Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

There are always needy animals in a rural community where there are farm animals used for industry, and people tend to get to know us and know what we’re like and know of our love for animals, and then they’ll contact us and say, “Would you be able to take this animal?” And we always say yes. (We do.)

(That’s wonderful.)

Set in Australia’s magnificent Northern Rivers region in the state of New South Wales and surrounded by rainforests, nature preserves and parks is the beautiful Cariad Farm Animal Sanctuary, where humans and animals co-exist in harmony and communicate in the language of love.

Cariad means “love” in Welsh.

That’s lovely.

Which is also Kirsten’s surname as well.

Love it! So this is love in action.

It is. It’s the love farm.

Cariad Farm Sanctuary, a vegan, not-for-profit organization was founded by Kirsten Love and Darren Williams, who provide a loving, forever home for farm animals in the region who are homeless or have been abused, neglected and/or exploited. It also serves as a temporary refuge for farm animals waiting to be reunited with their caregivers.

That’s the thing in this world. You never get to see animals live their natural life out because of exploitation by humans.. And I think that’s what we’re all working towards to change, to recognize the humanity in us and trying to access that kindness and compassion.

The Sanctuary’s serene environment is a natural, healing haven for many animals who have made miraculous recoveries under Kirsten and Darren’s affectionate care.

This is Sarah and she is 20 years of age and Sam over there, he’s 25. And yes, Seajul’s just come along so well from coming here to the Sanctuary about a year ago. She was just sort of skin and bones and as you can see, she’s got a nice, glossy coat and she’s put on so much more weight and feeling much happier and content here. She has just such a beautiful nature. She’s a very kind, loving horse.

How old is she?

She must be about 19 years of age now.

Cariad Farm Sanctuary is currently home to over 65 rescued animals, including horses, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, geese and chickens.

The horses, they’re over getting some shelter from the trees. (Okay.) And the donkeys are just in front eating in the paddock. And the sheep are over that way. And there’s some more goats over there as well.

Just by looking at the amount of animals that have come here, there’s a need for such a sanctuary. So I mean we’re just so lucky and feel very blessed to be able to sort of provide such a place.

As they respect the sacredness of all life, Darren, Kirsten and the animal residents of Cariad Farm Sanctuary are vegans. And for guests at the Sanctuary, the couple provide healthful, nutritious plant-based meals featuring foods grown in their own organic garden! The couple cultivate a variety of organic fruit, vegetables, and herbs and are planning to grow spices, legumes, grains, and nuts in the near future.

We’ve been here about 5 years now, and in that time we’ve been very, very busy, just developing the land, feeding the land so we can feed the animals, and also trying to feed ourselves with our vegetables and fruit.

Do you have a vision or a dream for your sanctuary? How would you like to see it evolve?

We’ve got an ex-dairy (farm) just behind us here and we’d love to turn that into a farm animal information resource center. So in the future we’d hope to invite school kids and community groups, and let them meet all the different animals we have here, and possibly share any information that people want about farm animals.

And if people do themselves have farm animals, then we can provide information to them on how to care for the animals and look after them, and that helps everyone, helps the animals and helps the people that are looking after the animals and it just builds a supportive network.

For lovingly providing a home and refuge for vulnerable farm animals and promoting the vegan diet, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Darren and Kirsten of Cariad Farm Sanctuary with the Shining World Compassion Award. Our local Association members presented the Award to Darren and India, who accepted the honor on behalf of Kirsten, who was away at the time.

It is our great pleasure to present to Darren and Kirsten, represented by India, The Shining World Compassion Award on behalf of Supreme Master Ching Hai. Here is the Award, Darren. (Fantastic.) I’ll read it out for you.

For Darren and Kirsten, Founders of Cariad Farm Sanctuary. In Recognition Of Unconditional Love and Dedicated Selfless Service, Compassionately Nurturing and Protecting animal Friends With Kindness, Dedication And Heavenly Care And Guidance. With Compliments and Gratitude For Your Immense Benevolence And Idealism, And Enlightened Service to the Community.

Thank you very much. On behalf of Cariad Farm, I’d like to say that we are very honored and humbled to be accepting this award, and we’d like to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai from the bottom of our hearts. We really appreciate it. Thank you very much for this recognition.

Accompanying the splendid, heart-shaped Award plaque was the following loving letter from Supreme Master Ching Hai to the compassionate couple.

Dear Darren and Kirsten, We are absolutely delighted at this opportunity to present “The Shining World Compassion Award” to Cariad Farm Sanctuary. This Award is conferred upon those who exemplify that which is noblest, kindest and most compassionate in humanity. And Cariad’s tender-hearted, loving care of farm-animals-in-need is a superb example of these loving qualities, helping to uplift humanity into an era of harmony between all beings.

Sanctuaries like Cariad and people like you, Darren and Kirsten, make Earth a lovelier, more elevated home for all of us. The great compassion you have shown in dedicating the energies of your hearts, minds and bodies to create this safe haven for farm animals is a magnificent illustration of how to be truly human. The Farm, home to 65 horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, donkeys and geese, embodies the highest principles of environmental care, sustainability and benevolent kindness – a wonderful example of how to live in harmony with each other and with nature.

The vegan philosophy underpinning operations on the Sanctuary also shows Cariad’s understanding of ‘deep ecology’- the interdependence of all life, and the present necessity of bringing high-minded ideals into actual practice in order to save our imperilled planet.

Thank you for your inspiring efforts, making a great difference to many lives. For giving our world the beauty of a safe home for farm animals, for the nobility of your hearts – we admire and honour Darren and Kirsten, founders of Cariad Farm Sanctuary, and we hereby celebrate your great achievement by bestowing The Shining World Compassion Award. Once again, congratulations on the little piece of Heaven you have created. With Great Honour, Love and Blessings, Supreme Master Ching Hai.

God, what beautiful words. Thank you very much. Really honored!

In addition to the Award, Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 to further the Sanctuary’s noble work for the gentle farm animals and the environment.

Thank you very much, Supreme Master Ching Hai. These funds will go a long way to secure the safety and improve the health and well-being of all the animals here on the farm, and help us continue in our work with the animals. And we truly admire all that Supreme Master Ching Hai is doing for the world of animals and especially the world of humanity because I’m sure we all know that everything is interconnected and it’s a truly more beautiful world with people like yourself around doing all these great works. We really thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and also the animals do as well.

In addition, Darren and Kirsten were gifted a number of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s CDs, DVDs, and books including the #1 international best-sellers, “The Birds In My Life,” “The Dogs In My Life” and “The Noble Wilds”

God, that’s fantastic. It’s just amazing how kind and compassionate the Supreme Master Ching Hai is by bestowing all these gifts on us and we’ll truly treasure them.

Before we say goodbye to the lovely couple and their marvelous sanctuary, Darren shares his tender wishes for all animals.

We live in the heart of cattle country and dairy country and we pass animals every day, and I often dream of a world where they can be free from any sort of exploitation and are free to live out their natural lives and able to exhibit their own natural behavior, and live a life of freedom and peace. I think that’s what everybody wants, and I think just by realizing that dream we can be on that road to peace.

Our salute Kirsten Love, Darren Williams and all the volunteers at Cariad Farm Animal Sanctuary for helping our animal friends and for setting a benevolent example by being vegan and leading a simple, harmonious life.

Meet the animal residents of the Cariad Farm Sanctuary at

Graceful viewers, we appreciated your company today on our program. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment after Noteworthy News. May Heaven’s light forever shine on all sentient beings.