In the words of Kailash Satyarthi
Ten years ago, when I received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, I made the call for globalisation of compassion. I had said, “We live in an age of rapid globalisation. We are connected through high-speed Internet. We exchange our goods and services in one single global market. Thousands of flights every day connect us from one corner to another corner of the globe. But there is one serious disconnect and there is a lack of compassion.”
Ten years later, what do I see? I see a world that has become 12 trillion dollars richer, a world so technologically advanced, a world where we have globalised markets and economy, but I also see a world that is so broken, so poor. There is a lack of accountability and moral responsibility. In times of such turmoil and crisis, what we need to ignite in all of us is the spark of compassion to achieve a just and equitable world. I am neither a preacher nor an expert on compassion, but through my own 40 years of struggle for human justice, I have learned that every solution lies in compassion in action. This very vision prompted me to launch my latest initiative, Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion.
Compassion has been traditionally perceived as a soft and weak emotion and is equated with kindness, mercy and sympathy. These are great human qualities, but compassion is very different from all of them. Compassion is a transformative force, it is the deepest connection with the suffering of others that compels one to take action to alleviate their suffering. In simpler words, compassion is selfless problem-solving.
In the early days, I had a small office in Delhi. Almost every day, parents or kin of children who had been trafficked and forced into labour and other forms of exploitation would come knocking on our doors, pleading for help. The parents would be sitting at the reception and I would observe how my colleagues would react after seeing them. Some would stop for a moment and then go on about their work, some would express sympathy and there were some who would actually sit with the distressed parents, speak to them at length to understand their plight. That is compassion, where the person has an inherent and in-built drive to become the problem-solver without becoming overwhelmed, exhausted and depressed.
I believe that just like Intelligence Quotient (IQ) or Emotional Quotient (EQ), compassion should also be measured, and that led me and my team to develop Compassion Quotient (CQ). CQ is a framework to give an individual a factual and objective picture of their existing level of compassion, the extent of its practice, and their ability to transform their environment and the world.
The level of CQ differs greatly in individuals, depending on their genetic makeup, family environment, education and socio-cultural background and personal beliefs and influences.
Compassion is not an emotional or mental weakness. It is a strength that triggers the courage to become a problem solver. Compassionate actions stem from self-motivation and inner drive and are not based on the expectations of a reciprocal relationship.
Compassion has the power to transform oneself and the world. We must work towards integrating compassion in all walks of life, including corporates, educational, medical, media and political institutions, eventually infusing it into the entire planet. Let us dare to imagine a compassionate world. I invite you to see what I see:
Compassionate governance and leadership: The hopes and dreams of the most disadvantaged citizens are at the forefront of government decisions, and compassionate leadership is at the heart of global governance.
Compassionate businesses: Profits and wealth are shared with all those who have contributed to its creation, creating compassionate businesses.
Compassionate politics: Where politics is motivated by compassion, putting aside personal agendas.
Compassionate communities: I see a world where people of different communities live in harmony, undivided by the divisions of caste, class, religion, or gender.
Compassionate religions: Where religions celebrate their oneness and their uniqueness. Where every temple, mosque, church, synagogue and gurdwara becomes the safest haven.
Compassionate schools and hospitals: I see a world where the doors of schools and hospitals are open to one and all, and teachers and doctors care about the well-being of people as they would care about their own families.
Compassionate police and judiciary: Where the police and judiciary are a face of comfort and security to citizens and where justice reaches the most vulnerable individuals.
Let us all unite in the shared commitment to globalise compassion and create a just, equitable world.