World Kindness Day: All you need to know about the WKM organisation

World Kindness Day is celebrated every year on November 13, in an attempt to make the world a better place by giving and showing kindness towards everyone. It was first celebrated in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement (WKM), an organization formed at a 1997 Tokyo conference by organisation sharing similar interests from around the world. The WKM is a legally registered not-for-profit organization with no political, commercial or religious affiliations and is now recognized as the peak and global body for kindness. 

“Members of the movement include over 27 nations with representatives from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Romania, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea,Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, the USA and Zimbabwe”.

The WKM aims to inspire individuals towards greater kindness by connecting nations to create a kinder movement. However, the observance of World Kindness Day is unofficial and hopes to get an official recognition at the United Nations.

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General Assemblies

At the 7th General Assembly in 2012 the kindness torch was passed from Singapore to Australia for the first time after which Australia was appointed as the organization's Secretariat. At the 8th General Assembly in 2014, China, France, Switzerland, and Thailand was appointed to the International Council for the first time. Whereas Australia, India, Nigeria, and South Korea were re-elected to serve second terms. The countries were expected to implement the global strategies development to bring about a positive change whereby all nations of the world could be united under a coalition of the good-willing. In 2017 in Seoul the WKM welcomed the new International Council representing South Korea, Switzerland, India, Australia, Netherlands, Nigeria, China, Mexico who strive to inspire its members and our world leaders, that the vision of a kinder world can be realized in our lifetime. In the 10th General Assemble in 2019 in Lugano, the WKM welcomed the new International Council representing Switzerland, India, Australia, Nigeria, Malaysia, South Korea. 

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