About me

I’m Maša Blaznik, psychologist, speaker, and founder of the Empathy-Based Society Initiative. Based in Slovenia, I work at the intersection of psychology, social change, and systems transformation, advocating for empathy and non-violence as tools to reshape our relationships with ourselves, with others, with animals, nature, and with the planet.

Empathy-Based Society Initiative was founded on the belief that empathy is both a biological strength and a systemic solution, a powerful tool not only for individual healing but for reshaping the foundations of our society.

In 2018, I published a paper questioning the ethics of training students to kill animals as part of school education systems across Europe. What began as a specific topic soon revealed something deeper: the widespread normalization of violence embedded in our culture, institutions, and daily life. That insight became the seed for this Initiative, a platform dedicated to reimagining society through the lens of empathy.

My work focuses on educating about the violence-empathy connection, advocating empathy as a practical framework for transformation, and as a bridging element across various movements. I believe empathy is the shared thread that connects the changemakers across fields who are working toward a more caring, connected, and just future. From this perspective, we can strengthen our collective power and sense of shared purpose to build a better world for all beings.

At home, my rescue cats Taxi and Bubica are gentle reminders of animal sentience.

You can connect with me through LinkedIn or explore more about our Initiative right here.