In June 2025, OPIS released a wide-ranging publication titled Compassionate Governance: A Strategic Guide to Preventing and Alleviating Global Suffering. This guide was created as a response to a simple but extraordinarily important question: given the amount of intense suffering in the world, what are the best strategies we can develop to prevent as much of it as possible from happening? From ethics to policy recommendations and movement-building, it pulls together key insights and wisdom from different fields of expertise, including chapters on power dynamics, complex systems, trust-building, democratic reforms, conflict resolution, and AI regulation & governance. The ideas contained, if implemented, may bring us closer to our vision, including through increased global cooperation and processes that can lead to better deliberations and solutions to our crises.
Compassionate Governance can also be ordered in paperback format from Amazon.com and other sites, e.g. Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de
“Compassionate governance? Now, that would be a splendid idea! OPIS’s guide offers some valuable insights on how to get there.”
Yanis Varoufakis
Professor of Economics at University of Athens
Former Greek finance minister, Co-founder of the DiEM25 movement
“Not your usual guidebook. It is full of ideas as to how compassion can be made the cornerstone of our lives and politics and explains why, in an increasingly conflicted world, this is so urgently needed.”
Michael Keating
Executive Director of European Institute of Peace
“The world suffers from many profoundly complex problems. That doesn’t mean they are unsolvable. This report shows ways forward.”
Anders Sandberg
Researcher at Institute for Futures Studies
Former Senior Research Fellow at Future of Humanity Institute
“Increasingly, global, national and some local leaders are moving away from basic human decency, solidarity and science-based, collective problem-solving. A new ethos is required. This guide shows a holistic, powerful approach that combines heart and mind for the good of all people, animals and the planet. Recommended reading for students and those in positions of power alike.”
Jasmijn de Boo
Global CEO of ProVeg International
On Wednesday, 25 June 2025 we held a launch webinar with panellists addressing three major causes of current or potential suffering, and discussing empathy, strategy and personal development as activists (see flyer below). You can watch the full recording here.
