AUSTRALIA’S COMMITMENT TO CHAMPION KINDNESS ON DISPLAY
Press Release 2026
One of the world’s Champions of Kindness™ is showcasing the state of South Australia and Australia’s commitment to kinder communities at the inaugural K20 Kindness Without Borders Summit in Florida May 14-17, hosted by The Roots of Compassion and Kindness (ROCK) Center, Florida Gulf Coast University.
Adelaide-based James Burnell is among four Australian Champions and ambassadors for Kindness Worldwide, an impactful global nonprofit with a vision “to create a culture of kindness in communities throughout the world” that was inspired by a simple act of kindness.
Mr Burnell wrote the song We Need a World Kindness Family and then collaborated with local musicians and producers to record it and its accompanying music video, which will be launched at the K20 Summit.
It will be used in celebration of kindness sessions and to close out the finale of the summit, which brings together the world’s leading kindness advocates and thought leaders to explore and discuss how to influence individuals, organisations, communities and governments to take kindness into account when they make key decisions.
The song was written in the anthem style of We Are The World, released in 1985 by USA for Africa, and I Was Only 19, released in 1983 by Redgum, that made a difference about global issues by changing people’s way of thinking.
The music video features South Australian people and landmarks, including representatives from various religions and cultures that all recognise kindness, and the song is recorded by local musicians, producers and sound engineers.
“Kindness is not a weakness – it’s actually a strength,” Mr Burnell says.
“I say that kindness is as kindness does.
“Every moral teaching talks about the treatment of others, so kindness is the way that you would want to be treated, but you’re doing it to others.
“It’s going one extra step for other people without any expectation of anything in return, other than the ‘feel good’ that I was able to help.”
The ROCK Center director Dr Maria Roca says the song’s lyrics are inspiring.
“The recognition that we are ‘one planet, one people, one future’ is the awakening we need to become a community of kindness working together toward peace and sustainability,” Dr Roca says.
K20 global kindness initiative founder Alan Williams agrees it is a powerful song.
“The message behind James’ song is totally aligned with the K20 ambition to provide a supporting environment for the global kindness community to connect, collaborate, and create more positive impact together,” Mr Williams says.
Mr Burnell says the world stands in urgent need of kindness, morality and human unity now as much as it did when the World Kindness Movement first began in the 1990s.
“The news of the day is so full of unkind acts and unkind decision and knee-jerk decisions by global leaders, without taking into consideration the ramifications of the long-term effect it has on families,” he says.
“What we’re trying to do is to put enough of a voice out there to say, ‘Stop – you need to take into consideration what this is doing to other people, in regards to potential world wars, or local schemes, or even just the issues that we face locally ourselves’.
“It shows that we may not agree on everything, but we can certainly use kindness as the glue to start trying to agree.”
The origin story of Kindness Worldwide is the subject of a feature film For Such a Time as This, which has won numerous accolades and awards, including Most Inspirational Film at Whispers of the Universe: Melbourne International Film Festival in early May.
All Kindness Champions are also distinguished members of the World Kindness Movement, a global initiative to inspire individuals towards greater kindness and connecting nations to create a kinder world.
Mr Burnell wants Adelaide and other Australian capital cities to seek endorsement as a place where kindness is a considered factor in decision making.
The Gold Coast was appointed the world’s first World Kindness City in 2017 because of its commitment to key kindness performance indicators, such as hosting annual kindness awards and other forms of kindness recognition as well as having the local government showcase public displays of kindness.
Kindness Worldwide founder Kevin Smith says it appreciates the commitment and support of all involved.
“The aim of Kindness Worldwide and its vast ecosystem of aligned partners such as the K20 and The World Kindness Movement is to elevate Kindness to the global shared value that represents ALL of Humanity,” says Kindness Worldwide founder Kevin Smith.
“We look forward to the Gold Coast’s commitment toward this vision and are grateful for James Burnell’s efforts, passion, and support.”
Becoming a World Kindness City involves adopting principles set out in the Dhaka Declaration on Kindness at the International Congress on Kindness, Moral Values, and Their Impact on Happiness in December, 2025.
Mr Burnell says not all acts of kindness need to be high level, with everyone in communities able to show greater kindness to people they know as well as strangers.
“Sometimes, even just to smile can be all it takes,” Mr Burnell says. “Sending someone a text that you’re thinking about them can change that person’s whole day for the better.”
The We Need a World Kindness Family song and music video will be available from May 18 on YouTube, Spotify and other musical streaming outlets.
It and an orchestral version will also be available for free on the World Kindness Family website for anyone to listen to, and adapt to their local language.
Listen and view a preview of the song and music video
Media Contact:
James A. Burnell, Kindness Worldwide, Inc Champion and Member, The World Kindness Movement, is located in Adelaide and available for interview.
T: 0413 056 516
Case study available for interview:
97-year-old South Australian woman Aisne, who features in the music video. A pin-up girl for World War II in the 1940s, today she is a pin-up girl for kindness. Aisne still lives independently and plays sport weekly, and prefers people to fuss over the welfare of her 99-year-old sister than her own.
About the K20 Kindness Without Borders Initiative
The ambition of this global kindness initiative is to create a conducive environment for the global kindness community to connect, collaborate and deliver impact – together. The World Kindness inaugural K20 Kindness Without Borders Summit brings together kindness advocates from across the world. It is being hosted by The Roots of Compassion and Kindness (ROC) Center at Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida, May 14-17.
About Kindness Worldwide Inc
Following an act of kindness between two strangers, Kindness Worldwide Inc. formed as a global charitable non-profit organisation with a vision “to create a culture of kindness in communities through the world”.
Kindness Worldwide Inc. believes Kindness is a choice that should be universally encouraged, recognised, rewarded and celebrated as a primary means of human unification regardless of ethnicity, creed, personal identity, faith, politics, nationality or other affinity factors.
About the World Kindness Movement
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Kindness Movement is a not-for-profit organisation with no political, commercial or religious affiliations and has 35 member countries. It aims to change attitudes and behaviours, from the highest level of international global relations through to the one-on-one relationships people have with others in their local communities.
