Cities / Communities

What is a Compassionate Community

A City or Community of Compassion is a community that recognizes compassion is a valuable asset in problem solving. As part of an International, and naturally California Community of Compassion initiative, each community (city, county, region, etc.) caring for their unique and interrelated issues and collaborating towards their interrelated solutions brings their own dynamic of models and methodologies depending on their unique challenges and resources.

In a Compassionate Community, people are motivated by compassion to take responsibility for and care for each other. There is a desire for the needs of everyone to be recognized and met, where the well-being of the entire community is a priority, and all people and living things are treated with respect.

In fact, no single community in the world is a Compassionate Community in any abstract or formal sense, just as no community is devoid of compassion.

Cities

The city is the most structured unit of change one can measure, each with it confluence of diverse complexities, problems, with their own marginalized and needy neighbors. A city is also full of gems, abundant resources, dedicated committed citizens, and rich sustainable solutions. It’s when those stakeholders, each holding up the segment of society that they care so deeply for come together in a manner of collaboration and cooperation, share their skills, knowledge, resources and vision, miracles occur. Suddenly, we see our common humanity bound in one another’s complexity. We can easily map our interrelated issues with our interrelated solutions and find equitable and measurable solutions. 

Every City of Compassion will have a unique approach and complexion to their campaign. The tools and suggestions are great guides for helping you along the way.

Communities

For one community that discomfort may be youth violence or an epidemic of teen suicide. Another community may discover that a portion of their community—perhaps immigrants, the homeless, or an LGBTQ group--has been marginalized, harassed, or even physically threatened. 

Yet another community, as in Botswana for example, the major discomforts may have to do with the needs of large numbers of street children orphaned by the tragedy of the AIDS epidemic.
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A community where compassion is fully alive is a thriving, resilient community whose members are moved by empathy to take compassionate action, are able to confront crises with innovative solutions, are confident in navigating changes in the economy and the environment, and are resilient enough to bounce back readily from natural and man-made disasters.