The athlete, who has also won medals at the World Para Powerlifting Championships, said the world “desperately needs change,” urging her fellow citizens to get behind the cause.
Ms Mark broke records on her way to Gold in Paris last summer. She previously supported the launch of the Compassion Champions initiative in her hometown of Umuahia in Abia State. This programme will see inmates at the city’s custodial centre offered classes in compassion, helping them show a more caring attitude towards themselves and others.
In announcing her support, the Paralympian said she was moved to back the Global Compassion Coalition (GCC) because compassion is the “antidote” to conflict, division, and hate.
“When I look around at the world’s troubles one thing strikes me so clearly: we desperately need to change our values. Where we’re headed right now is frightening – more conflict, more division, more hate.
“Working with the GCC I’ve seen there is an antidote – compassion. We can all learn it and we can all use it and when we do, some amazing things start to happen. We build community. We build understanding. We build strength. And we build hope.
“To train for and win at the Paralympics, I needed enormous support. Well so too does each and every one of us every day. So if, like me, you want to see a world where we work together a little more, share more, and achieve more, please – join the Global Compassion Coalition,” she stated.
Helping to deliver the GCC’s program for change on the ground are a network of Compassion Connectors – local action groups working to spread compassionate values in their communities. The Nigerian Compassion Connectors network is headed up by Uwalaka Uchechukwu.
Responding to the news that Mark has joined the GCC, Uchechukwu said, “It’s a sign both of Onyinyechi’s huge heart as well as the immense promise of the GCC that these two forces have now come together.
“Onyinyechi is a huge inspiration to so many Nigerian people and I only hope that with her backing our cause more and more will come to our side and join us in creating a national and global majority for compassion.”
Also speaking, the chief executive of GCC, Matt Hawkins, said, “We’re honoured that Onyinyechi has joined our growing movement. Every week the GCC is attracting more and more people to its cause – people who feel that something just isn’t right with the world. People who want to see much more care, connection, and community in the world. And with every single person who joins us, our call is getting louder and stronger. Thank you Onyinyechi for being such a powerful voice for change.”