2008 TED Prize Winner and Religious Scholar Karen Armstrong and TED Prize Organizers Launch Charter for Compassion.org | November 17, 2008

Collaborative Website Invites the World to Participate in Drafting a Groundbreaking, Universal Platform for Compassion

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- 2008 TED Prize winner Karen Armstrong, together with the organizers of the TED Prize, today announced the launch of charterforcompassion.org, a groundbreaking interactive website allowing the public to participate in the creation of the Charter for Compassion. The project aims to enlist individuals from across the globe, of all faiths, nationalities, languages, and backgrounds, to help draft the Charter for Compassion.

A result of the 2008 TED Prize wish of Karen Armstrong, well known throughout the world as a religious scholar, author, and expert on comparative religions, the Charter will be based on the universal principles of compassion and respect, on the "golden rule" at the core of all major religions.

Armstrong says, "The chief task of our time is to build a global society where people of all persuasions can live together in peace and harmony. If we do not achieve this, it seems unlikely that we will have a viable world to hand on to the next generation. Instead of being seen as part of the problem, the religions could make a vital contribution to this urgent undertaking."

Charterforcompassion.org launched in collaboration with kluster, a revolutionary web based platform that enables participants to collaborate and come to group decisions. After a simple registration, participants will be able to share their words, stories, and comments with others from around the globe, culminating in a collection of ideas representing a broad swath of humanity.

The Charter for Compassion will include four distinct sections, to be written one per week, for four weeks. The four parts of the Charter are:

-- PREAMBLE: A concise explanation of why the Charter is necessary and urgent. -- AFFIRMATIONS: Short descriptions of each of seven core elements of Compassion, with participants able to add an additional element if they feel one is missing. -- ACTIONS: Specific calls to action for a variety of groups including religious leaders, congregants, scholars, educators, youth, and media. Again, contributors are encouraged to add a group if they feel one is missing. -- FINAL DECLARATION: Summary of the Charter's role in the world and how it will make change.

In late winter, a Council of Sages, a multi-faith group of high-level religious leaders and thinkers, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rabbi Julia Neuberger and Tariq Ramadan, will use the words submitted and jointly craft the final document. The Charter will then be signed by religious leaders of all faiths, and promoted and publicized around the world.

For more information about the Charter for Compassion, and to register to participate, please visit http://www.charterforcompassion.org.

About the TED Prize:

The TED Prize is an annual award granting three remarkable individuals one wish to change the world. Each winner receives $100,000 and, more importantly, the support of the TED community and the world at large in making the wish come true. After several months of preparation, the winners unveil their wish at an award ceremony held during the TED Conference. Past winners include: Bono, Dr. Larry Brilliant, former President Bill Clinton, and writer Dave Eggers.

For more information, please visit www.tedprize.org.