The Meaning of Compassion: Dalai Lama

Recently the 14th Dalai Lama came to visit us in Toronto. My daughter and I were touched by his words and it made us think about the Uganda Water & Garden Project. He spoke about his belief that young people would play a critical role in bringing about world peace.

He identified two types of actions that are needed in this world:

1. Compassionate Action

2. Human-to-Human Connection

I recently came across a written explanation of the meaning of "compassion" in his words:

"Our concept of compassion refers to the feeling of closeness we have with our friends and loved ones. Sometimes compasion also carries a sense of pity. This is wrong - any compassion which entails looking down on the other is not genuine compassion. To be genuine, compassion must be based on respect for the other, and on the realization that others have the right to be happy and overcome suffering, just as much as you. On this basis, since you can see that others are suffering, you develop a genuine sense of concern for them." H.H. The XIV Dalai Lama.

This resonated with me. As someone who lives with disability (used a wheelchair for years), I invite people to feel human compassion alongside me. I would not appreciate pity or being crafted into a hero. I am a citizen of the world who, like so many other people, struggles to overcome suffering and experiences moments of tremendous joy too.

I am incredibly appreciative of all that I have been able to learn and feel through my work on this project with my colleagues including youth leaders and educators of Uganda and Canada.

Nakulabye Parent's School

Here are some new photos from Moses' latest visit to Nakulabye School.

(Moses Lyagoba is the environmental educator who co-designed the project with us.

He oversees the activities of the Uganda Water and Garden Project in Uganda.)

The school name is pronouced "new-cal-la-bee-aye" with an emphasis on "la".

The classrooms are very crowded and basic educational supplies are lacking. Grades 1,2,3 and grade 7 (preparing for their final exams for entry to secondary school) are located inside the school building.

Students in grades 4, 5 & 6 attend their lessons in this outdoor structure without furniture.

Moses meets with local decision-makers including parent council leaders, headmaster of the school, local government education leaders and others. Local solutions to local problems are discussed. Everyone from the community is expected to contribute to building solutions. Clean water and food are the highest priorities.

The students must walk 1.5 km each day for water. However the water source is not clean and many children suffer from waterborne disease. With help from Toronto students this year we hope to be able to raise the funds for a 10,000L rainwater harvesting tank at this school (similar to the ones built at Kinu school with great success).

The parents are subsistence farmers and find it difficult to provide food to those children old enough to attend school. There is a great need for a school garden to provide food. Parents have donated land for the gardens. With help from Toronto students, we hope to be able help pay for land clearing and seeds to get the garden's established.

The students at Nakulabye School are very happy to have partner schools and pen pals in Toronto. They danced, sang and played drums in celebration of forming new friendships with Canadian students!

Film WATER ON THE TABLE Oct 14 7pm

Planet in Focus Film Festival – “Water on the Table” premiere & post-screening discussion with Maude Barlow and Liz Marshall

When: October 14, 2010 at 7pm

Where: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park

On the heels of last month’s victorious vote by the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the human right to water and sanitation, Planet in Focus is pleased to announce the highly-anticipated theatrical screening of Water On The Table. This remarkable feature-length documentary screening from award-winning Canadian Director Liz Marshall is part of the 11th annual Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival. The film follows tireless water advocate Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, as she works to have water declared a human right, during her term as Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of the U.N. General Assembly.

This will be the first Toronto speaking engagement for Maude Barlow since the historic UN Right to Water was passed.

Visit planetinfocus.org for tickets and more information.