COMPASSION AS AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY

WHEREAS, by becoming part of a compassionate city, region, or nation, citizens become empowered to develop a sense of cooperation and reinvigorated hope; and

WHEREAS, in 2008 the Seattle Community hosted a weeklong event titled “The Seeds of Compassion” which included gatherings, discussions, and workshops, which subsequently inspired networks and organizations around the world to take similar actions; and

WHEREAS, the formation of the Compassionate Action Network International drew on the success of this event; and

WHEREAS, one of the results of this new network was the creation of the Campaign for Compassionate Cities; and

WHEREAS, today, over 80 cities from Gaziantep, Turkey to Louisville, KY are participating in the Campaign for Compassionate Cities; and

WHEREAS, one billion of the world’s seven billion people do not subscribe to a religious faith, secular leadership is needed to disseminate information related to the science of compassion and the positive impact it has on respect, dignity and service to our fellow citizens; and

WHEREAS, each city is unique in the way it takes on compassion in civil thought and planning, such as Louisville, where recently thousands of citizens performed 107,000 acts of compassion in a week long Give-A-Day project; and

WHEREAS, scientific research is revealing that the early intervention with compassionate policies with at-risk youth shows great promise for positive change; and

WHEREAS, compassion programs could ultimately save cities money they would otherwise use for dealing with the costs associated with crime,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors applauds the cities who have adopted compassion as a key policy for their communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors recommends that other cities explore the use of compassion as a key component to achieve core objectives in their communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors provides future opportunities for exploration and discussion among Mayors on the role of compassion as an effective policy for their communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work of the Mayor’s exploration result in the development of policies, procedures, tactics, and practical guidance on the integration of compassion in programs to address the holistic wellness of communities especially as it relates to those most at-risk.