Today marks exactly ten years since the world lost Muhammad Ali. To honor the occasion, the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, has launched an inaugural global “Day of Compassion”, a call for people everywhere to serve their communities and carry forward Ali’s enduring values.
The Muhammad Ali Center announced the Day of Compassion as an annual global day of service and community action, to be held every June 3, the anniversary of Ali’s passing. The initiative is rooted in one of his most enduring beliefs: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”
Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali, who serves as the center’s lifetime director, said the hope is for this to grow into an expanding annual event that highlights works of service and volunteering around the world.
The Day of Compassion launched in Louisville during the 10th annual Ali Fest, a week-long celebration running from June 1 to 7. The Muhammad Ali Center partnered with Metro United Way to coordinate acts of service involving nonprofits, schools, faith communities, businesses, and community leaders throughout the city.
The initiative extends well beyond Louisville, with cities across the United States and internationally, including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Sharjah in the UAE, being called on to organize volunteer acts and share their stories using #DayofCompassion.
Ali passed away on June 3, 2016, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 74.
