A global call to Come Home – to self, community, and planet.
Cape Town, South Africa & Online
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
What happens when a world in crisis remembers how to care?
We are at the convergence of polycrises brought on by ecological collapse, social fragmentation, and economies of exclusion. In the face of increasing isolation, inequality, and despair, we believe compassion is not a soft sentiment but a radical and vital force for transformation. Now more than ever, we need spaces that bring people together to remember who we are and how we belong to ourselves, to one another, and to the Earth – we need to come home.
So the Global Compassion Coalition is convening the first annual Global Compassion Festival. Artists, scholars, educators, clinicians, movement builders, policymakers, and thousands of others from around the world will gather for three days of reflection, connection, and action to build a better world.
We don’t need more information – we need transformation.
And transformation happens when we slow down enough to feel, to witness, and to act with heart. That’s the invitation of this festival.
— Fadia Williams
Festival of Compassion Curator
For most of the time our ancestors walked this earth, in their bands they lived with compassion and justice.
In these perilous times, humanity needs to come together in much the same way – for the good of the many, not just the few.
— Rick Hanson
Founder and President
Global Compassion Coalition
Why Cape Town?
Holding the inaugural festival on the African continent, where humankind began, amplifies the theme of Come Home.
It grounds this global gathering in the place where our shared story started, offering a space for return, repair, and reconnection across time, cultures, and generations.
Programme
Sep 10
Day One: The Head – Understanding Compassion
What have we lost and how do we return to what is true?
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Day 1 starts at 09:30 SAST (check your local time here)
- 09:30–10:00 – Arrival
- 10:00–10:10 – Morning Ritual
Naming Ceremony with Cole Davids - 10:10–11:15 – Keynote Presentations
Welcome Address and Naming Systems of Suffering – Dr. Mamphela Ramphele
This Is Your Brain on Compassion – Dr. Rick Hanson (virtual) - 11:15–11:30 – Tea Break
- 11:30–12:30 – Keynote
Facing Our Histories: Naming Systemic Sources of Suffering – Pregs Govender - 12:30–12:45 – Reflection
Collective Trauma – Thomas Hübl (prerecorded) - 12:45–12:55 – Blessing
- 13:00–13:50 – Ritual: Breaking Bread & Lunch
- 14:00–15:00 – Workshops
Compassion and Intent – Etsko Schuitema
Exploring Compassionate Practice – Sehaam Bateman
Colonial Shadows: The Legacy of Cape Town – Daiyaan Petersen
The Meta Crisis and AI – Rishad Ahmed - 15:00–15:30 – Plenary
Global Compassion Coalition Connectors Programme: Individual Compassion to Collective Action with Suzy Dzimbiri, James Akoon, and Peter Waiswa
Chair: Reon van der Merwe - 15:30–15:45 – Experience
Compassion Leads to Motivated Action – Sehaam Bateman - 15:45–16:00 – Pods
Sharing Your Pledge – Sehaam Bateman - 16:00–16:30 – Closing Ceremony
Stone Offering and Grief Grounding – Malika Ndlovu - 16:30–17:30 – Afternoon Tea
Sep 11
Day Two: The Heart – Practicing Compassion
What makes us whole and how do we remember we are not alone?
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Day 2 starts at 09:30 SAST (check your local time here)
- 09:30–10:00 – Arrival
- 10:00–10:20 – Morning Ritual
Water of Remembrance Ceremony – Dr. Joanne Peers - 10:20–10:50 – Keynote
The Courage to Care: An Evolutionary Journey into
Compassion for Self and Others – Dr. Niki Petrocchi - 10:50–11:05 – Guided Practice
Guided Self-Compassion Practice – Chris Germer (prerecorded) - 11:05–11:20 – Break
- 11:20–11:50 – Keynote
From Feeling to Action: The Network Effect – Rishad Ahmed - 11:50–12:50 – Plenary
Bridging Differences with Sanet Neethling, Etsko Schuitema, Leigh Meinert, and John Gilmour
Chair: Yazeed Kamaldien - 12:50–13:00 – Blessing
- 13:00–14:00 – Lunch
- 14:00–15:00 – Workshops
Coming Home to the Heart: A Compassionate Blueprint for Responding, Not Reacting – Kathryn Lovewell
A Call to Wholeness: Gender Equity, Healing, and Reconciliation – Desireé English & Tristan Johannes
The Loving Classroom: A Blueprint for Peace in Schools and Beyond – Thulani Makhoba
The Power of Action: Happiness in the Self, Compassion in the World – Alex Nunn - 15:00–16:00 – Plenary
What Becomes Possible When We Recognise Interdependence with Nature with Joanne Peers, Roushanna Gray, and Rifqah Tifloen
Chair: Fadia Williams - 16:00–16:30 – Pods
Facilitated by Sehaam Bateman - 16:30–16:45 – Closing Ceremony
Joy Makes Us Stronger: Naming Your Inner Strengths – Thania Petersen - 16:45–17:30 – Afternoon Tea
Sep 12
Day Three: The Hands – Living Compassion
What will we build and how do we begin again, together?
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Day 3 starts at 09:30 SAST (check your local time here)
- 09:30–10:00 – Arrival
- 10:00–10:10 – Morning Ritual
Fire of Commitment Ceremony – Storm - 10:10–10:45 – Journey in Review – Facilitated by Sehaam Bateman
- 10:50–11:30 – Keynote Presentations
Liberating Your Mind – Amb. Ebrahim Rasool & Dr. Mamphela Ramphele - 11:30–11:50 – Break
- 11:50–13:00 – Plenary
Stories of Courage: Compassion in the Trenches with Izolda Heydenrych, Freda Kemp, Magda Kleyn, Marlene Coetzee-George, Pearl Nel, and Firidous Hendricks
Chair: Yazeed Kamaldien - 13:00–13:10 – Blessing
- 13:10–14:00 – Lunch | First Floor
- 14:00–15:00 – Workshops | First Floor
Cultivating Compassion: Skills and stories with CBCT® Training – Francois Gallet
Sculpting Empathy through Public Storytelling – Neil Coppen
The Other Side of Face Value – Izolda Heydenrych
The Paradoxical Power of Self-Compassion for Men – Daniel Ellenberg (virtual) - 15:00–16:00 – Experience
Fires of Commitment – Mpume Mthombeni - 16:00–16:30 – Closing Ceremony
Coming Full Circle Ceremony – Tasneem Behardien - 16:30–17:30 – Afternoon Tea
Each day includes a blend of talks, embodied practices, community rituals, and workshops.
Expect to move. Expect to be moved. Expect to be changed.
Meet Our Speakers
Rishad Ahmed
Leadership coach, and keynote speaker, Zencoaching
James Akoon
National Coordinator, Compassion Connectors, South Sudan
Sehaam Bateman
International Speaker, Coach and Philanthropist, Ladder 2 Success
Tasneem Behardien
Coach, Facilitator, and Founder, Stitch to Resist
Marlene Coetzee-George
Chief Executive Officer, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation
Neil Coppen
Theatre-Maker, Storyteller & Co-founder, Empatheatre
Suzy Dzimbiri
Senior National Coordinator, Global Compassion Coalition Malaway
Daniel Ellenberg - Livestream
Psychologist, Coach & Co-Founder, Men & Boys Compassion Coalition
Desireé English
Director of Training at Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI)
Cole Davids
Poet and Chief Executive Officer, Pillar 5 Group
Chris Germer - Prerecorded
Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer, Harvard Medical School
Françoise Gallet
Coach and Facilitator, thrivelife
John Gilmour
Co-director, LEAP Schools and LEAP Institute
Pregs Govender
Author, activist, and former South African MP and Human Rights Commissioner
Roushanna Gray
Founder and Educator, Veld and Sea
Rick Hanson - Livestream
Founder and President, Global Compassion Coalition
Izolda Heydenrych
Dermatologist, HeyEd Teaching Academy & Cape Town Cosmetic Dermatology Centre
Thomas Hübl - Prerecorded
Teacher, Author, and Host of the Collective Trauma Summit
Tristan Johannes
Trainer and LGBTQ+ Project Lead at Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI)
Yazeed Kamaldien
Documentary filmmaker
Kathryn Lovewell
Author, Self-Compassion Educator & Founder, Kind Mind Academy
Thulani Makhoba
Director, Loving Classroom South Africa
Leigh Meinert
Operations Manager, Dignity South Africa
Mpume Mthombeni
Actor, Theatre-maker and Researcher, Emphatheatre
Malika Ndlovu
Poet
Sanet Neethling
Communication Strategist
Alex Nunn
Head of Movement Building, Action for Happiness
Joanne Peers
Environmental Science Storyteller, Origins Centre, University of Witwatersrand
Daiyaan Petersen
Historian, Cape Family Research Forum
Mamphela Ramphele
Chairperson, Global Compassion Coalition
Ebrahim Rasool
Founder, World for All Foundation
Niki Petrocchi
Associate Professor of Psychology, John Cabot University & Founder, Compassionate Mind Italia
Etsko Schuitema
Senior Consultant & Co-founder, Schuitema Group
Rifqah Tifloen
Programme Head, ACT Ubumbano, University of the Western Cape, Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice
Reon van der Merwe
Social Impact Consultant, Impacting Youth
Peter Waiswa
National Coordinator, Connectors Programme, Uganda
Fadia Williams
2025 Festival of Compassion Curator
Rishad Ahmed is a renowned keynote speaker, leadership coach, and trusted advisor to Fortune 100 companies and people-focused organisations worldwide. With over 25 years of experience in business, senior management, advisory, and coaching, he has lived and worked in Australia, the UK, UAE, and USA, bringing a global perspective to his work. As founder of Rishad Ahmed Coaching, he leads a team of professional coaches based in South Africa, the UK, and the USA, delivering training and workshops that empower leaders to create meaningful change. Rishad is the author of the Amazon bestselling book Mu – A Journey to Divine Love Through You and Nothingness and founder of eight companies, collectively raising more than R2 billion for various projects. A regular media contributor and sought-after speaker, his thought leadership reaches over 85,000 followers across LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
James Akoon is a community leader, educator, and National Coordinator for Compassion Connectors in South Sudan. Raised in a country shaped by conflict, James brings a powerful commitment to peacebuilding, justice, and compassion. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Christian Education and has spent his life championing community upliftment and healing. Under his leadership, the Compassion Connectors programme supports vulnerable populations and promotes social cohesion through grassroots initiatives grounded in empathy, solidarity, and hope. His work is driven by a vision of a united and flourishing South Sudan.
Sehaam Bateman is a Life Coach, Speaker, and Workshop Facilitator whose life story is one of courage and transformation. Raised in poverty in the Eastern Cape, she overcame abuse, trauma, and teenage motherhood to build a global career spanning Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa. Guided by faith and gratitude, she speaks internationally on resilience, personal empowerment, and change. Sehaam is founder of Ignite Mentorship Group, mentoring girls from gang- and drug-impacted communities, and is an award-winning CSR consultant recognised for her impact in India. Her mission is simple yet profound: to leave every person and place better than she found it, reminding us that we all hold the power to create lives of hope, meaning, and purpose.
Tasneem Behardien is a coach, facilitator, and founder of Stitch to Resist, a project that uses the Palestinian art of Tatreez and collective creativity to weave stories of resilience, compassion, and ancestral memory. Through workshops and gatherings, she holds space for reflection, repair, and shared belonging, inviting participants to embody presence and foster deep connection to themselves, each other, and the land.
Marlene Coetzee-George is CEO of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa, where she leads a team advocating for the power of sport to transform society. With a background in education, she has worked in the social impact sector since 1994, supporting more than 30 nonprofit organisations to deliver sport-for-development programmes across South Africa.
Neil Coppen is one of South Africa’s most prolific and award-winning theatre-makers and storytellers, hailing from KwaZulu-Natal. Recipient of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama and the Olive Schreiner Prize for Drama, he is co-founder and head dramaturg of Empatheatre, an award-winning company blending research-based theatre and social justice. His productions, including Ulwembu, Soil & Ash, Lalela uLwandle, and Isidlamlilo, have been staged internationally in New York, Egypt, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Rome. Known for integrating design, playwriting, and collaborative devising, Neil’s symbolically rich productions mobilise a poetic theatrical aesthetic to address South Africa’s socio-political complexities and advocate for justice, dialogue, and systemic change beyond conventional theatre spaces.
Suzy Dzimbiri is a Malawian paediatric nurse and long-time compassion connector dedicated to supporting vulnerable groups across all life stages. As Senior National Coordinator for GCC Malawi, she leads initiatives that champion dignity, empathy, and intergenerational care. Suzy is especially known for her work with elderly people in her community, advocating for their rights and wellbeing while creating inclusive spaces of belonging. Her approach blends professional expertise with a deeply rooted ethic of love and service, transforming lives through quiet acts of care.
Dr Daniel Ellenberg is a psychologist, coach, and educator dedicated to fostering compassionate masculinity and leadership. He is founder of Strength with Heart, co-founder of the Men & Boys Compassion Coalition, and past president of the American Psychological Association’s Division on Men and Masculinities. Daniel is a principal at the Rewire Leadership Institute, where he works in leadership coaching and team development, and co-founder of Relationships That Work, a practice supporting individuals, couples, and groups. He also serves on the boards of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. Through his work, Daniel blends psychological insight with practical tools for cultivating compassion in leadership, relationships, and culture.
Desireé English is Senior Trainer and Director of Training at GERI and a member of the organisation’s global leadership team. A former Chair of the Board at Genderworks, GERI’s South African partner, she has conducted programmes in South Africa, Kenya, India, Egypt, and the USA. With more than 20 years’ experience facilitating the healing and empowerment of women and youth, Desireé is a certified Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) Trainer, Integrative Trauma Healing Practitioner, and independent consultant in learning and development. She is also a contributing author to Gender Equity and Reconciliation: Thirty Years of Healing the Most Ancient Wound in the Human Family.
Cole Davids is the CEO of the Pillar 5 Group, entrepreneur, speaker, and mentor committed to empowering young people across Africa. He holds a BCom in Information Systems and is pursuing a BA in Human and Social Studies. Cole founded the Beyond Now Mentorship Programme, which supports youth in 14 African countries and impacts over 20,000 young people, and co-founded Youth Unplugged. He serves on the Board of Advisors at the Rhodes University Institute of Social and Economic Research and is a YALI Fellow, recognised as one of the Top 10 Most Influential Young Christian Leaders (2014). As Deputy CEO of the Tehillah Community Collaborative, he helped award over 4,000 COVID-19 relief scholarships. A human rights monitor and life coach, Cole has delivered keynotes at Harvard and Oxford and been featured on SABC 2, ETV, Kyknet, the BBC, and The New York Times.
Dr Chris Germer is a clinical psychologist, lecturer on psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School, and co-developer of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) programme with Kristin Neff. Since its creation in 2010, MSC has been taught to more than 250,000 people worldwide, supported by their co-authored books The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. Chris is also the author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion and co-editor of the influential volumes Mindfulness and Psychotherapy and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy. He spends most of his time lecturing and leading workshops around the globe on mindfulness and self-compassion, while maintaining a small online clinical practice from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Françoise Gallet is a facilitator of compassion, awareness, and resilience training who began her career as a journalist. She holds a journalism degree from Rhodes University, is a trained coach, and has studied secular compassion and mindfulness through Stellenbosch and Emory Universities. Drawing on her own compassion practice, including her experience navigating breast cancer, she is deeply committed to making compassion practices radically accessible. Through Emory University’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Françoise facilitated the pilot of the Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning®) curriculum in a Cape Town school and is on track to become Emory’s first certified South African teacher in CBCT®, bringing compassion training to those working with vulnerable children.
John Gilmour is a visionary education innovator whose lifelong commitment to change spans South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy. Recognising the disabling effects of colonial and apartheid education, he pioneered a shift grounded in African Ubuntu philosophy and inspired by the Black Consciousness Movement. In 2004, he founded LEAP Science and Maths Schools, activating emotional resilience, community empowerment, and ecological stewardship. LEAP’s reflective Consciousness Circles foster self-awareness and social responsibility among learners, with over 3,200 graduates positively impacting tens of thousands in their communities. John also designed a pioneering teacher education model combining distance learning with school-based apprenticeship, equipping over 1,200 young teachers as agents of social change. He continues to expand impact internationally through global partnerships, reshaping education toward interconnectedness, equity, and resilience.
Pregs Govender is an author, activist, and former South African MP and Human Rights Commissioner. Her memoir Love and Courage: A Story of Insubordination chronicles her lifelong commitment to justice, challenging capitalist, patriarchal, and apartheid systems. As a leader in student, trade union, and women’s movements, she played a key role in the Women’s National Coalition, helping secure constitutional rights for women. In Parliament, Pregs championed feminist gains in law and budgets, and became South Africa’s only MP to oppose the arms deal in the defence budget vote — an act of principle that cemented her reputation as a courageous and independent voice for equality and human rights.
Roushanna Gray is the founder of Veld and Sea, where she merges her passions for wild food, creativity, earth, and ocean. Based in Cape Point, South Africa, she has developed award-winning immersive experiences that connect people to nature through seasonal foraging and nature-centred learning. Over the last 16 years, her teachings on edible plants and seaweeds have inspired curiosity about the natural world, emphasising the transformative power of nurturing reciprocal relationships with the environment. By engaging with the seasons and cycles of nature, participants develop a deeper understanding of self, spirit, and science, perceiving these spaces as home and habitat to more than just humans.
Chris Germer, PhD is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School. He co-developed the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program with Kristin Neff in 2010 and MSC has since been taught to over 250,000 people worldwide. They co-authored two books on MSC, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program.
Chris spends most of his time lecturing and leading workshops around the world on mindfulness and self-compassion. He is also the author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion; he co-edited two influential volumes on therapy, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy; and he maintains a small online practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Dr Izolda Heydenrych is Director and co-founder of the Cape Town Cosmetic Dermatology Centre, Past President of the South African Society for Dermatological Surgery (SASDS), and a founding member of the African Women’s Dermatological Society (AWDS). She holds an Honours degree in Nuclear Medicine and a Diploma in Anaesthesiology and serves on the faculty of University College London and the Australasian College of Dermatology. Izolda heads HeyEd Teaching Academy, lectures internationally, and is completing a PhD in African Beauty. She is co-editor of Aesthetic Facial Anatomy: Essentials for Injectors, now in its second edition, and author of multiple peer-reviewed publications on procedural safety, patient experience, and trust in cosmetic dermatology.
Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma.
He is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World, and Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. Hübl has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University.
Trainer and LGBTQ+ Project Lead at Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI)
Tristan Johannes is a Trainer and LGBTQ+ Project Lead at GERI, where he also serves on the Board of Genderworks. With more than a decade of experience training youth, Tristan previously worked as an administrator and trainer at Chrysalis Academy. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education Training from the University of Cape Town, is an ordained minister in the Pentecostal Church of Africa, and a certified Integral Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher. In 2023, he was selected for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation’s ‘Leading for Humanity’ programme. Tristan is a contributing author to Gender Equity and Reconciliation: Thirty Years of Healing the Most Ancient Wound in the Human Family.
Yazeed Kamaldien is a Cape Town-based documentary filmmaker and journalist whose work centres on marginalised voices and displaced communities. His films explore themes of belonging and home, while his journalism has taken him to conflict zones in Gaza, Darfur, and Syria. He has lived and worked in Jordan, Yemen, and the United States, where he completed a master’s in international peace-building.
Kathryn Lovewell is a best-selling author, senior Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher, and the founder of Kind Mind Academy. With a background in education and two decades of wellbeing leadership, she has designed and delivered award-winning emotional health programmes in schools, Group Homes, and prisons across the UK, USA, and Australia. She created The Booster Way®, a unique framework supporting children, families, and educators in building lifelong self-compassion. Her books include The Little Book of Self-Compassion and Every Teacher Matters. Kathryn is also a Global Compassion Advocate and long-time volunteer with the Centre for Mindful Self-Compassion, known for her warm, wise, and playfully creative approach.
Thulani Makhoba, born in Soweto, holds degrees in Child Psychology and Project Management and has Assessor and Moderator qualifications. With over 25 years’ experience in community development and child and adolescent work, he has served with HIVSA, Save the Children, and VSO. In 2016, he founded Loving Classroom South Africa, a Positive Relationship Education programme that has worked with 128 schools and transformed the lives of over 110,000 learners by embedding eight virtues: Respect, Compassion, Listening, Kindness, Gratitude, Love, Friendship, and Care, into everyday school life.
Leigh Meinert is Operations Manager at Dignity South Africa, an NGO working to ensure that every person in South Africa has access to the full range of end-of-life care options, with their choices respected and legally protected. After 20 years in the education sector, Leigh retrained as a death doula and co-founded the Soul Carers Network, which supports compassionate accompaniment for those at the end of life. She is passionate about opening space for honest, courageous conversations about death, dying, and grieving – particularly in the context of climate change, global conflict, and social inequity – and believes that facing our mortality can bring depth, clarity, and meaning to how we live.
Mpume Mthombeni is an award-winning stage and film actor, theatre-maker, researcher, facilitator, and story healer from Umlazi, Durban. She has performed widely in theatre, radio, film, and television, gaining international acclaim for her performance in Tin Bucket Drum, which toured to New York in 2012. Her theatre credits include Animal Farm, Soil & Ash, NewFoundLand, Ulwembu, The Last Country, and Lalela uLwandle, with performances in Egypt, Rome, and New York. Mpume is widely recognised for her roles in television series including Imbewu, Uzalo, Ring of Lies, Durban Gen, and The Wife, as well as for numerous Zulu radio dramas for Ukhozi and Lotus FM. In 2014, she co-founded Empatheatre, where she focuses on merging research, performance, and traditional healing. In June 2023, she represented Empatheatre at the United Nations World Oceans Day in New York, delivering her speech Why Storytelling is the Sacred Medicine Ocean Governance Needs to a standing ovation in the General Assembly. Mpume was recently awarded the 2024 Naledi Award and the 2025 KANNA Award for Best Solo Performance for Isidlamlilo/The Fire Eater.
Malika Ndlovu is a poet, playwright, and arts practitioner whose words have graced pages and stages globally for over 25 years. She has published five poetry collections, two plays, and co-edited groundbreaking anthologies including Ink @ Boiling Point. A passionate advocate for healing through creative expression, she has curated and co-created multimedia poetry projects for festivals such as Badilisha Poetry X-Change, RISE Africa Action Festival, Open Book, and Franschhoek Literary Festival, as well as women’s writing collectives like WEAVE and And The Word Was Woman. Malika is a member of Sp(i)eel Art Therapies Collective, adjudicator for the NIHSS Awards Fiction category, and features in Our Words, Our Worlds (UKZN Press) and Collaborative Conversations (Modjaji Books). Her latest book, Griefseed (Karavan Press, 2025), explores the regenerative nature of grief.
Malika Ndlovu is a poet, playwright, and arts practitioner whose words have graced pages and stages globally for over 25 years. She has published five poetry collections, two plays, and co-edited groundbreaking anthologies including Ink @ Boiling Point. A passionate advocate for healing through creative expression, she has curated and co-created multimedia poetry projects for festivals such as Badilisha Poetry X-Change, RISE Africa Action Festival, Open Book, and Franschhoek Literary Festival, as well as women’s writing collectives like WEAVE and And The Word Was Woman. Malika is a member of Sp(i)eel Art Therapies Collective, adjudicator for the NIHSS Awards Fiction category, and features in Our Words, Our Worlds (UKZN Press) and Collaborative Conversations (Modjaji Books). Her latest book, Griefseed (Karavan Press, 2025), explores the regenerative nature of grief.
Sanet Neethling is a seasoned Communication Strategist with over 25 years of experience, known for developing and implementing “The 365° Communication Circle” to drive purposeful, aligned communication in businesses. Her work integrates public relations, digital marketing, content strategy, and brand architecture with overarching business goals. A lecturer at a tertiary institution, she mentors future marketing professionals and is passionate about aligning social impact with business strategy to deliver shared value.
Alex Nunn is a wellbeing strategist, social activist, and Head of Movement Building at Action for Happiness. Drawing on more than a decade of experience in positive psychology and grounded in long-standing Buddhist practice, Alex integrates science and spirituality to drive systemic change. He is known for leading transformational programmes and cultivating regenerative cultures that inspire collective wellbeing. With a focus on compassionate leadership, Alex works across sectors to create kinder, fairer communities, guiding individuals and organisations alike towards meaningful, sustainable change.
Dr Joanne Peers is a transdisciplinary researcher, educator, and artist working at the intersection of environmental humanities, education, and justice. Based at the Origins Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand, she is a seed grant awardee in the Engaged Scholarship against Climate Change project at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Joanne holds a PhD in Environmental Humanities and Education Research from the University of Oulu, Finland, where her work explored relational ways of knowing through water, memory, time, and spirituality. With over two decades of experience in early childhood and higher education, she brings a hydropoetic approach to her work – foregrounding care, embodiment, and ethics in response to ecological and social crises.
Abdul-Daiyaan Petersen is a historian and honours student in the Environmental and Geographical Sciences Department at the University of Cape Town, with a research focus on Cape history through the lenses of slavery, colonisation, political exile, and Islam. He is particularly interested in informal or community archives as tools to surface the rich, layered histories of Cape Town’s subaltern societies. Daiyaan is Chairperson of the Cape Family Research Forum and Deputy Chairperson of the Western Cape Archives Advisory Committee, where he advocates for greater accessibility and inclusivity in archival practice.
Mamphela is Co-Founder of ReimagineSA, the Chair of the Tutu IPTRUST, and Co-President of the Club of Rome. She is a medical doctor, social anthropologist, and was formerly Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town and a managing director at the World Bank.
Ebrahim Rasool is a renowned South African leader, activist, and global advocate for justice. A graduate of the University of Cape Town with honorary doctorates from Roosevelt and Chatham Universities, he is Senior Fellow at Georgetown and Rutgers Universities and Adjunct Professor of Humanities at Nelson Mandela University. Rasool played a pivotal role in the anti-apartheid struggle, mobilising religious communities and enduring imprisonment, house arrest, and years underground. He later served as Provincial Minister, Premier of the Western Cape, and South African Ambassador to the USA under President Barack Obama. Today, through the World for All Foundation and as Chair of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, he continues to combat extremism, advance infrastructure-led development, and champion global dialogue on governance and social cohesion.
Dr Niki Petrocchi is a psychotherapist, researcher, and Associate Professor of Psychology at John Cabot University in Rome. She is the founder and director of Compassionate Mind Italia and an internationally recognised trainer in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). Her research explores the psychophysiology of compassion, how it is embodied and cultivated, and its applications in trauma recovery, mental health, and gender diversity. As a gender non-conforming person, Niki brings both scientific expertise and lived experience to her teaching, blending academic rigour with deep human connection.
Etsko Schuitema is a consultant, author, and originator of the Care & Growth leadership model. For more than four decades, he has supported leadership teams across five continents in transforming organisational culture and building high-trust, high-performance environments. His model, adopted across sectors from oil and gas to government and finance, aligns leadership intent with sustainable excellence. The author of eight influential books, Etsko has shaped global thinking on values-based leadership, intent, and human contribution. He began his career as a researcher at the Chamber of Mines of South Africa and co-founded the Schuitema Group, a consultancy dedicated to embedding cultures of care and growth worldwide.
Rifqah Tifloen is a connector, researcher, and activist with more than a decade of experience in community-led development, food systems, and environmental advocacy. Currently Programme Head at ACT Ubumbano, she is committed to grassroots movement-building and advancing social, environmental, and gender justice. Rifqah is pursuing a Master’s in Religion and Ecology at the University of the Western Cape, where her work explores the political ecology of the sacred. She brings an intersectional approach to systemic change, weaving together research, activism, and community engagement.
Reon van der Merwe is a development specialist and the Founding Director of Impacting Youth, an impact consultancy that helps businesses, NGOs, and government agencies empower young people more effectively. With more than a decade of experience, Reon connects and capacitates stakeholders across the social impact sector, focusing on youth development, governance, and systems change. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Cape Town, specialising in African Regional Governance Institutions, and serves as Chair of the Youth Advisory Board at the Embassy of the Netherlands in South Africa.
Peter Waiswa is a compassion advocate and community leader who left a successful banking career to pursue purpose-driven work. He founded The Such As I Have Organisation (Uganda) to support vulnerable children and youth through education, music therapy, and vocational training. As National Coordinator of the Connectors Programme, he leads compassion-centred initiatives with groups including police officers, nurses, teachers, and widows. A certified public accountant and human rights scholar with Amnesty International’s Human Rights Academy, Peter champions the belief that no one is too poor to give—and continues to nurture a culture of compassion across Uganda and beyond.
Peter Waiswa is a compassion advocate and community leader who left a successful banking career to pursue purpose-driven work. He founded The Such As I Have Organisation (Uganda) to support vulnerable children and youth through education, music therapy, and vocational training. As National Coordinator of the Connectors Programme, he leads compassion-centred initiatives with groups including police officers, nurses, teachers, and widows. A certified public accountant and human rights scholar with Amnesty International’s Human Rights Academy, Peter champions the belief that no one is too poor to give—and continues to nurture a culture of compassion across Uganda and beyond.
Fadia Williams is an educator, facilitator, and programme designer known for crafting meaningful, heart-centred experiences that draw on African-rooted storytelling, systems thinking, and immersive practice. She holds a postgraduate degree from the University of Cape Town and pursued further studies at the University of Chicago. Formerly the first female President of the United Nations Association of South Africa, Fadia brings global leadership experience and a strong background in convening international workshops and seminars. Honoured at the BIDS Awards of Excellence in France, she is the founder of The Compassion Framework, a holistic education and teacher wellness initiative transforming classrooms and communities.
How to Join
If you are heartsore about our world or simply wanting greater resilience and well-being . . . Or if you are an educator, healthcare professional, activist, academic, community leader, parent, manager, or anything else – this Festival is for anyone interested in the power of compassion to heal both individual hearts and our precious planet.
IN-PERSON
Join us in Cape Town for an immersive, heart-centred gathering where we’ll listen and learn together, share meals, and move through a living programme of ritual, reflection, and renewal. The festival offers a rare space to connect deeply with yourself, others, and our beautiful world.
R2250 | $126USD
In-Person Pass
ONLINE
Can’t be in Cape Town? Join us online for a rich digital journey. You can either join the live stream of the event in real time or receive access to the recorded experience with special rituals and experiences facilitated specifically for our online audience, bringing the spirit of compassion home to wherever you are.
R1750 | $99USD
Online Pass
Registration includes Lifetime Access to all of the Festival Recordings and a treasure chest of compassion offerings.
Everyone Is Invited
Through the generosity of its donors, the nonprofit Global Compassion Coalition (GCC) is funding most of the costs of this Festival. The registration fees will enable even more people to attend.
Still, one of the sad facts in our world today is growing wealth inequality. For any reason, if you would like a scholarship to attend either the in-person or the online program, please fill out this short form and a code will be emailed to you that you can use in the registration process.
(Note that spaces are limited in-person in Cape Town, but happily unlimited to attend the Festival online.)
We want you to come to the Festival!
This is not a conference. It’s a collective homecoming. One that honours our grief, our grace, and our deep yearning to belong – to land, to lineage, to one another.
— Fadia Williams
Festival of Compassion Curator
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the festival for?
The Festival of Compassion is open to everyone, whether you’re an academic, artist, healer, activist, practitioner, student, or simply someone yearning for deeper connection in a complex world. The programme is designed to engage both heart and mind, inviting personal reflection and public action.
Is the festival religious or affiliated with any spiritual tradition?
While the festival honours diverse cultural and wisdom traditions, it is respectful and inclusive. Compassion is a shared human capacity, accessible and relevant across all beliefs, occupations, and communities.
Where will the in-person event take place?
The in-person gathering will be hosted at the UCT Graduate School of Business Conference Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. This historic venue, located in the V&A Waterfront precinct, is within walking distance of the sea and city centre, and rich with layered history.
What is included in my in-person ticket price?
Your in-person ticket includes access to all festival sessions, tea and coffee on arrival, lunch and refreshments throughout the day, a curated ritual bag to accompany your journey, and a parking voucher for the venue. Please note that accommodation and dinners are not included.
Can I attend the festival online?
Yes! We offer a virtual experience that includes access to selected livestreamed sessions, speaker highlights, and special online-only rituals and facilitated experiences, designed to bring the spirit of the festival to wherever you are in the world.
Do you offer scholarships?
Yes. Everyone Is Invited.
Through the generosity of its donors, the nonprofit Global Compassion Coalition (GCC) is funding most of the costs of this Festival. The registration fees will enable even more people to attend.
Still, one of the sad facts in our world today is growing wealth inequality. For any reason, if you would like a scholarship to attend either the in-person or the online program, please fill out this short form and a code will be emailed to you that you can use in the registration process.
(Note that spaces are limited in-person in Cape Town, but happily unlimited to attend the Festival online.)
We want you to come to the Festival!
Will the festival be recorded or available to watch later?
Yes. Recording of the sessions will be available post-event to registered participants. These recordings will be accessible through the Thinkific platform as part of our commitment to ongoing learning and accessibility.
What is the Global Compassion Coalition?
The Global Compassion Coalition is a worldwide alliance of individuals and organisations committed to placing compassion at the heart of public life. Founded in 2022, GCC connects educators, health workers, policymakers, scientists, activists, and everyday citizens to create systems, communities, and cultures grounded in care. Through events, research, training, and advocacy, GCC works to embed compassion as a force for societal and ecological transformation.
How can I get involved in the Global Compassion Coalition?
You can train to be a Compassion Circle host and help people in your community find a sense of connection and belonging. A Compassion Circle is a space within a community – whether that’s a local neighborhood, a workplace, school, or hospital – where people come together to feel a sense of connection, care, and belonging. You can also sign up to become a Compassion Connector and join a global network that is working to create communities of inclusion, care, and connection. Registration is free and gets you access to training, guidance, and support all designed to help you be an agent of compassionate change.
How can I support the work of the Global Compassion Coalition?
The Global Compassion Coalition is powered by people like you – people who want to live in a world based on compassion. We receive no government or corporate funding which means every single donation we receive from our supporters is absolutely vital. Donate here.
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