Honors Youth Climate Action, Indigenous Environmental Leadership and Interfaith Cooperation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Opening Ceremony COP 22 Climate Change Conference, Marrakesh, Morocco
November 12, 2016 – A “Global Compassion Relay” with “Champions of Compassion” was lit and now a virtual “Compassion Torch” will be passed highlighting the many ways that unprecedented, unified compassionate action unites and gives life to our communities and planet. The Global Compassion Relay and the Global Compassion Torch will bring light to the individuals, groups, and organizations from around the world focused on Indigenous Environmental Leadership, Youth Climate Action and Interfaith Cooperation.
The Compassion Relay was kicked off on the opening day of the (Convention of Parties) COP 22 UN Climate Change Conference on November 7th in Marrakech, Morocco. Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr., Hinhan Wicasa and Deloria Tiospayes, Dakota and Chickasaw Nations, Chairperson of Compassion Games International was in Morocco to light the Global Compassion Torch with H.H. Dr. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi also known as the “Green Sheikh”. The Green Sheikh launched the Blue Youth Project in July of 2016. The Blue Youth Project partnered with the Centre for Global Education and TakingITGlobal for an event taking place in COY 12 (Conference of Youth) that has engaged over 10,000 youth from every continent on Mother Earth, in the world’s largest consultation of youth around water and climate change action. The video of the Compassion Torch Lighting Ceremony is here.
Chief Phil then carried the Global Compassion Torch to the National Conference of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), where he serves as a member of the AISES Council of Elders. After the Elders Council prayed and blessed the Compassion Torch and the Journey, the Torch was presented to AISES National Student Representatives, who unanimously responded to the “Call to Play! In fact, it was declared that until proven otherwise, the AISES Council of Elders, Board of Directors, AISES 189 chartered college and university chapters, 15 professional chapters, and 158 affiliated K-12 schools were the most compassionate on Mother Earth and will demonstrate it in the Giving Games: Youth and Schools Play it Forward coopetition.
Now Chief Phil will bring the Global Compassion Torch to the Closing Ceremonies of the 7th Peace and Dignity Journey taking place at the Ciudad Del Saber in Panama City, Panama on November 14-17. Chief Phil will carry the Torch from Panama City to the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles co-hosted by the Reverend Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith and musical icon and social activist, Stevie Wonder on November 20. The Agape International Spiritual Center is a trans-denominational community of thousands of local members and global live streaming sites from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and throughout the Americas. Agape is highly regarded for its cultural, racial, and spiritual diversity. From Los Angeles the torch will be carried to the Water Protectors and the Spiritual Leaders and Elders who support them at Standing Rock, North Dakota.
In a remarkable display of cooperation and collaboration people, groups and organizations from all over the world are coming together to participate in a Compassion Games International “coopetition” called the Global Giving Games: Youth and Schools Play it Forward. The Giving Games will kickoff on November 29th in partnership with #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. GivingTuesday was started in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. In 2015 #GivingTuesday raised $107 Million for charity. The Giving Games continue through December 10, and conclude with a Global Wopila (Oceti Sakowin Thanksgiving Ceremony) conducted by Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe of the Oceti Sakowin. Urgent Message from Chief Arvol
The Global Wopila gives thanksgiving for the many good things we have accomplished as Members of the Human Family this past year, the Funds Raised by the Compassion Games for Charitable Causes, for all of existence, the blessings inherent in each moment of our lives, and honors December 10 as Human Rights Day!
The Global Giving Games are being played world-wide between youth, educators, interfaith leaders, and intergenerational allies to ignite the participation of youth, Indigenous leadership and those who work with them in community service projects, acts of kindness, and raising monies for local causes. Participation in the Games foster safe and fulfilling places of learning, helping the next generation develop into compassionate, creative, happy, and resilient members of a peaceful, sustainable and harmonious world.
Participating in the Global Compassion Games boosts and ignites a community’s capabilities to create healthy, vibrant, thriving places of opportunity and compassion. The Games engage people with different backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and belief systems to commit to play, live, learn, and work well together. Over the past four years, over 500 teams, with over 400,000 volunteers, in 40 countries, have served over 3.5 million people in the Compassion Games.
