Connecting Community

Compassion in a Cup
2025-06-11 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Cultivating communities where all people are valued.
‘Compassion in a Cup’ activities involve people coming together with a common purpose of connecting, sharing and supporting one another to create a more caring and compassionate world. It involves sharing conversations, listening, gestures of support, acts of compassion… all while enjoying drinks and food.
We understand that every day we start with an empty cup, and it is about what we bring to our cup, and what we put in it, that makes it what we want it to be.
It is about the connections we have, and our ability to appreciate what we put in our cup … the people we love, the people we learn from, the experiences, the places, our beliefs and values – everything we put in our cup, and the places we take ourselves is our responsibility!
Our cup is also synonymous with sharing stories that come from the heart about what and who matters in our lives, as it brings the internal process to the external. It brings people together in every culture of the world. It is about celebrating and caring for the people we have in our ‘cup of life’.
By gathering together and learning from one another, we can fill our cups and add joy and meaning to all our lives and to the relationships we have with one another.
So, every day, as we fill our cup, and open our hearts, we remind ourselves that we are not alone, that we are loved and that we all seek to find meaning and purpose for our lives. One of the most important things we have in life is one another – we all matter!
So, let’s create the world we want to see. Why not share your ‘Compassion in a Cup’ with family, friends, neighbours, communities, schools and work colleagues. We know that change happens when we come together.
‘Compassion in a Cup’ can be individual acts of compassion, or group activities.
Here are some examples:
Individual acts of compassion:

Connect with others: Invite someone, or a group to join you for a cup of coffee or tea at a local cafe
Paying it forward: Buy the person behind you in line a coffee or treat
Offer a drink: Make a cup of tea or coffee for a friend or family member
Leave a note: Write a caring message or quote on a post it notes and leave it in a public place
Compassion Coffee: Create a special coffee or tea blend with a caring and supportive name and share it
Compliment: Give a heartfelt compliment to a stranger or someone you know

Group activities:

Compassion cafe or shop: Set up a temporary cafe in your home, school or workplace (you could donate the proceeds to a local charity)
Compassion cupcakes: Bake and decorate cupcakes with messages of care and support and share them with colleagues, friends and neighbours
Warm welcome: Host a tea party “getting to know you” with a goal of welcoming new members to your school, community or organization
Fill a cup activity: Provide people with a cup that they can fill with messages of support for members of the group
Who and what is in your cup: Ask people to share the name of person that they have admired and how that person impacted their life
Questions for self-reflection: 1) What is it like for you when someone is compassionate towards you? 2) What is it like for you when you are compassionate towards others? 3) What is it like when you are compassionate towards yourself?

Additional ideas:

Thank you notes: Write thank you notes to people who have helped you or have made a positive and caring impact on your life
Volunteer together: Spend time creating craft ideas, a fundraiser or organizing a drive to collect items for a local charity
Offer of Help: Offer to help a friend or a neighbour who may be struggling
Invite a speaker: If the opportunity arises, invite a speaker who may add inspiration and ideas to support you group to cultivate a more compassionate community

Celebrate Compassion 10th ~ 12th September 2025
2025-09-10 08:00 - 2025-09-12 17:00
Join with us as we Celebrate Compassion 10th ~ 12th Sept. 2025
We are inviting members of our neighbourhoods, school communities, sporting groups, organizations, and workplaces to host a simple event to celebrate compassion as we supercharge the global movement of compassion.
At its core, compassion is what it means to be human. It strengthens relationships, build trust, and create communities where everyone feels valued. Compassion is not just an abstract concept…It has real, measurable effects on our well-being. Studies show that practicing compassion can:

Reduce stress and anxiety: Helping others fosters emotional resilience and inner peace.
Improve physical health: Acts of kindness are linked to lower blood pressure and stronger immune systems
Enhance relationships: Compassion strengthens connections, making our communities more supportive and inclusive

Celebrate Compassion
Compassion doesn’t always need to be grand or dramatic. Remember Paul Kelly’s wise words: ‘From little things, big things grow!’ Start by creating the change you want to see.
Firstly… you can reach out to a group near you… or …. we can help you plan your own celebration and provide you with activities to promote compassion.
Here are some celebration ideas for you think about:

Morning tea with family, friends, or work colleagues in the workplace or at a local cafe
Sausage sizzle or cake stall in the park with members of you community or sporting group
A street party celebrating connection and neighbourliness
A workshop on how to create a more compassionate community
Talks from different organizations on the importance and value of compassion
Inviting a local decision-maker to hear about what you see as being a compassionate community
Dance, art, music, and drama celebrating compassion
Asking local schools and other youth groups to get involved in creating art or stories about the importance of compassion
Running compassion circles
Creating an artistic installation all about the need for compassion in the world
Engaging different sectors – like education, healthcare, and business – and hearing from them about how compassion could make a difference to their work
Launching a new program that you’ve already created

Please follow the link below for a brochure with more information to help with planning your event and activities to promote compassion.
Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information or need support in planning your event.
By connecting, sharing and supporting one another, we can change the way we feel about ourselves, each other, our community and the world around us.
Whatever your C.H.O.I.C.E., let’s do it together!
Celebrate Compassion Planning and Activities

Australia National Day of Compassion 2025 Theme: “Compassion in Action” Sunday 21 September 2025 | 8am–6pm (AEST)
2025-09-21 08:00 - 18:00 | Online Event
The Charter for Compassion Australia (CFCA) and the Global Compassion Coalition Australia (GCCA) warmly invite you to join our 5th National Day of Compassion. This soulful day offers all Australians (and friends around the globe) an opportunity to learn about & practice compassion – so needed in our stressful times.
Global Live Event (8am–9am AEST) “Compassion in Action”
• Across the Globe – Marilyn Turkovich, CFC, Executive Director
• Across our Continent – Prof Hugh Mackay AO, Ambassador
• Across our Cities – Compassionate Ballarat – Ben Kelly
• Across our Communities – Maureen Sansom, GCC Connectors
• Across our Selves – Dr Stan Steindl, Compassion in a T-shirt
Register: https://charterforcompassion.civiplus.net/…/event/info…
Full Day of “Compassion in Action” Sessions (9am–6pm AEST)
• 9am – Walking on Country with our First Peoples, Nathan Tyson
• 10am – Toowoomba: International City of Peace
• 11am – World Peace Poles, Yashio Mochizuki & Heidi Unferdorben
• 12pm – Break (Open/Close Brisbane Threshold Singers)
• 1pm – Compassion Goes Viral, Dr Stan Steindl
• 2pm – Compassion Connectors Global, Matt Hawkins
• 3pm – Compassion Connectors Australia, Maureen Sansom
• 4pm – My Compassionate Self Portrait Workshop, Alison Turner
• 5pm – Compassion, a Fireside Chat, Michael Bartura
Register now and plan to be part of this transformative day of compassion in action. We look forward to welcoming you!
https://charterforcompassion.civiplus.net/…/event/info…

Compassion Circle
2026-07-23 14:00 - 2026-12-17 16:00 | Club Lemon Tree, Gould Drive, Lemon Tree Passage, New South Wales, 2319, Australia
Social disconnection and emotional strain are increasing globally, leaving communities fractured and individuals struggling to find meaningful connections.
While we often see acts of compassion during crises, barriers to compassion in everyday life contribute to widespread loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The challenge we face is rediscovering connection, care, and compassion — not just for ourselves but for those around us. Science shows that compassionate relationships are vital for our mental, physical, and overall well-being.
By connecting, sharing, and supporting each other, we can transform how we view ourselves, our communities, and the world around us. Humanity has always thrived through kindness, care, and compassion.
Change happens when we come together!
Compassion Circles are groups that come together online or in person to explore the importance of compassion and its benefits for humanity. As an initiative of the Global Compassion Coalition, these Circles aim to foster communities of compassion through connection, practice, and support.
Through inner reflection, empathic listening, and meaningful connections, Compassion Circles help us cultivate compassion. They allow us to gain new perspectives, understand diverse experiences and emotions, and expand our moral circles—helping us break down barriers to care and understanding.
