Day of Compassion

The term "Day of Compassion" first appeared in a call issued in 1942 by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America to all Christians in the United States.

As a result of the assignment, students have reportedly resolved conflicts with estranged family members, helped refugees and homeless strangers, rescued animals, volunteered at soup kitchens, donated to food drives, and carried out many other acts of kindness.

In the online course, students voted on the best Day of Compassion assignments submitted, and the grand prize winner was given an expense-paid trip to meet a public figure known for making the world a more compassionate place.

In 2014 the winner was Qian Zhang, a Chinese mother who intervened when she heard a boy being beaten in a neighboring apartment and later met anthropologist Jane Goodall.

And in 2022 the winner was Kristina Kanckova, a Slovakian woman who raised funds to buy a prosthetic hand for a disabled mother in Nepal and who later met women's rights activist Gloria Steinem.

"[4] In 2012 the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition began celebrating July 6 as an international "Compassion Day" in honor of the 14th Dalai Lama's birthday and as an opportunity for people to come together and dedicate themselves to making a positive difference in the world.