Came across these essays by Jet Li about his humanitarian
foundation, ONE foundation, thought to share... fyi, Jet Li is also
a devoted Buddhist apart from being a famous movie star.
For more information, http://jetli.com
My family
and I have returned to safety. I know that
friends and fans all over the world were greatly worried when they
heard that my family and I were trapped in the Maldives when the
tsunami hit. I want to take this opportunity to thank everybody who
expressed concern for our safety and well-being. I am humbled by
the outpouring of love.
I am deeply indebted to the staff at The Four Seasons Hotel in
the Maldives. Throughout the initial chaos and the entire disaster,
they demonstrated selfless bravery and compassion, the finest human
qualities, in assisting us and the other hotel guests, even though
their own family members were likely endangered by the rising
waters as well. I want to thank them from the bottom of my
heart.
As a Buddhist, I hold a certain understanding of the
impermanence of life-that everything has a beginning and end.
However, living through this natural disaster has heightened my
consciousness of suffering and joy, and of the fortune and
misfortune around me. It shook me awake and helped me realize that
I have an obligation to life. As I reflect on the tremendous
suffering that continues in South Asia, the first thing that I
can-and must-do as a single human being is to treasure every single
day as a precious gift, and to give thanks for the people in my
life-as well as life itself.
More importantly, having experienced firsthand the devastation
and distress caused by the flooding, deep in my heart I sense the
urge to act, to do something, to help. I know that all of us,
regardless of race and religion, will come together and contribute
to help those who are still suffering-those who were injured and
those left homeless by the earthquake and the tsunami. We are all
human beings, and no matter how different we appear on the surface,
we are the same inside. Our deepest, truest human nature is to be
selfless and compassionate-the very qualities that are in greatest
need at this moment. Please help however which way you can, my
brothers and sisters around the world, whether it is to donate
money, to provide assistance, or even to pray for the well-being of
those affected by the tsunami, The time is now.
and...
Reason"
As has been widely reported, I had a close brush with death
during the tsunami that swept through South Asia on December 26,
2004. Fortunately, my family and I were able to escape danger. We
are all right and in good health.
However, the experience of surviving the chaos and witnessing
the devastation caused by this natural disaster has changed me
forever. During the recovery period in the Maldives, I was deeply
moved to see that everyone who was able to help did willingly pitch
in. Never once did anyone ask anybody else, "Where are you from?"
or "What nationality are you?" I wondered: was it possible to keep
that spirit alive and transcend traditional boundaries to help
humanity at large?
Deep in my heart, I sensed the urge to act-to do something
more.
I am proposing an idea for a new international relief agency,
called ONE Foundation. This idea had been brewing
in my mind for many years. Up until this moment, however, I had
never had the courage to set it into motion.
I realize that establishing this foundation will be more
challenging than anything I have ever done. The night of the
devastation, I couldn't sleep. I meditated through the night.
I decided that no matter how difficult the path ahead, I would
give it my all. I will never waver in my commitment to make
ONE Foundation a reality. The need is
unquestionable. The time is now.
"Idea"
The concept behind ONE Foundation is
simple:
1 person + 1 dollar + 1 month (each month) = 1 (big)
family
Translation: Each person who can, donates one dollar per month.
Everyone is connected as one world. The generosity you show to
others ultimately comes back to yourself.
ONE Foundation aims to create an organization
whose main goal will be to provide relief to the victims of natural
disasters. History shows us that natural disasters are inevitable
and can cause catastrophic damage. The only uncertainty is when and
where they will strike-and whose lives they will affect. Natural
disasters know no boundaries. Nobody on the planet is immune.
Because we share this common vulnerability, let us unite across
national borders, race, religion, age, and politics. In other
words, let us transcend traditional boundaries and unite as
one.
As we all know, the world has five major continents. It is how
we are geographically divided. However, if you take a bird's-eye
view of the planet, there is only one Earth. Everyone belongs to
the planet. Think of the Earth as a human body. Think of the five
major continents as major organ systems of the body. If something
happens to one of the organs, every other part is affected.
The population of our planet currently stands at 6.4 billion
people. If 10% of us would agree to donate and give one dollar a
month, together we can raise millions each year. Carried across
many years and generations, one dollar a month can make a HUGE
difference.
Let's set up an infrastructure that will make the act of
donating as effortless as breathing, or as simple as buying
groceries. Our goal will be to make donating one dollar a month as
easy as possible.
In addition, ONE Foundation will hold
occasional fundraisers-events that will challenge the world to show
more generosity, unity, and teamwork than it believes possible. All
of us are capable of doing much more than we do now. Every four
years, we watch the ideals of the Olympics push athletes to achieve
feats beyond what is imagined possible. Can we, the human family,
break all previous records for compassion?
I believe that the act of donating one's time or money is a
holistic act. The immediate effect is to help those in need, but by
contributing to the global family, you understand yourself to be
part of something larger. By showing generosity, you understand
that no matter what happens to you or your immediate family, you
are never alone-and this is a priceless feeling. You have helped
someone else. Should the day come that you are the one in need of
assistance, you can be sure that this family will come and help
you. You have always been part of a global family, and now you know
that its resources are limitless as its desire to give and help. In
reaching out to help others in your worldwide family, you realize
that the ultimate beneficiary is yourself.
We are so accustomed to helping and supporting victims of
natural disasters only after the photographs and news reports of
the devastation start to appear. Since we know that these natural
disasters are a certainty, let's put together a world fund that is
eminently prepared and proactively organized to provide aid. When
disaster strikes, ONE Foundation can immediately
put the plan into action to provide immediate aid and relief. Let's
create a legacy together: a perpetual fund that will provide
long-term support and planning for generations to come.
The plan is to start ONE Foundation in
China/Hong Kong. My homeland represents one-fifth of the world's
population, and as such, bears a responsibility to take its place
among the other leading nations in the world in setting an example.
From China/Hong Kong, ONE Foundation will expand
throughout Asia to Europe and the United States, and eventually
everywhere in the world.
The foundation's main services can be categorized as
follows:
Long-term support is necessary and of utmost importance. My
young daughters were with me during the tsunami disaster in the
Maldives; I can already see that they are experiencing
post-traumatic symptoms, as they have developed a fear of the ocean
and water. Seeing this, it struck me that the deep mental scars and
psychological effects that result from any large disaster can be
just as devastating as the physical destruction. Feelings of loss
and grief persist over time and are difficult to assuage. Long-term
support is crucial in assisting disaster victims to cope with their
loss and to help them towards the rebuilding of a normal life.
As always, my intention is not to preach. I am only sharing my
idea with the world in the hopes that everyone will come together
to help each other-and themselves.
In order to make ONE Foundation a reality, I am
seeking the help of experts who are knowledgeable in establishing
and running foundations and non-profit organizations. In addition,
I will need assistance and advice from medical professionals,
lawyers, bankers, politicians, and anybody else who is willing to
help. To fulfill its humanitarian mission, ONE
Foundation's broad-based plan will also require many
volunteers.
I hope that the worldwide media will help me in publicizing,
promoting and following the establishment and progress of
ONE Foundation. In addition, I hope they will help
in acting as a public check on the foundation to ensure that
ONE Foundation is accountable for its actions and
the money donated.
A website for ONE Foundation is being created.
Until it is done, please send all suggestions and comments to me
at: [email protected]. In
addition, you may visit my website at jetli.com for continual
updates. If you have expertise to share, I am eager to hear from
you. If you are willing to donate your time or money, thank you for
understanding the idea behind ONE Foundation.
Please be patient-you will hear from me again soon.
"The spirit of ONE Foundation"
The magnitude of devastation left in the wake of this
unfortunate disaster is unlike anything we have previously seen. In
response, the world has already shown an unprecedented outpouring
of support, compassion, and love. This selfless outpour of
generosity has already transcended all boundaries and has shown us
how deeply the world can love. I am humbled by it. And it's this
feeling of love and compassion that I hope to see carry forward in
perpetuity. I hope we can pass this feeling of warmth and
thoughtfulness to generations upon generations. Let's show that the
scale of humanity's love-the feeling of a big family-can last
forever.