The Virtues Project Celebrates 30 Years! A Tribute to the Founders.

On September 25, 2021, The Virtues Project hosted an online celebration across three time zones with inspiring speakers, joyful moments, and some real musical treats!

Virtues Matter co-founder Dara Feldman had the honor of recognizing the founders Linda Kavelin-Popov, Dan Popov and John Kavelin for their contributions and amazing legacy.

The Virtues Project is a global initiative, inspiring the practice of virtues in everyday life. Its foundation is research into the world’s great wisdom traditions. The purpose of its programs, books, and materials is the make this timeless knowledge accessible in our individual and collective lives.

Below is the speech from the enclosed video.

'Dearest Dan, Linda and John, beloved founders of The Virtues Project.

How can I possibly convey in just a few minutes the profound love I, and so many others around the globe, feel for you as well as our immense gratitude for your steadfast and devoted service in helping to transform the world, taking the initiative to create The Virtues Project 30 years ago?

Honestly, how can I possibly come up with the right words? 

Oh yes, there’s an app for that, the Virtues Card, which we owe a debt of gratitude to

• Dan for your diligence and reverence as a scholar, researching the world’s sacred texts and oral wisdom traditions to discover the virtues valued by all faiths and cultures
• Linda for your wisdom and discernment as author of the books, materials, and the Five Strategies, making virtues accessible in all aspects of life. 
•  John for your creativity in designing and directing the art of the original virtues books and materials, and images woven throughout a variety of the cards and other materials. 

 We want to honor you for your Unity coming together and working as a family, which takes a lot of virtues. As well as your Steadfast service and sacrifice traveling around the world facilitating and spreading the message of the virtues. And Your trust and devotion, listening to the guidance from the spiritual realm.

 Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine that your 5 strategies, along with multiple sets of virtues cards, the family, educator, reflection and sunset meditation/resilience cards,  as well as your 7 books

• The Family Virtues Guide
• The Virtues Projects Educator Guide
• Sacred Moments
• A pace of Grace
• Graceful Endings
• A Scent of Sage
• Dreaming at the Cross Roads of Change

Your TV series,  talks, interviews, podcasts, columns, blogs, workshops, retreats, healing circles, and so much more would be translated into so many different languages and spread across the world into over 130 countries? And what a testament to  be honored by the UN as a model global program for families of all cultures, endorsed by HH the Dalai Lama and or Oprah to say of the Family Guide, that it is the instruction manual our kids didn’t come with.  Just breathe that in for a moment, or as Linda would say pause for applause  Wow!  

Not only did you use your purposefulness to create these treasures, you inspired and empowered others to do the same.  So many of us around the world have experienced the transformative power of The Virtues Project personally, in our families, faith based org, businesses, communities’ and other spaces. As a result,  we’ve  been inspired to write our own virtues based books, produce music inspired by The Virtues Project, create our own workshops, retreats, products and resources, and so much more utilizing the virtues and 5 strategies as the foundation of the work.

 I am quite sure we will never really know how many lives your work as touched, transformed ad even saved.  Like you alluded to in your reflection earlier, the word virtues has now become much more accessible in the mainstream, the word virtues comes up about 295,000,000 time as a result when searching google.

The phrase Teachable Moments is now more a part of our common vernacular

Thankfully Restorative Justice is being explicitly implemented as a practice in schools, organizations, communities and judicial systems around the world.

Research is showing how essential it is to honor the spirit with mindfulness practices and healing centered engagement  and the life affirming practice of just having someone listen.

Additionally, we want to acknowledge your  Generosity and trust, turning over the assets of The Virtues Project to VPIA and allowing the project to continue to spread in a joyful and creative ways, while being guides on the sides.

I know personally you have helped me to grow and helped me to find my lifes’ purpose in sharing the virtues and strategies with others

Finally, as Abdu'l-Bahá said, '...all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer’. [1] Dan, Linda and angel high five to John, thank you for your generosity of service and being an answer to so many of our prayers.  I love you from the bottom of my heart!

 I love and respect you dearly and will be forever grateful to and for you all!