How Might We Build the Empathy Movement? 

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Date: April 4, 2026
Time: 9:00 am PT to 12:30 pm PT   World Times
Location: Zoom https://zoom.us/j/9896109339 

In this Summit, empathy activists talk about how we can build the Empathy Movement to make mutual empathy a primary cultural value.

Join this Summit if you are ready to roll up your sleeves and help build the Movement. The Empathy Movement is a transformative force in addressing the growing fragmentation and polarization in modern societies. At its core, the movement seeks to reorient how individuals and groups relate to one another, shifting from transactional, adversarial and authoritarian interactions to ones rooted in mutual listening, deep dialogue, understanding, constructive collaboration and seeing our shared humanity. 

For empathy to become a primary cultural value, it needs sustained, coordinated effort across multiple domains. A movement brings all groups together across the social and political spectrum who support this vision.  It also provides the organizational structure needed for long-term cultural transformation rather than short-lived initiatives. 

Speakers and Hosting Team
Speakers will have 5 to 15 minutes to speak on some aspect of how to build the empathy movement.

To Be A Speaker
If you would like to be a speaker fill out the Application.
Send a one sentence bio, the title of your proposed talk, a 2 or 3 sentence abstract for consideration,

Program 

All times are Pacific Time
 

Speakers Schedule

9:00am - Introduction

9:05 am - Speaker: Stuart Nolan: Building Cultures of Empathy Practice, Research, and Innovation in the UK.  

9:20 am - Speaker: Paramita Roy: From Understanding to Action: Why the Empathy Movement Must Prioritise Action-Oriented Pedagogies
9:35 am - Speaker: Martin Golder: How to convince the gangster class to join the Empathy Movement.   

9:50 am - Activity - Cara Jean Wilson 

10:00 am - Speaker: Edwin Rutsch: An Invitation to Co-Create Our Shared Empathy Movement Training Curriculum 

10:15 am - Speaker: Susan Christy: My Experience Building an Empathy/Listening Movement
10:30 am - Speaker: William Filler: Bringing the Empathy Movement Message to the California State Democratic Convention   

10:45 am - Speaker: Jillian Lee Meyer: Exercising Empathy and Strengthening the Empathy Movement

11:00 Empathy Circle

12:10 Debrief
12:28 Closing

Program:
All times are Pacific Time

9:00 am PT  Introduction (5 min)
Host:  Cara Jean Wilson

Topic: Building Cultures of Empathy Practice, Research, and Innovation in the UK.  
9:05 am - Speaker:  Stuart Nolan  (15 min)

• Bio:  Dr Stuart Nolan is an Empathy Trainer, Keynote Speaker, Stage Performer, and author of How To Train An Empath: Lessons From A Professional Mindreader, with a PhD in the Cultural History of Theatrical and Scientific Mindreading and over 35 years of experience unlocking empathy through science, performance, and play.  (Website) (LinkedIn) (Facebook)

• Topic:   Building Cultures of Empathy Practice, Research, and Innovation in the UK. 

• Abstract:   The talk will report on my work embedding empathy into leadership programmes at UK national organisations, including the BBC and the National Health Service (NHS). It will focus on the use of techniques from theatrical performance to train physical and collaborative empathy. It will also describe the use of a Threefold Model of Empathy that challenges prevailing ideas of what empathy is and suggests ways for the Empathy Movement to tackle the challenges of emerging technology and divisive politics. 

Topic: From Understanding to Action: Why the Empathy Movement Must Prioritise Action-Oriented Pedagogies
9:20 am - Speaker:  Paramita Roy (15 min)

• Bio:  Paramita Roy is an educator, filmmaker, and the founder of Global Empathy Conference and Virtual School Australia (VSA). VSA is internationally recognised for teaching empathy through action. Paramita integrates performing arts, storytelling, filmmaking, and reflective writing into education to help young people engage with real-world social issues. She is currently organising the 8th Global Empathy Conference.   (Website) (LinkedIn) (Facebook)

• Topic:   From Understanding to Action: Why the Empathy Movement Must Prioritise Action-Oriented Pedagogies

• Abstract:  Empathy is widely valued in education, yet it is often taught as a concept to be understood rather than a practice to be enacted. This presentation argues that the Empathy Movement must shift from awareness to action.
  
  Drawing on contemporary research and a case study from Virtual School Australia, it demonstrates how action-oriented pedagogies—particularly arts-based and creative practices enable students to practice empathy through lived experience.
  
  By engaging learners as creators, performers, and publishers, empathy becomes a skill expressed through ethical reflection, perspective-taking, and social engagement. The presentation offers practical insights for educators seeking to embed empathy as a meaningful, action-driven component of teaching and learning.

Topic: How to convince the gangster class to join the Empathy Movement.
9:35 am - Speaker: Martin Golder (15 min)

• Bio:  Martin Golder is a Retired Mediator and Architect just finished a book Journey To Empathy about my personal discovery of the power of empathy.  (Website) (LinkedIn) (Facebook)

• Topic:  How to convince the gangster class to join the Empathy Movement.   

• Abstract:   Empathy is so often thought of as a touchy feely lefty kind of thing. Hence Musk’s famous quote. However to build an empathy movement it has to find a place amongst hard nosed business types and even gangsters and neer-do-wells. It is a hard skill that can be learned and put into practice by people in all walks to make their lives better. Even a completely fake version of what Carl Rogers espoused is surprisingly effective. And perhaps the most surprising thing is that when selfish people use Mechanical Empathy to get what they want there is a spin off effect that gradually rewires their brains and turns them into better people. The Empathy movement is for everyone.

9: 50 am -  Activity - Cara Jean Wilson

10:00 am PT 
Host:  Janna Weiss

Topic:  An Invitation to Co-Create Our Shared Empathy Movement Training Curriculum
10:00 am - Speaker: Edwin Rutsch (15 min)

• Bio: Edwin Rutsch is Founding Director of The Empathy Center, and a leading organizer in the global Empathy Movement. He is a creator and long-time advocate of the Empathy Circle practice—a simple yet powerful tool for building understanding and bridging divides.  (LinkedIn) (Facebook) (Website)

• Topic:  An Invitation to Co-Create Our Shared Empathy Movement Training Curriculum

• Abstract:  If we want to build a thriving Empathy Movement, we need an effective publicly available Empathy Movement Training Curriculum. Most empathy trainings today are private programs or proprietary courses. While many excellent trainings exist, there is no shared curriculum that is openly available for communities, educators, and organizers around the world.
  
  This presentation proposes creating a public-domain Empathy Movement Training Curriculum that integrates the best existing approaches and makes them widely accessible. Participants are invited to join a collaborative effort to design, develop, and expand this curriculum for the global empathy movement. 

Topic: My Experience Building an Empathy-Listening Movement
10:15 am - Susan Christy  (15 min)

• Bio: Susan Christy has designed and facilitated professional LISTENING trainings/programs for thousands of people in corporations, universities, medical schools, and hospitals all over the country. Of course, teaching empathy is an important part of this.  (Website) (LinkedIn)

• Topic:   My Experience Building an Empathy/Listening Movement 

• Abstract:   Beginning in academia as a psychology professor, I taught empathy and communication to empower students to be more effective in their professional and personal lives. I later expanded this into a successful consulting practice, integrating empathy into listening, customer service, leadership, conflict resolution, and team-building programs. I will share my strategies for attracting paid and unpaid clients and getting lots of follow-up business.

Topic: Bringing the Empathy Movement Message to the California State Democratic Convention  
10:30 am - Speaker: William Filler  (15 min)

• Bio:   Bill Filler is retired special education teacher who has worked with at-risk children of all ages for over 30 years. He has been involved in the Empathy Circle since 2017. He co-created the Empathy Circle Facilitator training with Lou Zweier and Edwin Rutsch, and has been holding trainings since March 2020. He is a member of the Empathy Center Board of Directors.  (LinkedIn) (Facebook)  

• Topic: Bringing the Empathy Movement Message to the California State Democratic Convention 

• Abstract:  We brought the message of the Empathy Movement to the California State Democratic Convention. When we got to the convention in San Francisco we found that people were open to a new way of relating to each other, and when they were listened to, were happy they tried the Empathy Circle process. We listened to individuals, brought our message to politicians, and got our message out during a short interview on KPIX TV, a local San Francisco TV station.  

Topic: Exercising Empathy and Strengthening the Empathy Movement
10:45 am - Speaker: Jillian Lee Meyer  (15 min)

• Bio: I am a dual PhD student in social psychology and cognitive science studying moral psychology, viewpoint diversity, and empathy.  (LinkedIn) (Facebook)  (Website)

• Topic: Exercising Empathy and Strengthening the Empathy Movement

• Abstract: The empathy movement is facing a growing challenge as scholars increasingly highlight its “dark sides,” from bias and burnout to what some call harmful or even toxic forms of empathy. This talk argues that the problem is not empathy itself, but how we understand and use it—proposing a new framework that treats empathy as a moral muscle that can be underdeveloped, overextended, or well-trained. By shifting the goal from “more empathy” to “better-calibrated empathy,” this model offers a path forward for building an empathy movement that is both effective and sustainable.   

 
Empathy Summit: Saturday, April 4, 2026: Links

Website: http://EmpathySummit.com

Event Page: https://EmpathySummit.com/dates/apr-4-2026-movement 

World Times: https://bit.ly/ES2026-04-04  

Registration:   https://tinyurl.com/ESReg2026-04-04 

Partners: http://EmpathySummit.com/sponsors 

Volunteers: http://EmpathySummit.com/volunteers

LinkedIn Event: https://www.linkedin.com/event/manage/7381930946591301632 

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1084390083744951 

Feedback: https://forms.gle/DtCFBrXGFc9iHanRA 

Final Report Location: https://www.empathysummit.com/dates/apr-4-2026-movement