Kailash Satyarthi Launches New Movement to Unite the World with Compassion

Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has launched his new initiative ‘Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion’ (SMGC) at the Laureates and Leaders for Children Conclave organised in New Delhi today. This new movement for compassion aims to unite a broken world by bringing together Nobel laureates and leaders, businesses, academia, young people, and civil society for the world’s largest mobilisation toward building a just, inclusive, and equitable world.

The launch of SMGC comes at a time when the world is in the grip of multiple crises. Speaking on the occasion, SMGC Founder Mr. Satyarthi said, “For decades, I have called for the globalisation of compassion. Today, we take the next step in this mission. I call on each of you to recognise that spark of compassion in you and join this movement. Compassion will unite our broken world.”

When asked why he thought that the world needed a movement for compassion, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi said, “Today, the world is wealthier and more interconnected than ever before. Yet, it is severely fractured and reeling from war, growing inequalities, hatred, climate crisis, and potential threats of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Children are always the worst sufferers. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been derailed. Despite unprecedented wealth, resources, and knowledge, why do these problems persist? Institutions like the United Nations, world governments, and the wealthiest people in the world have all gravely fallen short of uniting the world.”

He further said, “SMGC seeks to reform global governance through compassionate dialogue and action. It will help build democratic, inclusive, and dynamic institutions with compassionate leadership at the top. Drawing on the success of child-friendly communities at the grassroots in Asia and Africa, SMGC will build Compassionate Communities that will help achieve inclusion, equity, and social protection with youth leadership at its center.”

The SMGC initiative was launched by Kailash Satyarthi at the Laureates and Leaders for Children Conclave and attended by Nobel Peace Laureates and other leaders from across the world. Some of the noted leaders and laureates who attended the launch were Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, former Prime Minister of Monaco Serge Telle, Padma Vibhushan Dr R A Mashelkar, Former Chief of Staff of the Indian Army Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Kerry Kennedy, Chief Justice of the Superior Labour Court of Brazil Lelio Bentes Corrêa, and former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi among others.

Kailash Satyarthi has led some of the biggest civil society movements worldwide. These include the 80,000 km long unprecedented Global March Against Child Labour across 103 countries, which led to the fastest ratified ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, the Global Campaign for Education, which helped make education a human right. Amongst other groundbreaking initiatives, he founded ‘Rugmark’- the first global sustainability initiative for child labour-free carpets. In 2014, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his global movement for the freedom and education of all children.