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Multi-Region Prayers |
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Written by Maria Crespo de Mafia
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Thursday, 06 March 2008 |
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Multi-Region Daily Prayers
A selection of prayers representing Cooperation Circles that span across mulitple regions (Day 213 to 212, Day 121 to 102).
Day 213:
Today we will support the last in the list of CCs in Multiregional Region: Women’s Interfaith Network of the United Religions Initiative (WIN URI).
This Cooperation Circle created during our Global Council Meeting in 2006 has the purpose: “To provide an interactive global network for women’s projects to be realized locally and globally.”
This is what members share with us: “WIN URI was founded at the URI Global Council meeting in May 2006, held at the Vallombrosa Retreat Center in Menlo Park, CA, USA. Rachel Watcher agreed to create a webpage for the Multi-Region website, and Rachel and P.K. McCary offered to establish an e-list for the membership. Rachel and P.K. will also explore the possibility of creating podcasts and an e-zine.
One of our first service projects was to donate funds to help support services coordinated by two of our members, Joyce Ng’oma and Shakun Vaswani. Joyce is leading a series of visitations to women prisoners of different faiths in Malawi, to assist the women with hygiene, mental health, and education. This project inspired our members to agree to research the situation of women prisoners in our own countries, with a view to identifying interfaith service opportunities. Shakun’s project provides small loans to Christian and Muslim women in the Philippines, to help them start individual handicrafts businesses. Our members agreed to try to create a marketplace on the web displaying photos and other information about products created by these and other women around the world. Mary Kelley will investigate the possibility of taking payment by Pay-Pal. Meanwhile two members will participate in an Appreciative Inquiry via SKYPE. Nadia Weber and Monica Willard will coordinate this ongoing activity. Also on a monthly basis, we will share stories from two members on different continents via the web, starting with P.K., Joyce in July, Nadia, and Monica in August.P.K. and Joyce will explore the possibility of featuring stories about our CC or about other women’s projects on their radio programs.”
Networking is an important part of URI work. Living in times of easier and quicker communication we know more about others. This means that we can learn form each other and help each other in a different way. This is what we can admire of this group of women: the care and support to what other women are doing in different parts of the world. Let us help them in their work praying/meditating for them.
May members of Women’s Interfaith Network of the United Religions Initiative (WIN URI) fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail in the places these women are working!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 212:
We pass to Multiregional Region to support the ccs there we didn’t pray/ meditate for during our first round. Today we will support Women and Spirituality CC.
This is its purpose: “A multi-regional cooperation circle to bring women together to explore our common concerns and share the richness of our varied spiritual traditions. We will seek to model ourselves in non-hierarchical fashion in true circles of sisterhood and hear and link the voices of women of all faiths, ages, races, and traditions. We will be a forum for sharing the spiritual issues of women in a male-dominated paradigm and seek to express our authentic spiritual selves through rediscovering models- both ancient and contemporary - for empowering the voice of the feminine.”
Members describe their activities like this: “Our CC exists in virtual space (on the internet) as a forum for discussion, awareness and networking for women who are exploring how their unique feminine spirituality has common bonds. We are working towards several conferences and are supporting each other's initiatives. We welcome new members.”
Our preamble says that URI provides a global opportunity for participation by all people. There is voice of women that doesn’t oppose but complements the one from men. It is important that this voice is heard, that women find a space to share the richness of their spirituality and their particular way of thinking and feeling. Let us support the opportunity this CC creates.
May members of Women and Spirituality CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail among women!
May Peace prevail among women and men!
May Peace prevail among all living beings!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 121:
First of all I want to correct my message yesterday I wanted to express “We won’t have peace in our hearts until all women, children and men have a dignified life.”
Today we will support URI Expressed Through Music & the Arts CC.
This cooperation circle was created with this purpose: “We gather together musicians, artists, dancers, those in radio and television and theater to bring fresh creativity to the varied expressions of the URI.”
They describe their actions like this: “We began in 2000 with a core group in Pittsburgh and now have a wide-spread membership on four continents. To date we have two major projects: 1) the publishing of the first-ever interfaith songbook, "One World-Many Voices” which was edited by Jack Lundin and organized by CC members with some experience in the field of music. The book, expressing hymnody from six continents, more than twelve faith groups and in twelve languages, is now used all over the world. The songbook was dedicated at Rio at the 2002 URI Assembly, and copies may be purchased through the Interfaith Chapel at the Presidio or directly through URI. The second project is a global contest among architects and artists for the design of a sacred interfaith space, with winners awarded honors at Barcelona, 2004 at the Parliament of the World's Religions gathering. Other projects are anticipated including concerts around the globe organized by members and others outside the Circle, all for the benefit of the URI as fund-raisers”.
When GC and staff was in Antwerp this June a director came to teach us to sing a beautiful song during the launching of Flanders Interfaith Partnership. Really moved we asked the director where he had found such a wonderful song and he said: “From your interfaith songbook”. Let us be thankful and support the contribution this cc is offering to our community.
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Day 120:
You know that cooperation circles of multiregional region gather people around the world that share a common purpose. Today we will learn about and support with our prayers/meditations United Religions Initiative Council for Women CC.
This cc has gathered strengths around the world “To create enduring cooperation among the people of the world, to honor the sacred, to end violence, to promote justice, to build community and to generate new possibilities for a dignified human life for all women, children and men.”
We can´t have peace in our hearts if all women, children and men have a dignified life. Let us work so that this cooperation circle acchieves its goal:
May members of United Religions Initiative Council for Women CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 119:
Today we will be praying/ meditating to support The United Religions Initiative at the United Nations.
This cooperation circle was created “To provide an ongoing presence for the United Religions Initiative at the United Nations and to engage the URI in initiatives and agendas of the United Nation's.
This is what members share with us “The URI-UN has been wonderfully energized by the appointment of the URI's new UN Representative, Monica Willard. We are very proud of the widespread participation of URI CCs in the International Day of Peace last September 21st, which our CC co-sponsored. We submitted a 77-page report to the United Nations with all of the collected reports sent in from the URI groups and other NGOs, including many inspiring photos. Congratulations to all of you who helped the URI show up at the UN by observing this important annual celebration of peace. Our current project is to invite you to help support the UN through the eight Millennium Development Goals.”
When we hear the story of how Bill Swing envisioned a United Religions Initiative we can clearly see United Nations as a background inspiration. We are thankful that this cooperation circle has been bridging between both organizations and that the result, together with the effort of our UN representative, is that URI has now ECOSOC status in UN.
Let us support their great work.
May members of The United Religions Initiative at the United Nations fulfill their aspirations and live in peace!
May Peace prevail among nations!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 118:
Today we will The Pilgrimage Project CC with our prayers/meditations.
The Pilgrimage Project developes its activities with this purpose: “To initiate a series of global pilgrimages for the purpose of connecting with networks of women who are committed to spiritual practice, equitable peace and social justice. To organize and facilitate a series of conversations through the United States, India, South America, and the Middle East centering around peacemaking, social action, and the strengthening of cultural sensitivities. To develop materials and formulate models for sustainable cross-cultural empowerment and healing through dialogue, spirit, and the arts. To foster alliances and the mutual exchange of ideas, strategies, spiritual concepts, and social principles with grassroots and global women's organizations.”
Are we all peace pilgrims? Peace is our destiny and our journey. Let us support the purpose of making our spiritual pilgrimage visible.
May members of The Pilgrimage Project CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 117:
Today we will be supporting The Laughing CC.
The members of this CC gathered: “To be together and laugh for the joy of the world.”
This is what they share with us of their mission: “By uniting together in laughter, we can help to heal the pain of the world. We have a list serve to share stories and jokes that warm the heart and bring joy. We recognize that religious humor can be risky. It is our hope that by laughing at ourselves and others we can make this subject more approachable. If anyone finds the stories objectionable, we apologize. We offer this space to all CC's to post stories that make us laugh. We are working on a list of potential projects, on both a personal and a communal level.”
Laugh and joy are healthy and as cc members say can help heal the pain. Let us support this cooperation circle that reminds us that it is important that we celebrate and enjoy together. Let us support The Laughing CC with our prayers/meditations
May members of The Laughing CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 116:
Today we will support The Everest Peace Project with our prayers/meditations.
This Cooperation Circle has the purpose "To promote peace, teamwork, and cultural understanding; and to further interfaith dialogue."
I am sure you will be surprised to read what they do to acchieve their goal: “Our primary work is to organize interfaith, multi-cultural peace climbs of mountains across the world. "The Everest Peace Project successfully summated ten people on Mt. Everest in May, 2006. To read more about it visit www.everestpeaceproject.org .This global group effort has already reached people from over 100 different countries. The Everest Peace Project has made world history by uniting Palestinian and Israelis - along with people from various spiritual traditions and cultures-to "Unite the World on the Top of the World." The Everest Peace Climbers were perhaps the most culturally diverse team ever assembled on an Everest expedition."
It is important that interfaith dialogue and cooperation become visible. Projects that capture media reach more people and can move and model our hearts. Let us support The Everest Peace Project in their very special way of promoting peace, teamwork and understanding.
May members of The Everest Peace Project fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on the top of the world!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 115:
Today we will pray /meditate to support Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk.
This organization that joined us in November 2006 was created with this purpose: “walk to change the world one step at a time.”
This is their description of activities: “Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk is a demonstration of ordinary people showing up to engage in a journey of the human spirit that is taking place around the world in three and a half years for world peace. Our Highlights so far: Trail of dreams ancestral Journey – 2000 from Pennsylvania to Georgia; Trail of dream walk in Ghana, W. Africa; Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk 2005-2009.”
Last Sunday we received a message from Biswadeb Chakraborty, URI leader in India: “Attached you will find some pictures of URI East India's recent event, supporting the cause of the Trail of Dreams World Peace walk team, 5 members started their peace walk around the globe on September 31st 2005, from Georgia, USA. Its a long, long 3 and half year journey around the world meeting with elders and wisdom keepers to unite the beauty of diversity in simple way, We, the URI east India specially Ektaan cc had an opportunity to host the peace walk team for a week and sharing our work and ways of living in harmony.”
Let us support this very dynamic initiative that gives our community the possibility to be one family.
May members of Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 114:
Today we will support Spirituality and the Earth-Linking the People and the Earth with our prayers/meditations.
This cooperation circle was created “To foster and facilitate communication and cooperation between all those who feel a spiritual connection with the Earth” and this is how they describe their activities: “We exist to foster and facilitate communication and cooperation between all those who feel a spiritual connection with the Earth and to bring together those who follow indigenous, tribal, pagan, nature-based, and Earth-centered spiritualities.”
The Earth we share is clearly suffering because we don’t take good care of it. It is important that we learn to be connected with the it and respect and take care of its resources. Let us support those who can teach us
May members of Spirituality and the Earth linking the People and the Earth fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 113:
Let us gather our spiritual strengths to support Mazdayasnie ZC Global URI CC at Zoroastrian today.
This Cooperation Circle was created “ To promote interfaith peace through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds”.
This is how members describe the actions that take place to acchieve their purpose: “We promote interfaith peace by supporting programs for school and college students to improve peace awareness and inter-religious harmony and cooperation as well as by promoting the practice of good thoughts, good words and good deeds performed altruistically. One of our projects is to prepare a Calendar of Festivals of All Faiths, and to promote peace, understanding and harmony by encouraging people of different faiths to participate and share in the festivals so that festivals can become an occasion for joy instead of an excuse for inter-religious fighting and terrorism. We provide a unique opportunity to those graduates interested in peace development, including URI CC members from all countries, to gain a Research Doctorate by submission of a research thesis through the Zoroastrian College/World University in the USA. Our CC promotes organizing regional and international Interfaith Peace Dialogue Conferences in different countries and collaborates with other organizations similarly organizing such conferences”.
Celebrating and promoting the practice of what is good in each of us and sharing our festivals has proved to be a special way of learning about others and deepening understanding.
Let us support this joyful work.
May members of Mazdayasnie ZC Global URI CC at Zoroastrian fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 112:
Today we will pray/meditate for Internet and Information Technology CC.
It is a must to support those that support us. The purpose of this CC is: “To model the URI PPP’s by supporting the current infrastructure as well as the global development of planned infrastructure.”
This is how members describe themselves: “We are a group of individuals who contribute to the planning, development, and deployment of projects on the Internet for the URI. Members have raised funds for 72 Hours, contributed to the development of URI websites, and created an Interfaith News service. Several members are current or former staff and Interim Global Council.”
We know that internet is not the only possible communication among us, but we are clear that URI network wouldn’t exist without it. Let us be thankful and supportive with those that have learnt this modern technology to serve our common goal and support effective communication.
May members of Internet and Information Technology CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail in the cyberspace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 111:
Today we will support International Pastoral Care Network for Social Responsibility CC with our prayers/meditations.
This Cooperation Circle gathered with the Purpose: “To establish an international network of pastoral care associations and individuals who are committed to addressing issues of justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.”
This is their description of Activities in the community directory: “IPCNSR is a diverse, international group of professional pastoral care providers who live out the motto, “think globally, act locally.” The organization’s mission is to support and encourage its many members in their individual and corporate prophetic activities. Every 4 years, many of our international members gather for the International Congress of Pastoral Care & Counseling. This past year it was hosted in Bangalore, India. The IPCNSR meets either directly before or immediately after the ICPCC meeting. We host Peace Walks & Dinners at our various North American Annual Meetings each year to fund scholarships for members from Third World countries to attend the ICPCC gathering. Individually, our members actively participated in medical missions to Central American countries, marched on Washington D.C on several occasions to protest the unjust War in Iraq, joined numerous events in support of gay rights, participated in symposiums on cultural & environmental violence, protested what was formerly known as the “School of the Americas,” and numerous other social justice, environmental & peace-making activities.”
A solid network among associations and individuals provides a good structure for exchange and inspiration. It is important that those committed to Social Responsibility are part of one. Let us support with our prayers/meditation the one created by this CC.
May members of International Pastoral Care Network for Social Responsibility fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 110:
It is the turn to support International Convention on Human Rights CC.
The members of this Cooperation Circle have gathered with this purpose alined with URI : “Our purpose is to promote the International Bill of Rights project to create cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings”.
Our Charter says that URI will serve as a moral voice and a source of action grounded in contemplation in six proposed areas.One of them is Rights and Responsibilities described as actions that uphold human rights. We have seen that International Convention on Human Rights is working in this track, let us support their work:
May members of International Convention on Human Rights CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 109:
Today we will be supporting International Interfaith Peace CC.
This cooperation circle gathered some members of URI CCs in the world with this purpose: “To promote Peace in different countries of the world through the presence and work of our cc members so that URI goals and objectives can spread and to have interfaith dialogue for peace purposes to remove ignorance which is a cause of conflicts”.
These are the activities they promote to achieve their goal: “This cc is an international and multiregional cc and comprises persons from three countries and six religions. Our activities target 50 schools and colleges in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia for peace promotion and spreading URI message. We meet youth through visits and motivate them to promote peace projects and to work for interfaith peace. We direct our activities especially to college aged students and educational institutions.”
The fact of sharing a common purpose makes us one family. Creating the possibility to work for peace beyond our local limits deepens relations and affirms our community. Let us support this cc in their spreading work
May members of International Interfaith Peace CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 108:
Today we will support Happy Heart Compassionate Eating CC with our prayers/meditations
This Cooperation Circle was created “To educate and inspire others in ways to make our food choices reflect our compassionate worldview.”
This is what we read about Happy Heart Compassionate Eating CC in our community directory: This CC has been in formation for four years. URI is a forum and religions have amazing resources regarding promoting healthy lifestyles and this is not necessarily available for all. We want to take advantage of who we are and form a forum-neighborhood to pull the religion’s resources together in service to the world.
Happy Heart Compassionate Eating reminds us that our lifestyle and food choices also reflect our worldview. Let us support their needed contribution.
May Happy Heart Compassionate Eating CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail among all beings!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 107:
Today we will support Global PeaceWorks CC in our daily, global interfaith prayer/meditation.
Their purpose is: “To create models of peace through short-term international, interfaith, charitable service-projects. Our work is international with an initial focus on South Asia.”
Listen what members say about themselves: “Global PeaceWorks welcomes volunteers each year to Delhi, India to work with an international group serving a community in need. In Delhi we visit Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Baha’i and other communities and sacred sites. Volunteers from over twenty countries have participated in Global PeaceWorks to create an interfaith and international community of peace. Among our accomplishments, we've built a community center in a challenged Muslim community and served physically challenged children with a leading Indian institute. Through our work, our interfaith dialogue and our visits to sacred sites, we create a model of peace among religions. Visit our website, www.globalpeaceworks.org to learn more.”
There are too many models of violence around. It is really necessary to create models of peace. Let us support Global PeaceWorks CC in their service to the world.
May members of Global PeaceWorks CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 106:
We will be supporting Global Family for Love and Peace CC that joined our community in 2005 with the purpose to “Promote Interfaith Dialogue.”
In their Description of Activities they say: “Our highlight is the sponsorship of dialogues around the world (www.gflp.org)”. Last Wednesday we received an interesting message from them: “We would like to make sure that you know about the Global Family for Love and Peace CC Week of Global Interfaith Dialogue. For the past four years these dialogues have been held around the world to support the United Nations International Day of Peace. This year the Week of Global Interfaith Dialogue takes place the week of September 15th-September 21st.On one day during that week, individuals and organizations around the world are encouraged to hold dialogues in their local communities. The dialogues can be for only a few hours, and need not be elaborate or formal as the purpose is to bring people together to share common traditions and to work toward a more peaceful and cooperative future. The Week of Global Interfaith Dialogue is not only for talk and discussion; we hope that art, music, and food can also be included as part of the event. There are CC's that already are participating, and it would be wonderful if more can join us this year and help spread the word about this event.”
Let us gather our strengths in prayer/meditation hoping they have a successful and fruitful Week of Global Interfaith Dialogue.
May members of Global Family for Love and Peace CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 105:
Today we will be supporting Establishment of the Department Ministry of Peace CC.
Interesting indeed this cooperation circle was created with this purpose: “To foster grassroots movements for the creation of departments/ministries of peace around the world.”
This is how they explain and describe their activity: “Our main purpose is to promote the establishment of the Department or Ministry of Peace wherever possible. As we all believe in non-violence, which means prevention or resolution of human conflict by peaceful means, it is time overdue for each government to have a Department or Ministry of Peace. Instead, most if not all governments have either the Department or Ministry of Defense or War. As this CC was founded in December of 2002, it is still in its infancy. However, its tasks are long range, and will require the cooperative efforts of thousands, if not millions. In some countries, it may mean the amendment of its constitution. It could be years before the first Department or Ministry of Peace can be established”
If we want to have a local impact it is important that we influence policy makers. Governments are a fundamental piece. We would like to hear of the establishment of Ministries of Peace in all governements! Let us support this effort
May members of the Establishment of the Department Ministry of Peace CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail in all countries!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 104:
Today we will support Economic and Social Justice CC in prayer/meditation.
This multiregional cooperation circle was formed “To strengthen URI's commitment to a sustainable and just economic and social system (local, regional & global).”
Before the Charter signing, when the discussion about the words in the purpose statement was taking place, there was a clear voice: there will be no peace if there is no equity and justice. We wanted to incorporate this in the Charter so the decision was that the purpose would say: to create cultures of peace, justice and healing.
It is very important that some ccs in our community develop actions that would bring a spiritual perspective to the tremendous gap between rich and poor (as our Charter says in Guidelines for Action under Sustainable Just Economics). Let us support the work of Economic and Social Justice CC in this track
May members of Economic and Social Justice CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace and Justice prevail!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 103:
Today we will support A Circle of Healers CC.
This cooperation circle was formed “To be a gathered circle of healers from all traditions and all methods who bring healing to the Earth and to all living beings.”
They share with us “ We support the URI purpose by being mindful and prayerful for all the participants of URI. Daily we send the healing energy of Reiki to each and every person involved in this process of healing every living being on the planet. We offer this support with love and caring. As we do this work, we too are blessed.”
Our purpose says that we are commited to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beens. There are a lot of wounds to be healed. They cause pain, destruction, discrimination. These wounds need being healed so that we live in peace. Let us support A Circle of Healers CC and their healing work.
May members of A Circle of Healers CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Day 102:
Though we haven’t finished praying/ meditating for our ccs in Middle East and North Africa we will pass to a new region as we have done after supporting twenty ccs in the same region.
We will pass to Multiregional. Members of these cooperation circles belong to different regions but share their purpose and actions.
We will support our URI Global Youth CC today.
Young members of this cooperation circle have united “To be a global youth organization for URI. To support wider participation of youth at all levels within URI (local CCs and action, regional and global). To develop young peoples' skills, capacities and confidence so that, rooted in our traditions, we can respect each other and serve the world in which we live. To support communication flowing between young people and exchanging stories, ideas, and values as a model of cooperation and a means of building "cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings." Our CC now includes 225 youth interfaith activists from 46 countries. You can learn more about our cc in our website: http://www.uri.org/Global_Youth_CC.html”
An organization easily becomes old if it doesn’t involve committed youth. We have seen that there are many cooperation circles in different regions formed by youth. It is very important that they can be together at a global level sharing wisdom, practices and experiences. Let us support them so that they can achieve their goals and take URI into the future.
May members of URI Global Youth CC fulfill their aspirations and live in Peace!
May Peace prevail among Youth!
May Peace prevail on Earth!
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 May 2008 )
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