At a live Times Square ceremony on July 30, 2026, winners, world-class humanitarians, and top creators gathered to celebrate a year of kindness — as Gan Jing World opened entries for its 2026–27 Kindness Awards.
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — On July 30, at the crossroads of the world, Gan Jing World (GJW) celebrated the winners of its 2025–26 #BeKindBeCool Kindness Awards at a live ceremony in New York City's Times Square, where the winning videos and artwork lit up a billboard above the crowd. Hosted by content creator Ben Hedges, the celebration brought together winners, distinguished guests, and #BeKindBeCool Kindness Ambassadors to honor a year of kindness in person.
Now in its fourth year, #BeKindBeCool has grown from a single hashtag into a worldwide movement built on one idea: choose kindness, every day. What began as one contest in 2023 has gathered more than 34,000 acts of kindness from creators, students, and everyday people in more than 50 countries, in 11 languages, reaching audiences in 200+ countries and regions and generating over a billion impressions. This year's honorees, together with the movement's Kindness Ambassadors — top creators who have joined the cause — represent a combined reach of more than 185 million followers.
Winners Light Up Times Square
On the Times Square stage, Gan Jing World celebrated more than a dozen winners of its 2025–26 #BeKindBeCool Kindness Awards — creators who came from all over the world. All day long, their winning entries played across the giant Times Square screen, filling the crossroads of the world with messages of kindness. Passersby stopped to watch and snap photos, and the display quickly became one of the day's most striking sights. Many of the winners were there in person — with family and friends by their side — to accept their awards and see their work light up the billboard.
The Gold Prize went to South African philanthropist BI Phakathi, whose quiet acts of kindness have touched millions, and the Silver Prize to NDP, the team behind the feature film "Beibei's Wish." Bronze and Art winners accepted their awards on stage, while the billboard also spotlighted this year's #BeKindBeCool Kindness Stars — Marisa Peer, Kaido Roberts, Jeff Iverson, Josh Nasar, and Samia Ali — whose messages of kindness reach a combined audience of more than 37 million.
“Kindness is a seed” — voices from the celebration
Gan Jing World CEO Dr. Sherry Yin framed kindness as something to nurture in the next generation. “We hope kindness is like a seed we bring to everybody — especially to young people's hearts — and let it grow,” she said. “Especially in today's society, kindness is the timeless, universal value that people need to put at the center of their hearts.” She tied the message to the platform's purpose: “Technology should serve people, not control people. Social media should uplift everyone in our daily lives.”
On behalf of the New York State Assembly, District Leader Martha Flores-Vazquez presented Gan Jing World a proclamation honoring the platform for promoting kindness. “Because kindness is my middle name, and this is all about kindness,” she said. “So if I can show gratitude for the people doing the good work in New York City, then I am present.”
Kindness Ambassador and four-time national boxing champion Eric Kelly described kindness as something that passes from person to person: “I give it to you, you give it to her, you give it to him … we need to keep the ball rolling toward kindness, love, and integrity.”
Jill Diamond-Chastain, International Secretary of the World Boxing Council and Global Chair of WBC Cares, kept it simple: “All I know is that when you do it, you smile and you feel good in your heart.”
In the winners' words
Bronze Prize winner and Kindness Star Josh Nasar traced his kindness videos back to the pandemic. “During the pandemic, I looked at what was going on in the world. There was a lot of sadness — obviously a really hard time for a lot of people. So I thought, why don't I do the opposite?” he said. “When I drive around and compliment somebody and brighten their day, it's amazing. That's worth more than any amount of money in the world.”
Young creator Samia Ali offered a rule to live by: “No matter what, treat people the way you want to be treated — and even if people are being so rude, treat them with kindness.”
Adel Mansilla, the homeschooling mother behind ADM School of Kindness, pointed to the power of small gestures: “The smallest act of kindness and patience can really make a huge change.”
Recognized by public leaders
The movement's impact has drawn recognition from officials across the United States. Governors Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Maura Healey of Massachusetts (with Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll), and Bill Lee of Tennessee have commended the initiative, while Vermont Governor Phil Scott proclaimed a statewide “#BeKindBeCool Day.” In New York, both the State Senate (Senator James Skoufis) and the State Assembly (Assemblymembers Karl Brabenec and Paula Kay) have formally honored the movement and its winners. Recognition now spans the U.S., Canada, Argentina, and Indonesia.
The 2026–27 Kindness Awards — now open
With the celebration complete, Gan Jing World has opened entries for its fourth annual Kindness Awards, with $10,000 in total prizes and this year's call to action: Choose Kindness. Entrants create something about kindness — a video, short, artwork, song, skit, or vlog — and post it on Gan Jing World with #BeKindBeCool between now and March 31, 2027 to be entered automatically. Everyone competes through one of two tracks: the Open Awards, for creators and the global community (Gold, Silver, and Bronze), and the School Edition, for students ages 6–18. Entry is free, with no limit on submissions. Full details, prizes, and entry information are available at ganjingworld.com/bekindbecool.
About Gan Jing World
Gan Jing World is a video streaming and content sharing platform guided by its mission, “Technology for Humanity” — promoting kindness, respect, trust, and moral values. It prioritizes meaningful, non-addictive, family-safe content while protecting user privacy. The platform also includes Gan Jing Kids, a safe, ad-free learning space for children with age-appropriate content across more than 100 educational categories.
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