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Archives for May 2016

Our Pledge at the World Humanitarian Summit

The World Humanitarian Summit took place earlier this week, bringing together around 5,200 participants including heads of state and government, crisis affected communities, NGOs, businesses and UN agencies.

Matt speaks at world humanitarian summitAs an official sponsor of the summit, Empathy Action was called upon to say a few words about its goals in supporting the work of the summit. Empathy Action Director, Matt Gurney, laid out the charity’s aims in this pledge:

The World Humanitarian Summit has been described as a “once in a generation opportunity to set in motion an ambitious and far-reaching agenda”. Empathy Action is privileged and excited to be taking part as participants and sponsors. Yet we know that at the end of these three days we will all disperse and in order to sustain momentum there needs to be a movement for change that follows in the footsteps of the 19th century anti-slavery movement in Britain and the 20th century civil rights movement in the United States. But on a global scale.

There are many factors that combine to drive such movements, but a crucial element is always a widespread acknowledgement of the injustice being perpetrated on the victims. This acknowledgement is rarely brought about merely by an acceptance of facts and figures, but by deep-seated compassion generated by empathy. By mentally identifying oneself with and so, fully comprehending a person.

Empathy Action believes that people’s hearts need to be changed in order to bring lasting improvement in the lives of the victims of this humanitarian crisis. To move people beyond the head knowledge imparted by education and the media and enable them to truly empathise with the plight of those facing deprivation, poverty and oppression, far removed from the communities they belong to, often on the other side of the globe.

There is an urgent need to allow the next generation to experience, even fleetingly, what it is like to be a victim of social and economic injustice. Through our work, Empathy Action gives participants the opportunity, albeit symbolically, to step into the shoes of those who battle global deprivation, poverty and oppression. To feel the loss of hope and limitation of choices, the discrimination, the judgement and hatred of others, the desperation. To understand that they are not statistics, labels or problems, but people.

Our ambition is that by taking these steps of understanding and empathy with others, we will help swell the movement for change. Building a community of people with compassion and purpose who will sustain pressure on the Governments of the World to fulfill the pledges they have made here in Istanbul.

Empathy Action pledges to commit all our endeavours to build in the hearts and minds of those we work with greater compassion for those affected by war, poverty, injustice, and the impact of the changing climate. We pledge to steward people’s hearts and exercise our influence to transform our world, build up broken communities and share responsibility for humanity.

We believe that the actions that flow from this will help to bring about the movement for change that we long for and wish to be part of, and that is desperately needed to address the humanitarian crisis blighting our world.

Filed Under: News, Press

From Cambodia With Love

The World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) kicks off this weekend in Istanbul. Its purpose is to stand up for common humanity and take action to prevent and reduce human suffering around the world.

Artisan using blow torch on World Humanitarian Summit keyringIn 2012, UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, announced his five-year action plan, commenting that, ‘waves of change are surging around us. If we navigate wisely, we can create a more secure and sustainable future for all.’ The Summit’s aim is to help steer that process, especially with regards to issues such as conflict prevention, respect of international law, and protecting and investing in the most vulnerable members of our global community.

Empathy Action is at the World Humanitarian Summit to support these goals as well as to highlight our work in building empathy, raising awareness and encouraging compassionate action.

This year we have worked with the World Humanitarian Summit and a group of artisans in Cambodia to provide all 6000 participants of the Summit with a special gift which they will find in their welcome packs – a keyring.

The keyrings are made from recycled artillery shells. Still emerging from the dark shadow cast by the Khmer Rouge, who ruled ruthlessly from 1975 to 1979, Cambodia is a country in great need of financial and social recovery. The sale of these bespoke keyrings and other such items helps provide employment and skills-training in a country whose economy still lags well behind some of its Asian neighbours.

We believe that compassionate, community action lies at the heart of many solutions that help alleviate human suffering. It has been a great privilege to work with our Cambodian partners and the WHS to bring these fairly traded crafts to the summit and, in so doing, to promote the work of social enterprise in development.

Investing in the skills of local producers working in marginalised communities is a central aim of Empathy Action, and one which we encourage all who we come into contact with to engage in.

To find out more about the communities we partner with and to see how we can work with your organisation to provide bespoke, ethically sourced crafts, please do contact us.

Filed Under: Blog, News Tagged With: #ShareHumanity

What Are They Making?

What have they been making in Cambodia for the World Humanitarian Summit?

http://www.empathyaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cambodian-artisans.mp4

Filed Under: Blog

Bombs Into Bells

Phnom-Penh-cityIt’s hard not to think about what people have been through as one walks around Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Every Cambodian in their late 30s and above has lived through an incredibly dark time in their nation’s history. The Khmer Rouge, who were in power between 1975 and 1979, were responsible for the deaths of around a fifth of the population and although the genocide is now gone, it is certainly not forgotten.

Things are changing for the better though. Whilst Cambodia’s economy still lags behind other countries in its region, it has stabilised significantly; GDP is increasing and the poverty rate is falling.

That said, the marks of deprivation in Phnom Penh are not difficult to spot. Disabled beggars, dragging themselves along the busy, dusty pavements. Young children poised outside the main tourist attractions in the hopes of getting a few dollars from the visitors. Piles of rubbish, littering the sides of the streets and floating in the city’s main waterways, turning rivers into open sewers.

Social Enterprise

But another surprisingly common site in Phnom Penh is that of the multiple social enterprises which are playing a key role in transforming the country.

artisan-silver-paintingOn our short stay there we found ourselves in a number of shops and restaurants that had been founded on the principles of providing training and employment to those who would otherwise not receive it. Their aim is not just to make money but to lift people out of the poverty and oppression in which they have been trapped.

Daughters of Cambodia, for example, works with those in the sex-trafficking industry; providing them with a new means of supporting themselves. Jars of Clay is a cafe which employs solely women and gives a tenth of its profits to poor families, widows and those with ongoing health issues.

Visiting Our Partners

The main focus for our visit was Rajana; a social enterprise we have worked closely with, selling their brass keyrings at a number of our events. Rajana trains and employs local artisans who hand-make all manner of jewellery, clothing, accessories and pottery. They believe not just in generating business but in rebuilding Cambodia’s economy, society and artistic heritage.

blowtorch-melting-brassThe beauty of the small, brass bell keyrings that Rajana make are that they are created from spent artillery shells; a very fitting way of showing Cambodia’s progression from a violent past to an ever-brighter future. Once weapons of war, they now help to build lives rather than take them.

Cambodia still has far to go and the scars that the Khmer Rouge left behind will take a long time to heal. But social enterprise, amongst forms of development, is helping bring about a positive transformation and provides, tourists especially, an opportunity to spend money in a responsible way.

Keyrings can be purchased by contacting our shop.

Bullet shell keyring

Filed Under: Blog

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