Cape Town, South Africa – 10–12 September 2025 will mark a powerful first for the African continent: the launch of the Festival of Compassion, hosted by the Global Compassion Coalition (GCC). Far from being a standard conference, this three-day immersive experience calls participants into a lived journey — one where compassion is not a soft, sentimental notion, but a radical, embodied practice that can transform society.
Why Compassion, Why Now?
In a world reeling from climate anxiety, conflict, inequality, and disconnection, the Festival asks a profound question:
“What happens when a world in crisis remembers to care?”
For the Global Compassion Coalition, the answer is urgent and clear: compassion is not optional. It is the glue that holds human connection, the antidote to polarisation, and the foundation for building resilient systems that protect both people and planet.
“Compassion reflects the wisdom that everything is related to everything else,” says Rick Hanson, psychologist, author, and Founder of the Global Compassion Coalition. “It naturally draws us into relationships of care — in our families, in schools, in government, in business, and in how we treat our planet. This festival is about remembering that truth and turning it into collective action.”
Theme: Come Home
The inaugural festival is held under the theme “Come Home.” It represents a homecoming to self, community, and Earth. The Festival is designed as a sanctuary where participants slow down, witness each other’s humanity, and find collective strength through:
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Rituals that ground us in shared meaning
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Teachings from leading voices in psychology, spirituality, social justice, and healing
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Workshops that provide tools for personal and systemic transformation
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Circles of connection that honour grief, joy, and resilience
Festival curator Fadia Williams emphasises that this is not about information overload:
“We don’t need more information – we need transformation. Transformation happens when we slow down enough to feel, to witness, and to act with heart. That’s the invitation of this festival.”
Who Should Attend?
The Festival of Compassion is for anyone hungry for change. It will resonate deeply with:
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Academics & Researchers exploring justice, trauma healing, and human wellbeing
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Activists & Community Leaders seeking compassionate approaches to conflict, reconciliation, and systemic change
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Artists & Creatives exploring how culture can shape more caring societies
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Everyday citizens longing for belonging, groundedness, and personal renewal
This is not an elite gathering — it is a shared homecoming where global and local voices meet on equal ground.
A Global Circle in Cape Town
While the Festival convenes in Cape Town at the UCT GSB Academic Conference Centre (Victoria & Alfred Waterfront), its reach is worldwide. An online participation platform ensures that people across the globe can join, making this not just a South African moment but a truly global movement for compassion.
EVENT DETAILS
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Date: 10–12 September 2025
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Time: 09:00 – 16:30 daily
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Venue: UCT GSB Academic Conference Centre, 9 Portswood Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town
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Registration: festivalofcompassion.com
About the Global Compassion Coalition
The Global Compassion Coalition is a worldwide network of thinkers, doers, and dreamers who believe compassion is the key to tackling humanity’s greatest challenges. With members spanning 80+ countries, the GCC works to embed compassion in education, governance, business, healthcare, and culture.
By launching the Festival of Compassion in Cape Town, the GCC signals its commitment to rooting global change in Africa — a continent whose traditions of community, resilience, and ubuntu embody the very spirit of compassion.
A Call to Action
At its core, the Festival of Compassion is a movement. It is an invitation for South Africans — and the world — to reimagine compassion as a public force, not just a private virtue. To come home to ourselves, to each other, and to the Earth we share.
As Hanson notes: “This festival is about remembering what truly connects us — and inspiring action that can heal our world.”
Join the circle. Come home.
