakers,japanesespeakers and some were just expressing themselves in their native language whatever it was.They were believers of God or Allah or whatever other name they could choose to have faith in.They were bound by the same nature:They were humans and throughout their History, they have been linked by the same destiny:They were born, they lived and they died. Some says they will come again while others believes they still live through Humanity that moves on and whatsoever. What is left behind is that we(new generation) have inherited from them the power to love, the power of love on one hand and on the other hand evil still persist.The application of these foundamentals(principles) is made through Religion. Religion is the basic effect of human spirit that divides us or reunite us .So far,division is the most common practice in the name of religion.Instead, religion should be a way to achieve happiness through compassion and love. Love is the real nature of GOD or Allah and the absolute and Golden law of Love is that:Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you. Man should not use religion to hurt his fellow human being. Unfortunately it's applicable in our world today. It's contrary to the nature of GOD. Forgiving and Educating people in need of understanding true religion is better than killing innocent people in the name of GOD or Allah. Because what is left behind is suffering caused by men. GOD do not want anyone to suffer but rather to experience true happiness sometimes after hardships and real troubles. so whatever our religion is, we should love one another and sustain each other when necessary. It's about time to apply our power of love and our power to love with full capacity. It's time to cross the borders of religions and be reunited as one familiy:A Human Family. It's time to recognize onother not as a christian, muslim, jew or boudhist, but simply as a child of GOD. It's time to make GOD Happy. For, He has been giving us so much priceless. Whenever it comes, As we passes through Financial crisis, Food crisis, Floods crisis, Climate crisis and so on, Let's together the future generation says of us: "We inherited from them the power of love and the power to love,Peace we got from them, joy and Happiness we got from them, we will ever love them, Amen" And to finalize with this prayer by D.De Haan "How great , O GOD your acts of Love! Your saving deeds would proclaim that generations yet to come may set their Hope in your Great Name."

As Rabbi Hillel said, the Golden Rule is the whole of the Torah, the rest is commentary. However, we must also look beyond the Golden Rule, learning that we must learn to treat others as THEY would want to be treated, which is sometimes called the Platinum Rule. We must try to understand the other person's opinions and ideas, but without looking through the lens of our own point of view. This is an extremely difficult thought process to take on, so indeed let us go for the Gold, but once there, we must try to think Platinum! Dialogue and action and humanising the other is the way to do this both between religions and with those of no religious belief. We are not only Muslims, Christians, Jews, etc. but we are mothers, fathers, football team supporters, lovers, idealists, sons and daughters...indeed we are siblings in the family of humanity.

Declaring the right for every citizen to claim an atmosphere in which people are positively affected by compassionate others, Urges the citizens of universe to bear in mind that we could also be right with our differences, that with our knowledge and sympathy for each other an immense community filled with energy of both the young and the elder, unbreakable friendship, love and trust can be founded, Emphasizing that all dreams excluding such with negative effects are entitled to be fulfilled no matter the personal identity of the dreamer, Further reminds that regarding the religions and cultures, we are endowed with own decision making wheter we want to live by it, depending on our level of commitment and self engagement, and not pressured by anyone else to make a certain choice, Reaffirms that there should definitely be no insulting one another just out of hatred, however, the critical comments should still exist in order to enhance something and that the freedom of speech should not be neglected, Reminds that the nature is still a part of what we are, that we should treat it with respect such as but not limited to: a) throwing rubbish into a bin, b) reusing what we can reuse, Decides to remain seized on this matter of compassion for everyone and a better tomorrow.

As many global citizens and also individuals each one of us is entitled to being able to dream and to fulfilling our dreams, personal identity being irrelevant. We also have the responsibility of supporting one another, treating others with fairness and justice just as we would like to be treated. In this world of 21st century where complexity, cruelness and rivalry rule, compassion is something that is rather rare to see. Competition of education between students, economic status between businessmen and women, the pressure we feel when we know that someone is more competent than us. These are like the blanket of carbon dioxide taking part in global warming and compassion is the radiation of sun: most of individuals like to be given compassion, but rarely gives compassion to others. I, as an individual, know that compassion is trapped in everyone's mind, eager to be let out but we cannot open ourselves to anymore, despite the fact that we do have someone who could sacrifice anything for us. It is rather hard to show benevolence or solid compassion in a cold world like this; however we are bound to be affected by someone who cares greatly about other people and who has time to help strangers in difficulty. Compassion is also like an organism: it grows. It begins small, like a seed. Start small. Have you ever sponsored a kid whose tuition fee does not take more than 10 dollars per month? Have you ever helped a kid get up after he’d fell down? The civil wars, conflicts and tension between countries and many other forms of hatred show how that the ideas of compassion and willingness to create peace leave our minds sooner or later. All religions have the same idea of respecting and treating others with love. How is it that we don’t feel guilty to our Gods, to Mother Earth that as dwellers on this planet and creations of our Gods? It is time that the Gods and Mother Earth should take a break, from worrying about our hatred towards each other. Hopefully this break will last forever.

The people of the world must come together and show their compassion. We are all brothers and sisters of this world. We need to help each, by showing compassion doing the small kindness of things to benefits others. Be clear and come to the terms that we all speak for the same reason, we must understand that we speak on behalf of all we say what we fell through our life, religion and family, what we believe in is what we must think before anything else, but in order to think like this we must let others think like this as well. We as a group should know that what we feel and what others feel are just as much as each other, we are one we are all the same, none of us are more than the one next to us. In order to respect this you must treat yourself as a whole and realize who you are, not what others want you to be, you must let others be as one, give them the compassion and let them speak on their own and let them say what they feel. Treat your neighbors as you want to be treated, give the care and respect that everyone needs in order for this world to get along. You may not look, feel, see the same as another but they are equal to you. Let us not judge people by who they are, or their race, color, gender, lifestyle, job, religion, speech, culture, but unite. let us act on all of these problem, let us act on how to become better of ourselves, let us give that compassion, let us act as one.

My generation, your generation, the one that we all now occupy has changed so much during the last century. We have gradually grown out of the violence our parents, grandparents and great grandparents were exposed to. But through so many things that had happened like Rosa Parks bus boycott, Martin Luther King marching and giving his "I have a dream" speech, Pol Pot in Cambodia, shooting in Columbine High School, the 911 crisis of the twin tower and now Barack Obama being the youngest and the first African American president of the United States. Although we are still growing out of the violence, there's still discrimination, it still happens everywhere. And the leaps through time, the collision of cultures has characterized the world's experiences. The world has grown so fast we as brothers and sisters of the world had barely time to reflect. But it's satisfying that we now are all realizing, slowly, steadily, bit by bit, that poor children, laws that send innocent people to their death, mothers, and corn farmers, immigrant day laborers are still suffering, while we feel proud of ourselves without realizing we're actually doing nothing to help these people, the people that need help. It is foolish to presume that there is no more hope to change this place, that this place was destined to be negative in this era. And it's not true that my, your era is a quick moving society that it's not simple and that if we stay back to analyze to look for solutions we will be stuck there and cannot get out. But I tell you this, there is hope for our generation, there is time to look back and analyze. Generations before us had suffered enough, many of them had sacrifice to change this world, only a bit at a time, but now if we look at it we can see that our world has changed into a more positive place then when we first started out dated all the way back to cavemen. Each change that we make to our community echoes and make chain reactions that causes others to react. And through these chain reactions that we as a community of the world can therefore change these biased views. "Change we can believe in." this was from a campaign for Barack Obama and this sentence could be use, and should be use for the next century. It should be the goal for our human kind to change in a positive way to make this living place better for each other and the future. "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could march so Obama could run so we can all fly." a line from Jay-Z's speech. It had proved to us that we are reaching out for a positive change. By sharing our thoughts, our saying, the compassion that's always there, and lend a helping hand for each other. All of this could change the world. Change it to make the world we all occupy better for everyone.

Religious and spiritual leaders can assist with this collective shift in consciousness and social transformation by reinforcing the critical role of global compassion. Individual accountability can be increased and enhanced through the offering of groups, media, etc. However, the 'meaning' must come by and through the individual. Each person has individual capabilities and different styles of learning, therefore, we can all lead by example with integrity.

We, the people of the world, should strive to show compassion for all those we meet. We as a race should take care of those less fortunate than us so that we ,as a race, can better ourselves. If we all took the time to do one act of compassion each day, the world would be a much safer place for us, and the people we care about. We must not allow our differences to prevent us from seeing that which can bring us together. In this world, where a person can communicate with someone millions of miles away, we cannot afford to stay ignorant of our fellow human beings. We have the ability to change the world for the better, and yet we don't. There are people in this world who eat twice what they need, while countless others are starving. There are people who live without ever having to worry about their survival, and do they think about those less fortunate than them? Do they show any compassion? The economy is falling, and Global Warming is on its way, but who can we blame other than ourselves? We will not be able to bare the coming winters unless we take our differences, and use them to make us stronger, as a whole. To ensure this, we must pay attention to the people we see in our everyday lives. Just be aware of them. Not only the beggars on the street, but our friends, family and acquaintances. We must show compassion to others. Involve ourselves in local charities, and help those in need. We can save our world, one step at a time. Only by doing this can we ensure that tomorrow is a better day.

No matter how intelligent you are, you shouldn't look down on people. No matter how rich you are, you shouldn't treat others differently. No matter how powerful you are, you shouldn't misuse them. Each individuals, as one of the members of community, we must cooperate and try to solve the conflict. Compassion, this is the word that everyone have to remind themselves. Throughout the centuries, humans were one of the most cruel, harsh animal on the Earth. There was time when they spilled blood without a reason. There was time when a small gunfire drove many countries to the war. There was time when millions of innocent souls died by a single press of button. We overcame every single problems that we faced. But we are having greater conflict ahead. Now, it is time to make some changes with care, kindness and motivation. Compassion, this is what we need.

"We are the world, we are the children, we are the ones who make a better place, so lets start giving" This song tells us all about compassion, we are all born as babies therefore we are all the same. We are also the one that can really affect this world. Just think about it from day to day we are doing things that affect hundreds of other people, every action that we do affect every one in one way or another. We as human have the gift from the gods to be able to think and create things much more complex than other animals. Why do you think gods give us this gift? All animals in the world have its part to affect other animals and balance this world (food chain etc). Human on the other hand eats every thing; we are at the top of the food chain. So what are we? Human uses everything that the earth has for our own use from metals, to plastic and on top of that we 'created' global warming which doesn't just affect us, but affect the world as a whole and some innocent animals had to die because of this. So the least we can do is to be compassionate towards each others, and make this world a better place. Small things can make a different, we as human created all these problems to the world and we too can solve these problems. Just think about it, have you ever said ‘sorry’ or ‘thank you’ before. These small words can make a really big different. Sometimes you would accidentally walk into some one and right after that, if you said sorry they would smile and walk away or say it’s ok. But, if you didn't say that one special word, they would walk away thinking about you as a rude person and probably mad at you too. Another example would be, when some one goes through troubles to help you out and then you didn't say ‘thank you’, just think about that. Just by not saying thank you, you can make that person angry and you’ve probably lost the respect that this person had for you. But, if you just say ‘thank you’ they would probably feel like all those trouble that you went through was worth it. So what I mean is that every things start small, as it develop and spread it would get bigger. So now is the chance for you to be compassionate, it's never too late to be, so go out there in this big world and do something nice to others that needed them.

We, the people of the world, come as a one, to believe that we are all connected and each one of us has the ability to take actions in order to make our world a more compassionate place. Compassion can mean helping, giving, sharing, caring, loving all those around us and that each and every individuals, every creature on earth should be recognized. We respect and honor those who have already made a positive difference in our society, and we hereby believe that no matter how ignorant a person can be, every one of us has the capacity for infinite compassion. Urges all fellow citizens in the world to follow the golden rule “treat others the way you would want to be treated” therefore this act of compassion can be passed on one by one, We, the people of the world, encourages every individual to start small, a step at a time to fulfill the missing pieces of the world by a random act of kindness, therefore this kindness, this compassion, can be passed through from people to people, from generation to generation. Like a poem by John Donne, “No man is an island” and we need a world, a world where everyone can be recognized.

As the world moves closer together it must embrace a tolerant encompassing doctrine to build a peaceful continuation and maintain its diversity. The similar values described by its various beliefs are in essence the foundations that bring different ideologies together. By describing these common beliefs the world can use this as a reference to encourage compassion, empathy, acceptance, mercy and understanding and search to describe global truths. These principles can be applied by individuals in their personal experience and in whatever context they find themselves in.

We, the people of the world, believe that compassionate attitude is accomplished by the individuals, Noting that the individuals can be caring to other people, or even everything that is living on Earth, Bearing in mind that compassionate behaviors are made in our decisions, Informing that lack of compassion is part of ignorance, which produces harm and suffering, Having thought that compassion can make the world a better place, Supporting that if people have deeper thoughts and appreciations, the world would be a peaceful place, Recognizing that every different religion comes to the same meaning at the end, therefore, there are no actual differences within the beliefs of people, Believing that compassion can bring joy to every person in the world as everyone would be content, 1. Requests people to treat as they want to be treated which will lead to chain of compassion, making the world turn into deeds, 2. Strongly encourages people to recycle and reuse for the environment, such as but not limited to: a. Recycling paper to decrease the amount of deforestation, One rule of compassion will make the world a peaceful place to live. If one person experiences compassion, there will be a chain and everyone would result to become more compassionate. Everyone is part of the world, and there is no way to distinguish the people as John Donne said in No man is an Island, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Single act of a deed that an individual can do will make the entire world will be full of compassion. These acts will affect the world in the present and future.

We, an International school of Ho Chi Minh City believe that compassion means treating everybody as equals and that this is the most important thing in a successful learning environment. We are one, all Nations, Religions, Ages and Cultures, and the key to having an education with a peaceful and Caring environment is by treating each other with respect. Respect is just one definition of compassion. compassion is to help someone, a stranger in felling sympathy, even if its lending them a pen or telling someone on the street the time, it all counts, such as, sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune.

Compassion must be experienced to be passed on. Understanding what another feels and letting them know they are understood is a priceless gift. Reaching out to another across boundaries and beyond biases is the beauty of compassion. It is a gift that lasts beyond our own lifetime into the lives of those we have touched and is indeed a life force for the good.

A crucial focus for global harmony concerns a newly devised master hierarchy of virtues and values based upon behavioral principles, where the moral commonalties across all religious traditions can be emphasized encouraging a new era in religious tolerance:

Glory/Prudence.. Providence/Faith.. Grace/Beauty.. Tranquility/Ecstasy
Honor/Justice...Liberty/Hope.....Free will/Truth... Equality/Bliss
Dignity/Temperance.. Civility/Charity.. Magnanimity/Goodness.. Love/Joy
Integrity/Fortitude.. Austerity/Decency.. Equanim./Wisdom.. Peace/Harmony

This new ethical system eminently qualifies as the long anticipated foundation for a global system of planetary ethics serving a secular constituency, where such moral issues have typically been downplayed due to well-meaning attempts to avoid religious favoritism. This same system could also serve as a valuable adjunct to the major religions of the world without favoring any one of them, exhibiting the potential for promoting a peaceful coexistence with many of the established world religions, particularly in that it does not preclude the existence of a top-down pattern of influence (of a supernatural nature) as well. Consequently, this overall picture potentially amounts to the best of all possible worlds: enabling an ethical revival in the secular world (which has typically been downplayed), as well as the potential for an even greater degree of spiritual cooperation and tolerance amongst all of the established religions of the world - more at global-solutions.org

Compassion is the weaving together of Divine Source with human embodiment. We as humans are the activators of the potential of Divine Love. We can choose to act with compassion or we can leave this for another time but the call for compassion is all around us at every level of our individual and collective beings. Compassion is a unique type of Love. It is Love without attachment, requirements or conditions. It is a Love that can fuel the healing of our Earth and our lives. Compassion knows no boundaries and in that respect it is Divine in nature. Compassion can expand to fill the needs of each and everyone of us. Compassion itself carries a vibration of healing, wholeness and balance to help us grow increasingly more effective at co-existing with others. We need however to begin this journey by extending compassion to ourselves, in all our endeavors. In this way we can learn what compassion truly is and how to extend it to all peoples and situations we face. When we find ways to show compassion to self and others, a balanced sustainable Earth will form itself as the only response to loving compassion. as a first step in all aspects of our lives. In this way, we can learn how to extend it to others and thereby begin our