our history
In July, 2013, Mayor Karl Dean sponsored a Resolution on Compassion as Effective Public Policy -- A decree that was approved by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June, 2013. On September 10, 2013, Nashville's Metro City Council endorsed the Compassionate Resolution which makes Nashville an "official Compassionate City" according to the International Campaign for Compassionate Cities based on the Charter for Compassion.
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Nashville Became an official compassionate city
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Original Founding Committee: Left to Right: Karen Renee Robb, Dina Capitani, Massood Taj, Caroline Blackwell, Tobi Fishel
Compassionate Nashville began in Feb 2012, when Rabbi Rami Shapiro announced at the World Interfaith Harmony Breakfast at Scarritt Bennett Center that he registered Nashville as a Compassionate City with the international Campaign for Compassionate Cities and invited those of us there to form a Founding Committee to establish Compassionate Nashville as an official "Compassionate City." So a committee was formed and started meeting monthly to see what wanted to happen. Since Nashville is known as Music City, USA and many of the founding members were musicians, the first initiative was the Compassionate Coffeehouse, a monthly-open mic with the them of Compassion.
From February 2012 to October 2013, a Compassionate Coffeehouse was hosted every month by various venues in Nashville, creating awareness of the Charter for Compassion and offering members of the community the opportunity to inspire and be inspired with compassionate stories, songs, poems and other forms of creativity as well as share about organizations that are impacting their world with compassion.
The Coffeehouse is presently looking for a new monthly venue. If your organization is interested in providing a venue and being our host, please Contact Us. |
In November, 2012 and May, 2013 members of Compassionate Nashville visited Louisville, KY to meet with Mayor Greg Fischer and to attend Louisville's semi-annual Festival of Faiths and to see the Dalai Lama. During the visits, Mayor Greg Fischer invited all the Compassionate Cities to a Governor's Banquet to connect and collaborate on the worldwide Compassion Campaign. During the Governor's Banquet, the U.S. Conference of Mayors sat on a panel and spoke about engaging all our mayors to join the Movement, by making a resolution to make Compassion part of their public policy. One of the Nashville delegates to Louisville was Caroline Blackwell, Director of the Metro Human Relations Commission (MHRC). The MHRC is an arm of the Nashville Government whose mission is to protect and promote the dignity, peace, safety, security, health and general welfare of all people. Ms. Blackwell upon her return to Nashville set before Nashville's Mayor Karl Dean to sign the Compassion resolution. Mayor Dean endorsed the Resolution in July, 2013 and appointed the City Council endorsed the Compassionate Resolution on September 10, 2013, which made Nashville an "official compassionate city" according to the International Campaign for Compassionate Cities.
In september, 2013 Nashville ranked #2 Compassionate City in U.S. according to poll from Forbes.com! Click Here to read more!
How does a city get ‘Compassionate City’ status? - The government/city council signs the Charter for Compassion and issues a public proclamation and/or resolution. A minimum of a one year action plan is drafted and submitted to CAN at the time of the proclamation/resolution is made. The City joins the global compassion movement and is listed by the International Campaign for Compassionate Cities. *If city organizers wish to draft a longer plan e.g., 3-5 years – this is welcomed. To retain ‘Compassionate City’ status as part of the CAN network we encourage each city to review, draft, and submit their new plan at the end of their outlined plan term.
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In July, 2013, Mayor Karl Dean sponsored a resolution on compassion as effective public policy—a decree that was approved by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June. Mayor Dean has appointed the Metro Human Relations Commission to take leading role in supporting the Compassionate Cities Campaign.
Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, KY announces the Compassionate Cities Resolution
On the weekend of June 22-24, 2013, the International Compassionate Cities Campaign was endorsed by the US Conference of Mayors. The resolution of endorsement was submitted by Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, KY, along with six other US Mayors, including the mayors of Columbia, SC; Des Moines, IA; Nashville, TN; Frankfort, KY; Raleigh, NC; and Westland, MI.
In the words of the resolution, “The United States Conference of Mayors applauds the cities who have adopted compassion as a key policy for their communities; and…recommends that other cities explore the use of compassion as a key component to achieve core objectives in their communities… The United States Conference of Mayors [will] provide future opportunities for exploration and discussion among Mayors on the role of compassion as an effective policy for their communities; …the work of the Mayors exploration [will] 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.”
The United States Conference of Mayors is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more, and includes over 1,300 cities. The Conference is designed to enable mayors to speak with a united voice on national urban policies.
On the weekend of June 22-24, 2013, the International Compassionate Cities Campaign was endorsed by the US Conference of Mayors. The resolution of endorsement was submitted by Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, KY, along with six other US Mayors, including the mayors of Columbia, SC; Des Moines, IA; Nashville, TN; Frankfort, KY; Raleigh, NC; and Westland, MI.
In the words of the resolution, “The United States Conference of Mayors applauds the cities who have adopted compassion as a key policy for their communities; and…recommends that other cities explore the use of compassion as a key component to achieve core objectives in their communities… The United States Conference of Mayors [will] provide future opportunities for exploration and discussion among Mayors on the role of compassion as an effective policy for their communities; …the work of the Mayors exploration [will] 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.”
The United States Conference of Mayors is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more, and includes over 1,300 cities. The Conference is designed to enable mayors to speak with a united voice on national urban policies.
