The Way to Happiness Foundation international webinar “Bringing Calm to our Communities” was held in honor of International Day of Happiness laid out solutions to help communities affected by an increasingly turbulent world.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) released its 2021 Emergency Watchlist, a list of international humanitarian crises that are expected to deteriorate over the coming year, with conflict, climate change and COVID-19 primary issues. IRC President and CEO David Miliband noted that “2020 will go down as one of the most turbulent years in history, but the next year will be remembered for how we either helped or turned away from those suffering the most.”
To provide that help, The Way to Happiness Foundation held the webinar “Bringing Calm to our Communities,” in keeping with the International Day of Happiness theme of “Keep Calm. Stay Wise. Be Kind.” The webinar laid out the use of the book The Way to Happiness, to give a helping hand to communities and populations most in need.
The Way to Happiness, written by L. Ron Hubbard, is a non-religious moral guide with 21 precepts to better living that has proven to reduce violence, restore calm and bring solutions wherever it is broadly distributed and read. Translated into 117 languages and with a comprehensive website, thewaytohappiness.org, it is accessible to every region of the globe.
The webinar audience joined in from 37 countries, all looking for solutions to the mutual crises faced by every country.
Conference Host was author Kelley Pomerantz. The first speaker was Dr. Sheridan Cyrus, a native of Grenada residing in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Sheridan discussed his work with the criminal justice system in Grenada, using The Way to Happiness to restore the self-respect of inmates as a vital part of the rehabilitation process.
Attending the webinar live stream was John Mitchell, Grenada Police Commissioner who sent the following message to Dr. Cyrus to be read to the audience: “The Commissioner of Prisons and people of Grenada express our gratitude for your selfless services to us. You have made a tremendous and life changing impression on us. God’s richest blessings on you and your loved ones.”
Other speakers included Rosalba Cordero of Mexico, President of Desarrollo Social y Recuperación de Valores, an organization based in Mexico dedicated to social development and recovery of values. She has used The Way to Happiness extensively throughout the nation with public security officials, police departments, immigration officials, federal ministers and the Department of Internal Affairs. Currently her organization actively collaborates with the National Commission of Human Rights and the Ministry of Health.
Ultra-marathoner Simone Leo of Italy spoke about how he uses sports and health awareness to spread the message of common sense values, which includes his annual Way to Happiness marathon that he holds in Torino, Italy.
Leo is one of the strongest and best known Italian Ultramarathon runners. Sedentary and overweight he started running in 2009 until he became a finisher of 125 marathons and ultramarathons, making him a shining example of The Way to Happiness’s precept 1, “Take Care of Yourself.”
He is the only athlete to have finished the” Seven Sisters “, the seven hardest Ultramarathons in the world.
The event closed with Dr. Samantha Kumara’s presentation, the former Director General for the Sri Lanka Presidential Task Force for drug prevention and the Presidential Coordinator for National Council for Disaster Management. Dr. Kumara shared his experience of bringing The Way to Happiness to groups ranging from tea plantation workers to schools to police and military staff in Sri Lanka. He shared his successful actions in working with both rural and urban communities to reduce crime and increase respect and tolerance.
Most importantly videos were sent in from 21 Way to Happiness chapters and volunteers on 5 continents, each sending their message on one of the 21 principals of The Way to Happiness.
To quote The Way to Happiness, “Happiness lies in engaging in worthwhile activities. But there is only one person who for certain can tell what will make one happy—oneself.”
The webinar can be viewed at https://fb.watch/4rdLSP5fGi/
For more information contact the Way To Happiness Foundation International at goodnews@twth.org
