The 7.0 earthquake that hit Port-Au-Prince, Haiti on Tuesday, January 12th caused incalculable damage to the city.  Early estimates place death tolls in excess of 100,000 people.  Like many compassionate people, you might be seeking to make a donation to a non-profit organization that is responding to the crisis.  Certainly, you will want to see your donation dollars stretched as far as possible and...

We are very excited to be starting a new year here at Century of Compassion.  Though it is hard to believe that a decade of the 21st century has already passed, we are still ambitious about defining the 21st century through compassion.  In 2010 we will be focusing on poverty issues.  So, our Compassion Corps Volunteer Days will all be related to poverty issues.  Check our calendar for details.

Hi Everyone!  Welcome to the new (and improved!) Century of Compassion website.  Please take some time to peruse it.  Some new elements include the "Features" section with articles written exclusively for Century of Compassion, the "Compassion in the News" section with links to stories we've found on the web and delivered to you, and the ability to create your own login and leave comments.  Also be sure to check out our "Education," "Podcast", and "Gear Up!" offerings.  When you are finished with your visit please participate in the poll below or send us a message through "Contact Us" and provide your feedback.  Thanks!

I stumbled across this article via Twitter. It makes the argument that confrontation is compassion when you are confronting issues like oppression and exploitation. This raises an important question; does compassion mean feeling compassion universally (as the Dalai Lama teaches) toward everyone, including those who exploit and oppress others?  Or does it mean standing up in to tyranny (perhaps more like Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.)?

Here's the article.  Let me know what you think:

http://www.ronnadetrick.com/confrontational-compassion/

CLICK HERE to link to a story about an inspiring young person featured in her local newspaper.  If each of us just did ONE of the many things she is doing, the impact would be astounding.  Through her compassion she is making her community a happier, healthier place.

BERKELEY — Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence to show we are evolving to become more compassionate and collaborative in our quest to survive and thrive.

In contrast to "every man for himself" interpretations of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, Dacher Keltner, a UC Berkeley psychologist and author of "Born to be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life," and his fellow social scientists are building the case that humans are successful as a species precisely because of our nurturing, altruistic and compassionate traits.

They call it "survival of the kindest."

David and Kate Bagby have been through hell, and somehow they're not only still standing, but are continuing to try and make the world a better place -- a place where no one else will be subjected to what they went through.