City of Compassion
October 11, 2019
Ko Tātou, Tātou We Are One
The people of Christchurch, New Zealand, were awarded the Charter for Compassion’s prestigious #Compassion #Humanitarian #Award in recognition of their response to the terror attacks at two Christchurch Mosques, at an awards ceremony on 10 October in Monterrey, Mexico.
Lianne Dalziel, the Mayor of Christchurch, in a video message played at the Charter’s ten-year anniversary event in Monterrey, said of the community response to the attack, in which 51 people were killed, "The incredible outpouring of love, compassion and kindness was the instinctive response of the people of Christchurch to the horrific events on March 15, when our #Muslim brothers and sisters were attacked in their place of worship as they prayed...
We thank the Charter for Compassion for recognising Christchurch on the international stage as we too wish to play our part in making sure that this becomes the way in which we reconnect to our humanity, and that we reject violence, we reject hatred and we reject all that divides us. We are one.’"
The Charter for Compassion has now also designated Christchurch a ‘Compassionate City’, joining 441 other cities across the world. David Dahlin, the new Executive Director of the Charter for Compassion, said, "I believe we can only achieve a world of love and peace by working within, between, and beyond religious traditions."
The people of Christchurch embody the true spirit of what it means to be human, and are worthy recipients of the Compassion Humanitarian Award. We can accomplish more than we can imagine to transform society by igniting the power of compassion.’
The Charter for Compassion was formed in 2009 as Karen Armstrong’s TEDPrize, after she was given $100,000 and a single wish by TED to change the world. The first Compassion Humanitarian Awards were made in San Francisco in 2014.
For generations, the ancestral rock art of the Arowhenua people has been owned by others, with the land and limestone caves held in private ownership as part of a Gould family farm. Now after more than 170 years, Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua has purchased back the land and full access and ownership of their ancient taonga.
Sit across the table if you're able
from that person that you harmed
and disarmed listen
leave defences at the door
and do nothing more than listen.