In this series, “Successful Refugees and Immigrants Leading The Way,”we will profile prominent refugees and immigrants who have enriched the nations to which they have arrived, and contributed to the greater good of our world. George Soros is among these outstanding individuals. Mr. Soros, who left his native Hungary in 1947, is considered the founding father of the hedge fund industry and one of

Manoj Gogoi, a Shining World Compassion Award recipient, has rescued over 5,000 different birds, reptiles, and mammals in the vicinity of the Kaziranga National Park in the Indian state of Assam. His passion and love for animals have made him a local hero. Manoj was born in 1975, and after finishing secondary school, he worked as a guide in Kaziranga National Park. In 2005, he met raptor specialis

The term “great apes” refers to four different classes of primates: gorillas, bonobos, orangutans and chimpanzees. Wildlife trafficking is rampant globally, and unfortunately, the great apes are among the victims of this cruel trade. In the early 1990s, Ms. Patti Ragan became aware of the fact that there were no sanctuaries for orangutans in the United States. Ms. Ragan decided to start a sanctuar

“As of now, animals are not free yet around the world. So NARD functions mostly as a ‘Memorial Day’ for animals. So we commemorate the billions and billions of animals that die every year by human hands, and we honor the individuals that we sometimes have with us, the deceased animals that we have. We give them basically an ‘open-casket’ funeral ceremony. But we also commemorate their billions of

Today, we have the honor to feature American actor and animal rights activist Aylam Orian. In addition to his love of performing, Aylam has cared for the animals and their well-being from a very young age. In 2011, Mr. Orian brought together animal rights activists for what would eventually become the first National Animal Rights Day or NARD. “But we put on this event that was well attended. We ca

Patrick grew up in Southern California, USA, where he developed a strong affinity for the ocean. He also learned early on that communities of like-minded individuals can accomplish things that benefit the greater good. In 2012, he co-founded a nonprofit organization called the Global Mana Foundation to find solutions for global sustainability. Seven years later, Patrick started Projects for Good,

The Tenderloin neighborhood is one of the most economically challenged districts in San Francisco, California, USA, where many people are struggling to get by. In 2004, community activist Shelly Roder and the Reverend Father Louis Vitale created a program called “The Gubbio Project,” now a non-profit organization. Through this initiative, the St. Boniface Catholic Church in the Tenderloin and St.

A WEMA HOME project that has been running independently since 2009 involves the upcycling of plastic bags. Women collect used bags and cut them into strips. They then use these pieces to crochet bags, hats, purses, and cell phone cases. The participant gain extra income from the goods sold. WEMA HOME has a partnership with “One Dollar Glasses.” This is a German charity that enables underprivileged

In Benin, restoring the fertility of agricultural land is a pressing concern. WEMA HOME and Marianne use their best efforts to raise people’s consciousness regarding the value of soil preservation. In 2001, WEMA HOME initiated a land restoration project by partnering with the renowned Jane Goodall Institute, a global wildlife and environmental conservation organization, and its children’s branch,

The goals of WEMA HOME are helping children and adolescents to access education and work, improving the working and living conditions of girls and women, curbing rural exodus and child trafficking, and promoting environmental protection and nature conservation. “We encourage people to support themselves.” WEMA HOME believes there is no future without education. Marianne built Gobada’s first elemen

In 2019, there were 18 individuals presented the Gusi Peace Prize. Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited by the Gusi Foundation to attend the 2019 awards ceremony. Unable to join due to the carbon footprint from flying to the Philippines and Her many work obligations. She sent a loving recorded message to the attendees. We now present the second half of Master’s message that was played during the G

The Gusi Peace Prize is a prestigious award, often referred to as the Asian Nobel Peace Prize. The mission of the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation is: “To honor individuals and organizations who have given exemplary contributions to Global Peace and Progress, through international brotherhood and friendship, and by using their God-given talents for the benefit of mankind; to champion human rights and m

Today we will share a touching story about a wonderful man who is a Shining World Compassion Award laureate and has rescued over 1,000 abandoned or stray dogs and cats. He has to work 20 hours each day and hardly has any time to rest, only sleeping 2-3 hours daily. “But for me, I just feel that I want to help them when I see these dogs suffering from pain. They have a soul, so I want to help them.

Luke was the leader of youth group at his church, and Christmas was a few weeks away. Somehow he heard about a family that could not afford beds for their two children. Using his daughter’s bunk bed as a template, Luke bought the necessary wood and other supplies. Then he and the youths spent a few nights in Luke’s garage making a bunk bed for the family in need. When children are deprived of adeq

We will further highlight how disciples commemorate Supreme Master Ching Hai Day today and every day. “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day reminds me to be grateful for the Supreme Master within. And to be of service to others, especially giving to those in need - like being there for loved ones, visiting and contributing to animal shelters, etc., and recognizing Master in every being to whom I am blesse

Our program “Happy Supreme Master Ching Hai Day! Part 1 of 2,” celebrates the 26th anniversary of a very special occasion. On February 22, 1994, a grand event was held in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Master was honored by the World Cultural Communication Association and the governors of the six flood-affected states who proclaimed February 22 as “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day.” But each initiate has

Some correctional facilities offer animal-assisted therapy as a form of treatment to selected inmates who demonstrate good behavior. Today, we find out about the benefits of these programs, how they work, and why they have been proven effective. In Australia, the Queensland Corrective Services runs the minimum-security Palen Creek Correctional Centre. The Centre works with a program that finds hom

Dr. Evan Atar Adaha, a Shining World Compassion Award recipient, is a surgeon and the winner of the 2018 Nansen Refugee Award. His hospital in Bunj, South Sudan, is the only functional hospital in the Upper Nile State, serving around 200,000 people, including 144,000 refugees from Sudan.“He has done what the UNHCR cannot always do. He stays on year after year, working with grassroots organization

Today, we continue to discover additional attributes of this institution and the great works of the teachers who look after youngsters. The Reverend Sonam Chhiling Lama shared with us the importance of daily prayers in student life. “We always do our morning prayers and worship. The main purpose of morning prayers and rites is to make our students wiser and to pay attention to the righteous teachi

The Reverend Acharya Sonam Dorje Rinpoche built the Shree Lho Basic School to take care of orphans as well as underprivileged and marginalized children by providing food and board while they receive an education. He also wished to incorporate the fundamental teachings of Buddhism into the courses so the children could receive moral guidance through this ancient wisdom to cultivate love and compass