The COLORS of Compassion project celebrates the fearless game changers who continue to be emboldened by the passion and

power of the LGBT Rainbow Flag. In the past 35 years, millions of flags have been created since the original eightcolored Rainbow Flag was raised in San Franciscos United Nations Plaza on June 25, 1978. It was a game changing moment for people who immediately embraced it as a symbol of both the LGBT community and of compassion for millions living in hiding, shame and fear.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 1

THE PROJECT

Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the LGBT Rainbow Flag, the COLORS of Compassion project is drawing attention to each of the eight original compassionate colors of the flag through a global participatory experience of creating flags in the tradition of Tibetan and Bhutanese prayer flags and sharing those with others who need encouragement, hope and strength in their struggles.

COLORS of Compassion launches with the presentation of LGBT prayer flags to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 19, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, with each flag personalized with prayers from people in the LGBT community.

With flags from as far away as Bangladesh and Tanzania, some of the riders in the 2013 AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride will be carrying them on their 585 mile, 7-day trip from San Francisco to West Hollywood. The flags will be carried in the LA Pride Parade and flown in West Hollywood throughout the One City One Pride 2-week arts festival. A special arts installation will be on display throughout the festival.

The Stonewall Veterans, led by Erica Kay-Webster carry the flags on the lead float in the NYC Pride Parade. On September 11, Erica KayWebster leads the march of Bhutanese flags from Ground Zero to the United Nations, delivering flags to members of the United Nations, in recognition of Bhutan and the UN Resolution on Happiness, and as a reminder of the struggle of LGBT people around the world.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 2

THE FLAG

A Symbol of Compassion
The LGBT Rainbow Flag means many things to many people. At the heart, is compassion, as the colors reflect the diversity and struggles of the LGBT community. Thirty volunteers helped Gilbert Baker, creator of the flag, to hand-dye and stitch the first two flags created for 1978 San Francisco Pride. When the Rainbow Flag was first raised, it had eight colors, each with a symbolic meaning, with Pink, standing for sexuality, and Turquoise, standing for art & magic, being later removed due to manufacturing requirements.

Today, the most common flags consist of six stripes, with the colors: Red: Life; Orange: Healing; Yellow: Sunlight; Green: Nature; Blue: Serenity; Violet: Spirit.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 3

THE PEOPLE

Celebrate the Fearless

While for some the flag continues to represent an expression of power in the ongoing battle for civil rights, the deeper meaning of each of the colors symbolize compassion for millions of people still struggling in hidden fear. James Ouma Tanzania

In fact, life continues to be a desperate struggle for survival for people throughout the world. And raising a Rainbow Flag continues to be an act of courage and fearlessness, while the flag itself can actually become a target for acts of verbal and physical violence. How do we celebrate the history and deep significance of this globally recognized symbol of the LGBT family which has played such an instrumental role in the life of a once nearly invisible community? How do we uncover the stories of the people who have embraced it as their own sign of hope, even from its first appearance before the AIDS epidemic hit and when its healing nature would become so desperately needed? How do we enlighten and empower millions more people around the world by revealing the compassion being shared through the stripes of Life, Healing, Sunlight, Nature, Serenity, Sexuality, Art and Spirit? A celebration of the flag calls for a recognition of the fearless nature of the flag itself and the courageous people who have raised it up to help encourage and empower others.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 4

THE COLORS

Sharing the Experience

COLORS of Compassion encourages people to participate in creating and sharing prayer flags, while a public display & collaborative media project brings the celebration to life.

Through this experience of exploring the deeper meaning behind each of the colors and creating simple prayer flags, a deeper appreciation for the LGBT Rainbow Flag itself will be cultivated. And the very act of sharing the flags extends strength to empower others.

From Cape Cod to the West Coast, people of all ages and groups, such as PFLAG, will join together locally throughout the year.

People will be encouraged to create their own public installations and contribute to the online collaborative media production.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 5

THE WORLD

COLORS of Compassion includes flags being created by people in the LGBT community around the world and being sent for inclusion in the One City One Pride arts festival in West Hollywood. More importantly, at the close of the festival, flags will be gathered and sent to individuals and LGBT organizations around the world to provide encouragement and strength in their ongoing challenges.

Planned for the One City One Pride arts festival is the FEARLESS art installation, which is to feature Bhutanese style flags, ranging from 10 to 16 feet in height. From Bangladesh to Tanzania, these flags will be created by people around the world, representing millions in the LGBT family who continue to face unbearable struggles.

These same flags will be taken to New York City for the opening of the 2013 Compassion Games at Ground Zero, then carried to the United Nations, led by Erica Kay-Webster and other veterans of the Stonewall Rebellion.

A final media production entitled FEARLESS is to highlight the multifaceted stories of the LGBT familys icon and how it has enabled people to rise from shame and fear to having pride and courage, becoming fearless warriors of compassion.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 6

THE JOURNEY

Kids, parents, grandparents, friends, and people of all religious faiths will be sending flags to California for some of the riders in the AIDS/ LifeCycle to carry on their 7-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Many more will be creating, sharing and displaying their flags around the country throughout the year.

Bhutanese Flags for Overcoming Obstacles

Riders and other participants in LA Pride Parade and festival will be encouraged to carry and display flags.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 7

THE FESTIVAL

The Sacred and The Profane

COLORS of Compassion will be included in the City of West Hollywood's One City One Pride arts festival, celebrating Pride and the artistic contributions of the LGBT community. Held throughout late May and June, but centered on the dates of May 31-June 16, this festival comprises both free and ticketed events featuring theatre, film, music, spoken word, visual art, a parade, and more.

For the first year, the festival has a theme in The Sacred and The Profane, which explores the dichotomies of the LGBT experience: * How the community views itself in contrast to how it is seen from the outside * A blending of the spiritual and the carnal, of things holy and wicked * Of things granted and taken away Also this years festival is mainly concentrated over the course of two weeks, providing something to do almost every day during two weeks of Pride Month, which commemorates the anniversary of the birth of the modern LGBT rights movement.

35th Birthday Party Kicks off 2013 Pride Month and the One City One Pride arts festival

Public Art Installations

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 8

THE GAMES

LGBT Compassion Games September 11 - 21, 2013

COLORS of Compassion is a project of the LGBT Compassion Games, along with Compassion Games International, an outgrowth of the TED Prize and the Charter for Compassion, with events planned in cities around the world.

The LGBT Compassion Games are a challenge to the LGBTQ community around the world to participate in compassionate actions which transform people's lives and create a collective impact. The goal is to enhance social, health and economic justice through acts of kindness, generosity and community service, while advancing safety, security and community abundance. The 2013 Compassion Games begin in NYC with a march of Bhutanese flags from Ground Zero to the United Nations, led by Stonewall Veteran Erica Kay-Webster, delivering prayer flags to members of the UN. The following 11 days include many creative and service-oriented projects in which people can participate around the world. The first Compassion Games began in Seattle on Friday, September 21, 2012 as a joint project with Seattles United Way Day of Caring, and continued through Sunday, October 21, the last day of the Next Fifty at Seattle Center. By participating, players were called upon to perform acts of service and kindness in Seattle neighborhoods, on the job, in service-providing agencies, and wherever their daily journey took them from Sept. 21 - Oct. 21. The acts of service were organized projects or simple acts of kindness to aid a neighbor in need.

The Compassion Games are designed to help, heal and inspire, making communities safer, kinder and better places to live.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 9

THE TIMELINE

April & May: Initial Flag Submissions A "Call for Submissions" for people to create and submit both Tibetan and Bhutanesestyle prayer flags to be created in each of the original eight colors of the flag. April & May: Initial Video Submissions A "Call for Video Submissions" for people to submit their thoughts on the Rainbow Flag and how it's impacted their lives and communities. May 19: Presentation to Dalai Lama COLORS of Compassion launches with the presentation of flags to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Louisville, Kentucky. May 31: Rainbow Flag 35th Birthday Party and Arts Festival Kickoff This event on May 31 marks the official beginning of West Hollywoods One City One Pride 2-week arts festival. This event will be listed as an official event, with AIDS/ Lifecycle riders among the attendees and 10% of the proceeds from the event going to the riders' fundraising. June 2 - 8: AIDS LifeCycle Riders to carry flags from San Francisco to West Hollywood

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 10

June 8 - 16: Public Arts Installations Flags on display in West Hollywood for the One City One Pride arts festival. Flags will be received from AIDS/LifeCycle riders and erected in various installations. Flags not included in public installations may be placed at participating West Hollywood businesses, buildings, homes, etc. throughout the remainder of the arts festival period. June 25: Blessings to the LGBT Family around the World On the 35th Anniversary of the raising of the Rainbow Flag, the prayer flags will be sent to individuals and organizations around the world. September 11: Launch LGBT Compassion Games / NYC In collaboration with the United Nations Working Group on Happiness & Well-being, spearheaded by the government of Bhutan, we will be presenting Bhutanese style flags to the United Nations, following a march from Ground Zero to the UN. September 21: Final Day of LGBT Compassion Games / West Hollywood December 10: LGBT Compassion Games Awards and Media Festival To be held on or around Human Rights Day, presentation of awards and a public arts display / media festival is planned in West Hollywood, featuring video and other online media curated over the course of the project.

COLORS of Compassion: 35 years under the rainbow flag

Page 11