Matthieu Ricard: The Path to a Compassionate Society

In this inspiring conversation, Lion's Roar editor-in-chief Melvin McLeod speaks with Buddhist monk, humanitarian, and author Matthieu Ricard about the transformative power of compassion. Ricard delves into its foundational role in Buddhism and society, emphasizing that compassion is not merely a virtue, but the most pragmatic solution to address the challenges of the 21st century.

Drawing on his decades of work alleviating suffering in the Himalayan region and beyond as the founder of Karuna-Shechen — a nonprofit humanitarian organization celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025 — Ricard shares how altruism helps us navigate and make change in a world facing environmental crises, social inequality, and moral uncertainty. By cultivating compassion through practice and expressing it through action, we can lay the foundation for building a compassionate society from the ground up, one step at a time. Ultimately, he concludes, "change is possible."

Learn more about Karuna-Shechen: https://karuna-shechen.org/en/

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