International Day for Empathic Action: An IDEA whose time has come!

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Why Participate?

People who participate in the International Day of Empathic Action will help to build strong trusting relationships in their communities, promote nonviolence as a viable way of life, and establish compassionate ways of living together. IDEA events will directly expose participants to the power of empathy and the effective change it can have on local and global issues.

How to Participate?

Attend an event on October 2nd or create your own. You don’t need to be an expert to host an event. Anyone can create an event. Get ideas below. If you'd like to host an event and you want more confidence in your empathic skills, please check out our resources.

If you've decided to host an event, post it on our Events pages, which will go online in August, so others can find you easily. Let people know about it on our Discussion boards, your email contacts, Facebook, Twitter, and offline in your local area.

Ideas for IDEA Events

IDEA Booth

• Take a team of folks to listen empathically: Nursing & Retirement Homes, Hospitals, Schools, Police Stations, Jails, Local Neighborhood, Government Offices, Farmer's Markerts, Hospice Organizations, Corporate Offices of any kind, essentially anywhere a group of people work together or gather.

1. Identify a group in your area.
2. Contact the person who can facilitate the access to the group during the day of empathic action.
3. Set a time for the team to be on site.
4. Pick a location on the site that offers ease, comfort, and supports people creating a space for connecting.
5. Create a schedule for team members for when they are "on duty" and when they have breaks.
6. Create materials and advertise within the organization to let them know at least one month in advanced that an "IDEA Booth" will be on site and available during the International Day of Empathy.
7. Have on site at your location Needs Cards for activities, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.

Empathy Corps Gathering

In an area where an Empathy Corp is not established:

• Download a packet offering ideas for an Empathy Corp training and these tips for improving your Empathic Listening.
• Host an Empathy Corps Training with a discussion of how an Empathy Corp can be utilized in your community after IDEA.
• Have on site at your training Needs Cards for activities, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.

In an area where an Empathy Corp team is established:

• Host an Empathy Corps Gathering sharing celebration of work already accomplished so others can learn about the value of having an Empahy Corp in their area
• Host an event where the Empathy Corp offers their services at Nursing & Retirement Homes, Hospitals, Schools, Police Stations, Jails, Local Neighborhood, Government Offices, Farmer's Markerts, Hospice Organizations, Corporate Offices of any kind, essentially anywhere a group of people work together or gather.
• Have on site at your training Needs Cards for activities, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Bridging the Empathy Gap, Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.

Bridging the Empathy Gap

Bridging the Empathy Gap: Facilitation

• Host a discussion with people from "opposing" groups to come together to be heard empathically, transform pain into empowerment, and brainstorm strategies to serve their "opposing" groups to build more trust, respect, safety, and peace.

• Unless this is a tele-conference, have on site at your event Needs Cards, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Bridging the Empathy Gap, Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.

Bridging the Empathy Gap: Offering a "third sider"

• For more on how to be a "Third Sider" go to resources.
• Host an event with people between "opposing" groups to come together to be heard empathically. You and your team would offer the empathic listening, translation of pain into universal human needs, and provide safe non-judgemental space for the people coming together to have dialogue.
• Have on site at your event Needs Cards, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Bridging the Empathy Gap, Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.

Harvest Circles

• Create a gathering in your area to share stories to celebrate and mourn real life experiences of how empathic connection changed lives to bring about reconciliation, restoration of justice, and enlivened connections to be meaningful and life serving. Have this be a public event so people can learn of the power of empathy.
• Have on site at your event Needs Cards, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Bridging the Empathy Gap, Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.

Create your own idea for IDEA!

• Create a gathering in your area to implement IDEA, remembering to have available a skilled person in empathic listening/connecting, and bring awareness to the power of empathy.
• Have on site at your gathering Needs Cards, printed information about the International Day of Empathic Action (IDEA), Nonviolent Communication, and/or local resources of how folks can continue the work with empathy.