联合国经社理事会通过 慈济为特殊谘委
（撰文报导：慈济基金会文发处 2010/7/20）
联合国(UN)于台湾时间七月十九日深夜十一点（纽约时间七月十九日上午十一点钟），召开经济社会理事会大会，会中正式通过「佛教慈济基金会」(Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation)成为「联合国经济社会理事会非政府组织的特殊谘询委员」（NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC)。美国慈济基金会纽约分会执行长张济舵出席这项大会，并将这项好消息传回慈济台湾总会。
获准参与联合国六大理事会之一
「经济社会理事会的特殊执行委员」将可以参与联合国经济社会理事会及其相关的机构的各项重要事务、计画、预算之推动，提供谘询与服务给联合国秘书长、各国政府与其他非政府组织。
联合国经济社会理事会这一次通过佛教慈济基金会作为其特殊谘询委员，是肯定慈济在全球超过七十个国家的慈善与医疗等重大贡献。特别是近年的海地地震、智利地震、四川地震、南亚海啸等重大灾难，慈济志工都是走在最前，做到最后，以平等大爱的精神协助灾后重建。
慈善无疆界 全球慈济人负重任
在全世界各重要的NGO组织当中，不乏具有基督教与回教精神的组织，而慈济以务实的行动，将佛教的平等大爱散佈到全世界各个苦难的角落，这是具有其特殊的意义。联合国经济及社会理事会长期注意到慈济在全球的慈善行动，这次赋予其特殊谘询委员的地位，表示肯定，亦期许慈济根据过去四十多年所累积的经验、所依循的法则，继续尽地球公民之责执行各项任务，也促使联合国「千年发展目标」（MDG）之达成，奉献一已之力。
未来佛教慈济基金会将获准参与经济社会理事会的各项会议，提供口头与书面之建议。同样的，慈济在全球的慈善行动也将获得联合国的各相关组织之协助与必要之安全保护。
当这项消息宣佈后，美国总会随即透过越洋电话向证严上人禀告。上人感动联合国经济社会理事会给予的殊荣，也在今天早晨七点钟向全球会众开示：「慈济人应肩负起无疆界众生的责任，将全球发生的苦难都视为一己的使命，经由慈悲善行，体现佛陀无缘大慈的精神，将平等大爱广披世界寰宇。」
※说明：联合国六个主要机构，分别为：联合国大会、联合国安全理事会、联合国经济及社会理事会、联合国託管理事会、联合国秘书处与国际法院。
ECOSOC主席敲捶 纽约志工见证歷史
（报导：纽约分会 2010/7/20）
纽约时间2010年7月19日上午11点（台湾时间晚上11点），在联合国总部召开的「联合国经济社会理事会」大会上，慈济正式取得「联合国经济社会理事会特殊谘询地位」（NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC）。大会主席在各国代表的见证下，敲下捶子，也将此刻永恆写入慈济史！
最后一分钟 师兄才获准进入会场
会议一结束，慈济人即搭计程车（第一次搭计程车，平时都是搭地铁）赶回纽约会所，准备下午四点的记者招待会。记者招待会于下午五点左右顺利圆满。
今天的大会，由张济舵师兄、邹慈儒师姊代表参加。济舵师兄到最后一分钟，才成功申请到通行证（慈儒师姊非常镇定，锲而不捨帮忙申请）。
前一晚，接到本会宗教处的一封信，分享 上人的开示：「慈济即将进入联合国经济社会理事会；这是我的一大事，也是慈济的一大事。慈济已经把佛教带上国际舞台，我的肩膀也开始负起无疆界众生的责任 ...」
许多师兄师姊们都感动得哭了，济舵师兄在接受大爱台记者范婷师姊採访时，也哽咽到说不出话：「看到 上人的愿，是扛起全天下无疆界的众生的责任，这个愿是这么大！身为弟子，我们会更用心、更努力，让上人的宏愿，可以在联合国这国际舞台上实现！」
Tzu Chi Awarded Special Consultative Status at United Nations
On Monday, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) awarded ‘Special Consultative Status’ to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, an acknowledgement of its outstanding charity and medical work across the world. ECOSOC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. It made the announcement of the award at a meeting of its board of directors on Monday morning, 19 July, 2010, New York time.
Organizations who have this special status can attend meetings of the Council of ECOSOC and circulate statements.
The council recognizes the the foundation’s work in charity and medical work in more than 70 countries around the world. In the aftermath of recent earthquakes in Sichuan, Haiti and Chile and the southeast Asian tsunami. Tzu Chi was helping to rebuild the lives of people in a spirit of equality and universal love.
The status is also a sign that NGOs in the world are not limited to Christian and Islamic organizations. Tzu Chi is promoting the equality and universal love of Buddhism to relieve suffering around the world. This has special meaning. ECOSOC has paid attention to the global charity and reconstruction work of the foundation for a long time.
In future, the foundation will take part in meetings of ECOSOC. At the same time, its charity work around the world will receive the assistance and necessary protection of the organs of the United Nations.
Attending the meeting in New York was George Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Region. After receiving the news, he passed it to Stephen Huang, director of global operations, who informed Master Cheng Yen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. At seven o’clock that morning, she sent a message to her disciples around the world: “the members of Tzu Chi have a responsibility to people all over the world, in every country. They have a mission to those who suffered, wherever they are. Through compassion and good deeds, they embody the spirit of universal love of the Buddha and have the mission to spread this love all over the world.”
A Boundaryless Mission
On July 19, 2010, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation was officially granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). As one of the non-governmental organizations with such a special consultative status, Tzu Chi can attend ECOSOC meetings and other related international conferences and learn much from the experience of other NGOs. Dharma Master Cheng Yen has spoken of this as a great milestone for Tzu Chi. Below is a compilation of her thoughts on this great milestone, taken from speeches and conversations with Tzu Chi volunteers and other visitors.
With Tzu Chi given special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the scope of our mission, more than ever before, will include the entire world. It will be without boundaries. In truth, this boundarylessness of mission has always been my vision. I have always cherished the hope that the spirit of Buddhism can be manifested in every corner of the world. At its heart, Buddhism is concerned with relieving human suffering and awakening in all living beings the innate wisdom and compassion that is their true nature. This potential for wisdom and compassion, when awakened and translated into action, can transform our world. This is to transform the world by transforming the people in it.
Many people have lost sight of life's true meaning and purpose. In their ignorance, they live selfishly, and their actions harm others, the environment, and in the end, themselves. But if Buddhism's wisdom and compassion can be manifested in action, this spirit can reach and transform people's hearts. In action, this spirit is manifested as feeling others' suffering as one's very own and giving of oneself without seeking anything in return, with selfless love that embraces all people as a precious human being, no matter their race, nationality, or religion. When people live out this spirit, boundless good can be done. And others, touched by this spirit and living example, will see life with new understanding and become motivated to use their talents and energies for the good of humanity.
Within every person, there is the potential for pure wisdom, love, and compassion—wisdom, love, and compassion that is equal to the Buddha's. The Buddha, as the Awakened One, has awakened and brought forth this profound potential. In us, it lies dormant, and we do not even realize it is there.
Tzu Chi's work over the past four decades has been an effort to awaken this potential in people's hearts, by bringing people together to do works of love. One person can accomplish little; it takes a collective effort to carry out projects that can relieve suffering and improve others' lives. By gathering people together to work for a common purpose and joining together their strength, great works become possible. The more people there are, the more can be done. Through these works, the spirit of wisdom and compassion is given concrete form. The work is a channel that brings this spirit to people, touching their hearts and inspiring in them the same. And it is through this work that this spirit is practiced and deepened in the hearts of those doing the work.
As with all work, it had to begin somewhere. And so, over forty years ago, Tzu Chi was founded in the small rural town of Hualien, in an area that was considered the backwoods. It was a time of general poverty, and we ourselves lived in scarcity. Nevertheless, with what few resources we had, we began the work of giving aid to people in need in the small town of Hualien.
In that era of great hardship, under conditions of material and financial shortage, the scope of our work was very small. But, that work was the seed. With dedication, we worked, always holding in our hearts the Buddha's spirit of wisdom and compassion, never questioning whether our work was too little to matter. Our aspiration was very big, and what was within our means to do, we did actively, willingly, and with a joyful heart. We knew that what work we would be able to do depended on causes and conditions, and we were patient in doing what we could steadily, as we waited for causes and conditions to ripen and come together, and watched the seed grow. As people gradually noticed the work we were doing, they were moved to join us in our work. Each act of love or work of charity was hence like a brick paver laid down, paving a path. With more people, more of the path could be paved, and the path was extended further, its width broadened. Each work, done with a pure heart of wisdom and selfless love, planted a seed and created a karmic cause.
This has been our journey these forty plus years. In truth, our journey has only just begun. Buddhism is about opening the hearts of living beings so they can discover life's true meaning and walk on life's correct path, liberating themselves from suffering and afflictions. When the spirit of Buddhism reaches people's hearts, it can transform people's lives, from their inner world to their outer world. This is the mission encapsulated by the words "For Buddhism, for all living beings". This mission has no end, for wherever there are living beings, it continues.
It is a momentous mission, made possible only by the coming together of remarkable causes and conditions. As we have the karmic affinities to be a part of this, let us cherish and take hold of this precious affinity. And from now, we must train in ourselves the ability to shoulder a heavier load; and spiritually, we must broaden and deepen our spirit of selfless Great Love so we may be able to carry out this boundaryless mission.
（撰文报导：慈济基金会文发处 2010/7/20）
联合国(UN)于台湾时间七月十九日深夜十一点（纽约时间七月十九日上午十一点钟），召开经济社会理事会大会，会中正式通过「佛教慈济基金会」(Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation)成为「联合国经济社会理事会非政府组织的特殊谘询委员」（NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC)。美国慈济基金会纽约分会执行长张济舵出席这项大会，并将这项好消息传回慈济台湾总会。
获准参与联合国六大理事会之一
「经济社会理事会的特殊执行委员」将可以参与联合国经济社会理事会及其相关的机构的各项重要事务、计画、预算之推动，提供谘询与服务给联合国秘书长、各国政府与其他非政府组织。
联合国经济社会理事会这一次通过佛教慈济基金会作为其特殊谘询委员，是肯定慈济在全球超过七十个国家的慈善与医疗等重大贡献。特别是近年的海地地震、智利地震、四川地震、南亚海啸等重大灾难，慈济志工都是走在最前，做到最后，以平等大爱的精神协助灾后重建。
慈善无疆界 全球慈济人负重任
在全世界各重要的NGO组织当中，不乏具有基督教与回教精神的组织，而慈济以务实的行动，将佛教的平等大爱散佈到全世界各个苦难的角落，这是具有其特殊的意义。联合国经济及社会理事会长期注意到慈济在全球的慈善行动，这次赋予其特殊谘询委员的地位，表示肯定，亦期许慈济根据过去四十多年所累积的经验、所依循的法则，继续尽地球公民之责执行各项任务，也促使联合国「千年发展目标」（MDG）之达成，奉献一已之力。
未来佛教慈济基金会将获准参与经济社会理事会的各项会议，提供口头与书面之建议。同样的，慈济在全球的慈善行动也将获得联合国的各相关组织之协助与必要之安全保护。
当这项消息宣佈后，美国总会随即透过越洋电话向证严上人禀告。上人感动联合国经济社会理事会给予的殊荣，也在今天早晨七点钟向全球会众开示：「慈济人应肩负起无疆界众生的责任，将全球发生的苦难都视为一己的使命，经由慈悲善行，体现佛陀无缘大慈的精神，将平等大爱广披世界寰宇。」
※说明：联合国六个主要机构，分别为：联合国大会、联合国安全理事会、联合国经济及社会理事会、联合国託管理事会、联合国秘书处与国际法院。
ECOSOC主席敲捶 纽约志工见证歷史
（报导：纽约分会 2010/7/20）
纽约时间2010年7月19日上午11点（台湾时间晚上11点），在联合国总部召开的「联合国经济社会理事会」大会上，慈济正式取得「联合国经济社会理事会特殊谘询地位」（NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC）。大会主席在各国代表的见证下，敲下捶子，也将此刻永恆写入慈济史！
最后一分钟 师兄才获准进入会场
会议一结束，慈济人即搭计程车（第一次搭计程车，平时都是搭地铁）赶回纽约会所，准备下午四点的记者招待会。记者招待会于下午五点左右顺利圆满。
今天的大会，由张济舵师兄、邹慈儒师姊代表参加。济舵师兄到最后一分钟，才成功申请到通行证（慈儒师姊非常镇定，锲而不捨帮忙申请）。
前一晚，接到本会宗教处的一封信，分享 上人的开示：「慈济即将进入联合国经济社会理事会；这是我的一大事，也是慈济的一大事。慈济已经把佛教带上国际舞台，我的肩膀也开始负起无疆界众生的责任 ...」
许多师兄师姊们都感动得哭了，济舵师兄在接受大爱台记者范婷师姊採访时，也哽咽到说不出话：「看到 上人的愿，是扛起全天下无疆界的众生的责任，这个愿是这么大！身为弟子，我们会更用心、更努力，让上人的宏愿，可以在联合国这国际舞台上实现！」
Tzu Chi Awarded Special Consultative Status at United Nations
On Monday, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) awarded ‘Special Consultative Status’ to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, an acknowledgement of its outstanding charity and medical work across the world. ECOSOC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. It made the announcement of the award at a meeting of its board of directors on Monday morning, 19 July, 2010, New York time.
Organizations who have this special status can attend meetings of the Council of ECOSOC and circulate statements.
The council recognizes the the foundation’s work in charity and medical work in more than 70 countries around the world. In the aftermath of recent earthquakes in Sichuan, Haiti and Chile and the southeast Asian tsunami. Tzu Chi was helping to rebuild the lives of people in a spirit of equality and universal love.
The status is also a sign that NGOs in the world are not limited to Christian and Islamic organizations. Tzu Chi is promoting the equality and universal love of Buddhism to relieve suffering around the world. This has special meaning. ECOSOC has paid attention to the global charity and reconstruction work of the foundation for a long time.
In future, the foundation will take part in meetings of ECOSOC. At the same time, its charity work around the world will receive the assistance and necessary protection of the organs of the United Nations.
Attending the meeting in New York was George Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Region. After receiving the news, he passed it to Stephen Huang, director of global operations, who informed Master Cheng Yen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. At seven o’clock that morning, she sent a message to her disciples around the world: “the members of Tzu Chi have a responsibility to people all over the world, in every country. They have a mission to those who suffered, wherever they are. Through compassion and good deeds, they embody the spirit of universal love of the Buddha and have the mission to spread this love all over the world.”
A Boundaryless Mission
On July 19, 2010, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation was officially granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). As one of the non-governmental organizations with such a special consultative status, Tzu Chi can attend ECOSOC meetings and other related international conferences and learn much from the experience of other NGOs. Dharma Master Cheng Yen has spoken of this as a great milestone for Tzu Chi. Below is a compilation of her thoughts on this great milestone, taken from speeches and conversations with Tzu Chi volunteers and other visitors.
With Tzu Chi given special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the scope of our mission, more than ever before, will include the entire world. It will be without boundaries. In truth, this boundarylessness of mission has always been my vision. I have always cherished the hope that the spirit of Buddhism can be manifested in every corner of the world. At its heart, Buddhism is concerned with relieving human suffering and awakening in all living beings the innate wisdom and compassion that is their true nature. This potential for wisdom and compassion, when awakened and translated into action, can transform our world. This is to transform the world by transforming the people in it.
Many people have lost sight of life's true meaning and purpose. In their ignorance, they live selfishly, and their actions harm others, the environment, and in the end, themselves. But if Buddhism's wisdom and compassion can be manifested in action, this spirit can reach and transform people's hearts. In action, this spirit is manifested as feeling others' suffering as one's very own and giving of oneself without seeking anything in return, with selfless love that embraces all people as a precious human being, no matter their race, nationality, or religion. When people live out this spirit, boundless good can be done. And others, touched by this spirit and living example, will see life with new understanding and become motivated to use their talents and energies for the good of humanity.
Within every person, there is the potential for pure wisdom, love, and compassion—wisdom, love, and compassion that is equal to the Buddha's. The Buddha, as the Awakened One, has awakened and brought forth this profound potential. In us, it lies dormant, and we do not even realize it is there.
Tzu Chi's work over the past four decades has been an effort to awaken this potential in people's hearts, by bringing people together to do works of love. One person can accomplish little; it takes a collective effort to carry out projects that can relieve suffering and improve others' lives. By gathering people together to work for a common purpose and joining together their strength, great works become possible. The more people there are, the more can be done. Through these works, the spirit of wisdom and compassion is given concrete form. The work is a channel that brings this spirit to people, touching their hearts and inspiring in them the same. And it is through this work that this spirit is practiced and deepened in the hearts of those doing the work.
As with all work, it had to begin somewhere. And so, over forty years ago, Tzu Chi was founded in the small rural town of Hualien, in an area that was considered the backwoods. It was a time of general poverty, and we ourselves lived in scarcity. Nevertheless, with what few resources we had, we began the work of giving aid to people in need in the small town of Hualien.
In that era of great hardship, under conditions of material and financial shortage, the scope of our work was very small. But, that work was the seed. With dedication, we worked, always holding in our hearts the Buddha's spirit of wisdom and compassion, never questioning whether our work was too little to matter. Our aspiration was very big, and what was within our means to do, we did actively, willingly, and with a joyful heart. We knew that what work we would be able to do depended on causes and conditions, and we were patient in doing what we could steadily, as we waited for causes and conditions to ripen and come together, and watched the seed grow. As people gradually noticed the work we were doing, they were moved to join us in our work. Each act of love or work of charity was hence like a brick paver laid down, paving a path. With more people, more of the path could be paved, and the path was extended further, its width broadened. Each work, done with a pure heart of wisdom and selfless love, planted a seed and created a karmic cause.
This has been our journey these forty plus years. In truth, our journey has only just begun. Buddhism is about opening the hearts of living beings so they can discover life's true meaning and walk on life's correct path, liberating themselves from suffering and afflictions. When the spirit of Buddhism reaches people's hearts, it can transform people's lives, from their inner world to their outer world. This is the mission encapsulated by the words "For Buddhism, for all living beings". This mission has no end, for wherever there are living beings, it continues.
It is a momentous mission, made possible only by the coming together of remarkable causes and conditions. As we have the karmic affinities to be a part of this, let us cherish and take hold of this precious affinity. And from now, we must train in ourselves the ability to shoulder a heavier load; and spiritually, we must broaden and deepen our spirit of selfless Great Love so we may be able to carry out this boundaryless mission.
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