Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change- Bob Kerrey
Bob Kerrey, an American politician, made this profoundly elevating statement in 1943 when the world was engrossed in a war. The inspiration for this quote came to me in Hong Kong at the meeting of the International Councillors of World Kindness Movement. Held at the Salisbury YMCA Hotel and Dynasty Club between 21 and 23 August, 2013, the meeting also served the other purpose of the inauguration of the China chapter of the Movement. At the auspicious event, speakers upon speakers rhapsodized on kindness as the panacea to the various problems the world contends with.
Notably amongst the International Councillors present were the President of the World Kindness Movement, Ms. Jin Heo (South Korea); Mr. Michael Lloyd-White (General Secretary, Australia); Ms. Oily Wahba (USA); Ms. Nirmala Peter-Mehendale (India) and Mr. Stephen Oke (Nigeria). Other executive members of the Movement who could make the trip, such as Lidia Kemeny (Vice President, Canada), Mr. Will Glennon (USA), Ms. Marcia Meyer(USA), and Ms. Miriam Guttman-Jones (Australia) made their contributions vide Skype conference calls.
Those also present but in observer status include, Mr. Ben Thrum (Australia); Mr. Peter Caverlegh (Deputy Mayor from Australia); Mr. Hector Martinez (Goodwill Ambassador and FIFA Agent, Argentina); Mr. Roman Fong (Director of World Kindness, China); Ms. Aloma Fennell (Director World Kindness China), and Ms. Louise Lai (Shanghai, China).
Others were Mr. Garfield Stoneberg (World Kindness, China); Mr. James Choi (World Kindness China and the Manager of Hotel Salisbury); Mr. Victor Ng (Director of Lion Club of Hong Kong); Ms. Catherine Tam (Chief Secretary of World Kindness, China); Mr. Dania Chanchaochai (Director of Do D Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand); Mr. Adam Adnan and Ms. Angela Stephenie Goh (proponents of World Kindness, Malaysia), amongst several others.
Goodwill message on the China launch of the Movement came from the Prime Minister of Australia, Honourable Kevin Rudd; and the involvement of Professor Marie Bashir, the Executive Governor of New-South Wale was acknowledged.
Three critical resolutions were taken during the meeting. First was the appointment of Kindness Goodwill Ambassadors from various spheres of life such as Schools, Government, Sports, Art, Film industries, and cities etc. Such appointees serve to support the World Kindness Movement in the actualization of its core objectives. Second was the designation of some cities all over the world as World Kindness Cities. Cities so privileged would be announced on 13th of November each year (World Kindness Day) by the International Council. Among the qualifying criteria are a resolution of the City Council declaring support for World Kindness Movement; declaration of World Kindness Week/Day on its annual calendar; providing and publicly displaying a signed declaration of support for World Kindness; appointment of Council/City Goodwill Ambassadors to identify and support community initiatives leading up to World Kindness Week, and hosting annual Kindness Awards for all sectors of the community during World Kindness Week.
And third, inauguration of posthumous Kindness Award in memory of the late Dr. Ade Adenekan, a pioneer member and International Councillor who died on the 15th April, 2013. A resolution was also passed that Stephen Oke, the General Secretary of the Nigerian chapter of the Movement, step in take the seat vacant of Dr Adenekan.
One noticeable achievement reflected in the report of the indefatigable General Secretary, Mr. Michael Lloyd-White, which he presented at the meeting is the award of 10 scholarship slots in sports related courses to the World Kindness Movement by the University of Sydney. He also gave exhilarating reports of various kindness organizations across the globe expressing their intent to be part of the Movement family. Movie icons such as Jack Thompson and Hugh Jackman were said to be part of the Goodwill Ambassadors of the Movement.
The Council organized a seminar on global strategies of connecting the world through kindness and the talk was handled by Michael Llody- White, while the lecture on the establishment of World Youth Council as an integral part of WKM was delivered by Jin Heo. Ms. Orly wahba handled the talk on Involving Schools in Kinder Act amongst others, while Ms Nirmala Peters Mehendale talked on engaging the village in positive change by identifying stakeholders in kindness in education, NGOs, business, government, sports, art, media, film, health etc.
The World Kindness Movement (WKM) is a global coalition of various kindness movements— organizations that promote improved individual and collective human behaviors that are supportive of global peace, happiness, harmony and stability. It has no religious or political affiliation. Its chief object is fostering goodwill among the broad spectrum of people from the community level to international level using acts of kindness, and by so doing creating greater understanding and co-operation among all the peoples and all nations of the world.
There are currently 20 affiliate kindness organizations from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Romania, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the USA. Pending applications for membership have been received from Uganda, Liberia, Malaysia and the Seychelles.
Australia hosts the global secretariat of the Movement and Mr Michael Lloyd-White, Chairman and Founding Director of World Kindness Australia, as the General Secretary.
Oke a lawyer, is the secretary of World Kindness Nigeria
