Today we have the pleasure of visiting Mrs. Maureen Hatcher at her home in St. Augustine, Florida, where she lives with her grandson and her four-legged companions. One day, when Mrs. Hatcher was home alone with her two dogs, Sadie and Bella, she experienced a life-threatening stroke that hindered her movement. " It was a normal day and when I got out of the shower, I sat down and I blacked out on

Let’s continue with part two of our show. In Agadir, a city on the southern Atlantic coast of Morocco, kindhearted Michèle Augsburger Clairet Doucet founded Sunshine Animal Refuge Agadir (SARA), which provides loving care to over 1,000 animals. Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Gratefully present the Shining World Compassion Award to Ms. Michèle Augsburger Clairet Doucet, plus a US$15,000 humble contribu

In our two-part series “Transforming Lives With Compassionate Hearts: The Shining World Award Recipients,” it is our privilege to introduce several distinguished individuals, animal companions, and organizations who have been honored with the Shining World Awards by our Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai. Let’s start the show with a look at the loving work of a US-based animal law advocacy organizat

Today we are delighted to introduce Mr. Tom Justyniarski, Polish author and educator who imparts the noble ideals of love, empathy and respect among children for our animal friends. Mr. Justyniarski is the author of 11 acclaimed storybooks for children of Poland. Based on the true story of Betty, a dog in his younger life, “Dogs’ Worries” won the award from Poland’s Ministry of Education and is in

A world in which humans and animals coexist harmoniously, where the strong and capable lend a helping hand to the weak and injured, and everyone, big or small, is given a second chance at life: Such is the vision that Tami Moore has been working passionately to realize within her community of San Jose, California, where she has been rescuing animals in need for over ten years. What started

Today, we travel to Wellington, Florida USA, to meet the co-founder of The PEEPS Foundation, Alex Granato. Alex, a professional hunter jumper, along with fellow professional rider Josh Dolan, established The PEEPS Foundation for the rescue of miniature horses, particularly for those with dwarfism which can lead to lifelong health problems. What started out as a two-person team has grown into a muc

Today, we are going to travel to Newark, New Jersey, and visit Darius Brown, the young generous designer and founder of Beaux & Paws. Darius has selflessly helped rescue hundreds of dogs by making bow ties, and donating them to animal shelters across the United States and in the United Kingdom. “Speech, comprehension and fine motor skills delay” is a disorder that affects children, causing a devel

Elephants and rhinos are smart, nurturing, self-aware, gentle giants who, like us, form deep family bonds. Regarded in many cultures as symbols of good fortune, wisdom, loyalty, vitality, strength, and deep spiritual divinity, they also play a key role in helping to maintain the ecosystems and rich biodiversity of the areas they inhabit. In today’s show, we are honored to speak with Mr. Rob Br

People produce about 311 million tons of plastics every year. We use so many different types of disposable plastics, which mostly find their way into the oceans. This ends up as tons of pollution which stays in our oceans and will be consumed by sea animals and other living creatures. Fortunately, there have been individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to help ameliorate this increasingly serious environmental problem. A company from Chile has developed Solubag, which works just as well as the traditional plastic bag, but does not contain any harmful chemicals.We are lucky to have an exclusive interview with Mr. Roberto Astete and Mr. Cristian Oilivares, the two co-founders of the company. “SoluBag started from a detergent we started to develop, and through time we realized that the detergent was not the best idea and we changed into developing a bag.” “However, our material is not plastic, we do not have any plastic traceability within the process. It's a material that simulates plastic and that has led to be a very easy replacement to use. The other thing that stands out as a product is that there is no technology in which anyone could destroy the plastic bag directly in their house.”During the interview, they showed us some of their products that are available in markets: t-shirt bags, sheet detergent and cloth bags. All are made from their eco-friendly materials. Upon learning of this amazing innovation, our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai joyfully presented the Shining World Invention Award to Solubag, “plus US$10,000 toward this environment-protecting project. May Heavens bless you.”“We want to thank you for looking at our invention and for the support that we as a start-up are so in need, that people like Her notice us and can support us to continue growing and to develop this type of technology. That is to say, it was a blessing for us to have received these funds because we were just at a stage where we needed the funds very urgently to be able to patent this worldwide.”

In today’s program, we travel to Hadleigh, an ancient market town in South Suffolk, United Kingdom. In addition to Hadleigh’s historic and architectural interest, the town has another gem, an honored citizen named Bowza, a six-year-old Labrador-Rottweiler and Husky mix. The super canine was hailed as the hero of his hometown after his life-saving action in January 2019. Don was excited to share th

Our program today highlights Libya’s declaration of a ceasefire after talks facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). With the United Nations Support Mission in Libya facilitating the negotiations, military officers from the Government of National Accord and the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, collectively called the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission, met in Geneva, Switzer

Our program today honors several countries that reached peace agreements or normalized relations with each other in 2020 through the mediation efforts of the President of the United States, His Excellency Donald Trump, a Shining World Peace Leader Award and Shining World Leadership Award for Compassion laureate. After two days of talks mediated by the United States, Kosovo’s prime minister, His Ex

Massimo Leopardi and Julia Ovchinnikova are the founders of Veggie Channel, Italy’s most vibrant and far-reaching multimedia platform about the vegan lifestyle. Veggie Channel provides scientific, nutritional and ethical resources for people who wish to switch to the vegan way of living. Animal welfare, the environment and sustainability are also important themes of Veggie Channel. During the past

Cats are beautiful, sensitive and majestic animals with extraordinary abilities. However, as cats have adapted to becoming human companions, they do not fare well when left to fend for themselves outside. Roaming the streets comes with many dangers, including starvation, exposure to a multitude of diseases, other aggressive animals, etc. The number of stray cats in the Emirates has recently reached a hundred thousand, and in Dubai, tens of thousands. Over the past 20 years, Mr. Fawaz Kanaan has been feeding and rescuing stray cats from the streets of Dubai. Working nights and weekends as an event organizer and a rock DJ frees up time for him to help animals. “The ones that needed to be treated, I bring them to the vet. We treat them, we put them back in the same spot.” Through social media platforms such as Facebook, Mr. Kanaan has raised awareness and helped many cats find loving homes, both locally and internationally, including in Canada, the United States, Russia, Germany, Belgium and the UK. Deeply grateful for his compassionate initiatives, Supreme Master Ching Hai presented Mr. Kanaan the Shining World Compassion Award. "Dear Fawaz, It is with great admiration and gratitude that we present to you the Shining World Compassion Award for saving, then re-locating felines. This Award is presented in recognition of your impressive initiative to rescue stray cats from the streets of Dubai, then re-home them into forever loving homes. Your untiring efforts herald a new era of empathy and harmonious co-existence with our precious animal friends." "May Allah shower you and all involved with all love and blessing. With Great Honor, Love and Blessings in Allah’s Grace Supreme Master Ching Hai." "To Supreme Master Ching Hai, I really want to say a big thank You for this award and for this recognition. I’m honored, to be honest. I hope this message will reach everyone, animal lovers, and non-animal lovers so they will be animal lovers."

Damien served in elite Australian special operations military units when he was young. Exploring a number of occupations after completing his service, he arrived in Africa, where he discovered he could put his military skills to good use. Using his life savings, Mr. Mander founded the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) in 2009, to protect and preserve wildlife in many regions. The non-profit is a direct-action law enforcement organization. "The organization started with Damien training small units of anti-poaching rangers in Zimbabwe and then later in other parts of southern Africa, applying military derived tools and techniques to making those rangers more efficient, getting them the equipment and the basic training that they needed. And as time's gone on, what we found is that engagement with communities, getting the communities onside, understanding the value of the wildlife and the broader ecosystems and environment that those animals live in, is the only way to come up with a permanent solution." Among the projects done by Damien Mander are the recently created “Akashinga,” or “The Brave Ones” program and introducing economic and social opportunities as well as the plant-based lifestyle to women in rural Zimbabwe. The Award Letter from our Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai for this noble wildlife protector reads: "Dear Damien, It is with great admiration and gratitude that we present to you the 'Shining World Compassion and Hero Award' for empowering rangers to protect wildlife. You have created Akashinga ('The Brave Ones'), a team of heroic field warriors made up of underprivileged women from the rural Zimbabwe community. These highly-trained female rangers are guardians of the nation’s precious and endangered wildlife. We humbly offer this Award in recognition of your foundation’s exemplary efforts to actively stop poaching, the military-grade training you provide, and the dignity and self-belief given to locals. For your innovative solution to conservation, for teaching others that real love for animals begins on out plate, and for your unparalleled skills and noble wisdoms, we hereby applaud and celebrate the heroic and compassionate deeds of Damien Mander. May you and all involved in your care be forever protected and blessed by all Heavens and Earth. With all Love and gratitude. With Great Honour, Love and Blessings in God’s Grace Supreme Master Ching Hai"

Today we will share the remarkable story of a precious heroic dog named Willow whose intelligence and loyalty is larger than life. Adorable Willow was adopted by Ruth Spurr in 2016 with the intention of being her pet companion rather than an assistance dog. Ruth suffers with a rare genetic connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which affects joints and multiple organs, making simple daily tasks incredibly difficult for her. Initially, Ruth worked with a regular dog trainer to help socialize Willow and teach her basic commands. A close friend then suggested Dog A.I.D. (Assistance in Disability), a UK charity group dedicated to training animal companions to better help people with disabilities. Although many thought tiny Willow could never be certified as an assistance dog, she soon amazed everyone. Just three months, or halfway into Willow’s training, Ruth experienced a life-threatening incident. She critically burned herself and lost consciousness. Willow had no prior training on situations where her mom is unconscious, but still knew exactly what to do. "It was in the summer of 2018, I was at home and I was cooking and I was making pasta, and basically, I burnt my leg. I accidentally poured the hot water onto my legs and I couldn’t move back. I’m in a wheelchair. And I passed out from the pain and I collapsed onto the floor. When I woke up, Willow was lying on my chest here with my phone. So when I passed out… she went to the lounge and she got my phone of her own accord… and with that I called the ambulance. When there is a moment when you are unconscious or you’re not asking her something, she has to think for herself, her initiative. And it just shows you how incredible dogs are. And yeah, literally she is a lifesaver. Literally, and my best friend." Heartfully touched by her outstanding fidelity and heroic deeds, Supreme Master Ching Hai presented Willow the Shining World Heroine Award, plus a loving donation of USD $2,000. “For outstanding fidelity, for your unconditional love, and for being human’s best friend, we hereby applaud and celebrate the heroic deeds of super canine Willow. May you and Ruth forever be happy in each other’s company. With Gratitude, Best Wishes and All My Love. Supreme Master Ching Hai”

Dog A.I.D. is a non-profit organization with volunteer trainers who teach canine companions of people with disabilities to perform helpful day-to-day tasks. Today, we are travelling to Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom, to meet the Chair of the Trustees of Dog A.I.D., Sandra Fraser. We also hear from Mike McDonald, who serves as Chief Executive Officer, in an interview conducted by our Association members from the UK. "Our mission is to help as many people as possible through the training of their own pet dogs to become assistance dogs, so that's all done with the help of volunteers. Dog A.I.D. works through the recruitment of volunteer trainers. The trainers are all professional dog trainers that we recruit. We then pair them with a disabled person who's got their own dog, the trainer goes to the home of that person and helps them train their own pet dog to become an assistance dog. It can take between six months to two years. And the trainer is in constant contact with that person, but that person learns how to train the dog themselves, so it gives them a great deal of self-satisfaction and also empowers them to carry on with their life in as much of a normal way as they possibly can." Touched by their volunteer work and selfless sacrifice in helping to transform companion dogs into disability assistants, our Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai gratefully presented Dog A.I.D with the Shining World Compassion Award. Our Association members from the United Kingdom organized an award presentation ceremony to honor Sandra Fraser and Mike McDonald of Dog A.I.D. “For providing canine warmth and loving care for those in need, and for developing the special gifts that animals bring humans, we hereby applaud and celebrate the great compassionate deeds of Dog A.I.D. May you and your loved ones be blessed with good health and continue to comfort humans and dogs in your loving way. With great honor, love and blessings in God's grace, Supreme Master Ching Hai.” In addition to the Award Letter, we also presented Dog A.I.D. with a crystalline plaque and loving contribution of US$15,000 from Master to support their compassionate work. "Thank You, Supreme Master Ching Hai, we are honored and delighted to receive this award on behalf of our supporters, our volunteers, our volunteer trainers, our clients and of course our wonderful dogs."

Today we introduce to you a Shining World Compassion Award recipient from Malaysia, a loving 78-years-young lady, Ms. Mee Fah Chan. After many decades working for humans, Ms. Chan retired and used her inheritance from her late husband to build a life-saving shelter for animals. Located in Semenyih, a small town in southeastern Selangor, Malaysia, Mee Fah’s Shelter was built on leased property three years ago and is now a loving home for over 1,400 animals. Ms. Chan lives at the shelter in a small container home to be close to her adopted furry family. “After a while, I noticed that these 4-legged were put aside. And the concentration, the charity, and everything is focused on the two-legged. And it is to me sort of an imbalance because every one of us is a creature of God.” Ms. Chan estimates that her existing finances are sufficient to operate the shelter for another two years. She hopes that by then, with help from long-time friends and supporters, her shelter would be granted non-governmental organization (NGO) status. This would allow her to hold public fundraisers. Ms. Chan is not too worried though because she has strong faith in the Divine and believes everything is God’s arrangement. Upon hearing about the wonderful work of this kind lady, our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai “Heartfully present Ms. Chan with the Shining World Compassion Award plus a supporting token of US$15,000, with all love and gratitude for your noble work and devotion to our precious animal co-inhabitants.” “Thank you. I'm very, very touched, and very honored to have been picked from so many people to receive this award. This is what I would like to, really say that God has come down to the shelter in RinChing in the form of Great Master Ching [Hai], to come and touch all my four-leggeds and say, ‘You have been very blessed.’”

Today we travel to England, United Kingdom, to learn about Street Paws and StreetVet. Street Paws was established in 2013 and StreetVet was founded in 2016. Both organizations work together to provide free fundamental veterinary care for animal companions of homeless people. Besides offering checkups, vaccinations and life-saving operations, they also provide free warm clothing for furry friends, bowls, beds, collars, food and other necessities. Our Association members had exclusive interviews with Jade Statt, Co-founder and Director of StreetVet, and Michelle Southern, Founder and Director of Street Paws. These two remarkable organizations have been doing extraordinary work to help the animal companions of displaced individuals. Eight cities in the south of England are served by 300 volunteer vets and nurses of StreetVet, while 175 Street Paws volunteers work in 18 locations in the north. Upon learning of the dedication of Jade, Michelle and their teams, our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai “gratefully present StreetVet and Street Paws the Shining World Compassion Award, plus US$15,000 each for extra support toward their noble endeavor. May God forever bless and protect you and all involved, as well as all under your care.” Ms. Jade Statt kindly accepted the award and shared with us what they plan to use the fund for. “Thank you so much. When we received an acknowledgement that we've got this and it's been... Yeah, an amazing contribution, to help us with the work that we're doing and help us expand into more locations across the UK. We are so, so grateful that there are people and organizations like yourself, that believe in the service that we're providing and want to support us 'cause it means that it's validating our work and allows us to help more and more animals.”

SAFE’s model of placing animals in foster care while waiting for a permanent home has many benefits for all parties concerned. SAFE provides neutering, vaccinations, and microchips as well as personalized matching services to better address issues such as overpopulation and animals getting lost, mistreated or abandoned. “SAFE doesn’t judge pet relinquishment, but is more concerned about finding a solution and doing what is best for the pet. Often we find it is the circumstance force relinquishment and we can take action and offer support to enable a very grateful owner to keep their pet. Upon providing behavioral help, temporary care, or even transport to another state, the potential cost in logistics involved in preventing a forced relinquishment is very small in relation to the cost in logistics involved in taking on and rehoming a pet. And by doing so we assist in a positive outcome for both people and their pets.” Upon hearing of their life-saving deeds, Supreme Master Ching Hai gratefully presented “the Shining World Compassion Award to SAFE and a humble contribution of US$20,000 for this noble and smart cause, with so much love and thanks, in God’s mercy.” “Dear Sue, It is with much admiration and gratitude that we present to SAFE the ‘Shining World Compassion Award’ for ‘saving animal lives – challenging the norm through fostering.’ This Award is presented in recognition of your zero euthanasia, no cage policy, cleverly utilizing foster carers until a permanent home is found. Your exceptional endeavor is creating a time when pets will no longer be institutionalized, only kept in loving home-based care. For your kind and creative loving solution, for your vision, wisdom and selfless commitment, and for being a dedicated and noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of Sue Hedley, Founder & President of Saving Animals From Euthanasia (SAFE). With Great Honor, Love and Blessings in God’s Grace. Supreme Master Ching Hai”