Following a vibrant trustee election process, we are pleased to announce the URI Global Council Trustees in Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Multiregion, and North America. The Global Council serves as URI’s global governing board, and are selected every four years through a democratic election process in which every active Cooperation Circle participates. This ensures that URI's leadership is reflective of the diversity of experience and needs throughout the movement. New Trustees will begin their terms of office on July 1, 2016.
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) (Em português | En español)
Salette Aquino (Campinas, Brazil; member of Campinas CC)
Ms. Aquino was born into a Catholic family and did not have any exposure to other religious traditions until 1997 when Pope John Paul II expressed his desire for a more ecumenical church, inspiring her to explore other faiths. This journey led her to URI in 2000 and to a CC, introducing her to many different religions and traditions. With her 15 years’ experience in URI in Brazil and in wider Latin American work, she is looking forward to apply the lessons of her journey to fostering more interfaith dialogue for more effective approaches to poverty, hunger, injustice, environmental issues, and intolerance in our communities.
Sofia Painiqueo (Lumaco, Chile; member of Aflaiai CC)
Ms. Painiqueo is an experienced Mapuche leader and activist, working for the preservation, dissemination, and sociopolitical, economic, and cultural development of the Mapuche people. She founded the Aflailai Foundation in 1980 in Santiago, and has facilitated and participated in several workshops and training courses for organizations, communities, colleges and universities, lectures, and conferences to further understanding of indigenous issues and the Mapuche culture. She contributes to the development of a grapheme alphabet to write the Mapuche language, produces Mapuche music, and directed a documentary on the Mapuche in Chile. Ms. Painqueo was a candidate for Member of Parliament, a Councillor of the Lumaco commune, represents Mapuche women in different national and international meetings, and is a member of URI as a woman of faith and based on her firm belief in the need for more inclusive intercultural dialogue.
Rev. David Limo Pajar (Lima, Peru; member of URI Lima CC)
Rev. Pajar has dedicated his life to bringing people together through understanding and peace, dreaming of a global village where everyone can live in warmth and generosity. He believes that to truly give voice to the most excluded and uniting local, regional, and global efforts will allow communities to build from the diversity of our experience rather than letting them be barriers. This spirit of cooperation requires responding to circumstances without prejudice, expectations, or requirements. As a Global Council Trustee, he is committed to strengthening the effort behind this intention, creating growing communities of peace, justice, and collaboration.
Salette Aquino (Campinas CC: Campinas, SP, Brasil)
Me chamo Salette Aquino (Maria Salette Mayer de Aquino), sou brasileira e resido em Campinas, Estado de São Paulo, há 30 anos. Em 7 de setembro de 2016 estarei completando 60 anos. Sou divorciada, tenho dois filhos (30 e 29 anos) e desde 2008 tenho um rapaz de 35 anos como filho também.?
?Nasci em uma família católica e não tinha relacionamento com outras tradições religiosas até 1997, quando o Papa João Paulo II expressou seu desejo por uma igreja mais ecumênica. Isso abriu meus olhos e eu pude ver a beleza de meus outros irmãos cristãos: luteranos, metodistas, anglicanos, presbiterianos, dentre outros.
No ano 2000 pude ler os PPP da URI e me apaixonei por aquelas diretrizes. Comecei a participar do CC São Paulo até fundarmos nosso CC em Campinas no final de 2002. Desde então tenho tido contato com diversas outras religiões e tradições.
?Acredito que poderia me encaixar bem no Conselho Global, tendo em vista estar na URI há 15 anos, primeiramente em São Paulo, depois como primeiro contato do CC Campinas até início de 2014, passando a ser o segundo contato. Participei na URI de praticamente de todos os macro-encontros no Brasil que envolveram os CCs do Brasil e outros em nível de América Latina. Estive em duas conferências internacionais da URI.
Sinto-me muito motivada a cooperar com o Conselho Global porque acredito firmemente que quando as religiões caminham juntas, podem ter um papel? preponderante na luta contra a pobreza, a fome, a injustiça, a devastação ambiental, a intolerância, as guerras... Com as bênçãos de Deus, podemos seguir esses objetivos!
Reverendo David William Limo Pajar (URI Lima CC: Lima, Peru)
Quero contribuir para que nossas ações locais (CCs) regionais e globais sigam ocasionando sinais evidentes de paz, reconciliação, a justiça ecológica e solidariedade para com os mais excluídos, unindo esforços locais, regionais e globais, onde o "caminhar juntos" significa caminhar construindo, desde a diversidade de nossos passos e a diversidade das nossas mãos: uma aldeia global onde todos possam viver em ternura e gratuidade.
A URI (comunidade local-CCs, comunidade regional e comunidade global) é este esforço que excede a intenção. E o instrumento do nosso esforço é a "cooperação". Mas no mundo atual aparece a competição, a ambição, e alí surge essa negação aparente da cooperação. Cooperação requer amor. Requer esse ato de mover-se nas circunstâncias, sem preconceitos, expectativas ou exigências. Pois quem ama, entende e coopera. Então, onde não há ternura e nem liberdade ali está a pauta da URI.
Quanta ternura e gratuidade encontramos na natureza, nos seres vivos no cosmos? Quanta ternura e gratuidade estão em nossa memória, cultura, cosmovisão e nossa espiritualidade?
¿Quão terna e livre é a vida atual dos nossos jovens, mulheres, crianças, idosos, nossas famílias e povos ancestrais, independentemente de sua cultura, raça, orientação sexual, condição econômica?
Como Conselheiro Global e por meio dos PPPs me uno a esse esforço global y local para criar culturas de paz, justiça e cura para a Terra e todos os seres vivos.
Sofia Del Carmen Painiqueo Tragnolao (Aflaiai CC: Lumaco, Chile)
Sofía Painiqueo Tragnolao, nasceu na Comunidade de Dibulko Comuna de Lumaco, é filha de Manuel Painiqueo e Francisca Tramolao, é a mais velha entre cinco irmãos, seus estudos básicos e de nível médio completo, nível superior incompleto, é casada sob a lei Mauche com Luis Leviñir Curaqueo, tem duas filhas, trabalhou em diversas funções.
É cantora e compositora, mestre autodidata de mapudhgun (língua mapuche), com a experiência e realizações como líder mapuche, desde muito jovem participa dos Centros Culturais Mapuche do Chile na nona região, é fundadora da organização Fotm Mapu, posteriormente Folilche Aflaiai, no ano de 1980 em Santiago, trabalhou no resgate, divulgação e desenvolvimento sócio-político, econômico e cultural do povo mapuche. Ministra vários workshops e cursos de capacitação em organizações, comunidades mapuches não-mapuches, colégios e universidades para jovens, adultos, dá palestras, fóruns, conferências, contribui para a confecção de um alfabeto grafema (grafemario) para escrever a língua mapuche, produz música mapuche, produz um documentário intitulado “Porque nos chamamos Mapuche”. Foi candidata a deputada no Parlamento do Chile, foi Conselheira da Comuna de Lumaco, participa da URI como uma mulher de fé, forma o CC Aflaiai na Comuna de Lumaco. Ela representou as mulheres mapuches em diferentes encontros nacionais e internacionais.
Salette Aquino (Campinas CC: Campinas, SP, Brasil)
Me llamo Salette Aquino (Maria Salette Mayer de Aquino), soy brasilera y resido en Campiñas, en el Estado de San Pablo , desde hace 30años. El 7 de Septiembre del 2016 estaré cumpliendo 60 años. Soy divorciada, tengo dos hijos (30 y 29 años) desde 2008 tengo un chico de 35 años como hijo también.?
?Nací en una familia católica y no tenía relación con otras tradiciones hasta 1997 cuando el Papa Juan Pablo II expresó su deseo de una iglesia más ecuménica. Eso abrió mis ojos y pude ver la belleza de mis otros hermanos cristianos: luteranos, metodistas, anglicanos, presbiterianos entre otros.
El año 2000 pude leer los Principios, Propósito y Preámbulo de la URI y me apasione por aquellas directrices. Comencé a participar del CC de San Pablo hasta que formamos nuestro CC en Campiñas a final del 2002. Desde entonces tengo contacto con diversas religiones y tradiciones.
?Creo que me podría integrar bien el Consejo Global, habiendo estado en URI por 15 años, primero en San Pablo, después como contacto primario del CC de Campiñas hasta el inicio del 2014 en que pase a ser contacto secundario. Participe en Brasil de prácticamente de todos los macro encuentros de URI que involucraron a los CCs de Brasil y otros a nivel de América Latina. Estuve presente también en dos conferencias internacionales de URI.
Me siento muy motivada a cooperar en el Consejo Global porque creo firmemente que cuando las religiones caminan juntas podemos tener un papel preponderante en la lucha contra la pobreza, el hambre, la injusticia, la devastación ambiental, la intolerancia, las guerras… Con las bendiciones de Dios podemos conseguir esos objetivos!
Reverendo David William Limo Pajar (URI Lima CC: Lima, Peru)
Quiero contribuir para que nuestras acciones locales (CCs) regionales y globales sigan ocasionando huellas evidentes de paz, reconciliación, justicia ecológica y solidaridad desde los más excluidos, uniendo esfuerzos locales, regionales y globales donde el “andar juntos” significa caminar construyendo desde la diversidad de nuestros pasos y la diversidad de nuestras manos: una aldea global donde todos podamos vivir en ternura y gratuidad.
URI (Comunidad local-CCs-, Comunidad regional y Comunidad global) es este esfuerzo que sobrepasa la intención. Y el instrumento de nuestro esfuerzo es la “cooperación”. Pero en el mundo actual aparece la competencia, la ambición, y allí surge esa negación aparente de la cooperación. La cooperación requiere amar. Requiere este acto de moverse en las circunstancias, sin prejuicios, expectativas o exigencias. Porque el que ama entiende y coopera. Entonces donde no hay ternura y no hay gratuidad, ahí está la agenda de URI.
¿Cuánta ternura y gratuidad encontramos en la naturaleza, en los seres vivos y en el cosmos? ¿Cuánta ternura y gratuidad encontramos en nuestra memoria, cultura, cosmovisión y en nuestras espiritualidades?
¿Cuán tierno y gratuito es la vida actual de nuestros jóvenes, mujeres, niños y niñas, ancianos, nuestras familias y pueblos ancestrales, indistinto a su cultura, raza, orientación sexual, condición económica?
Como Consejero Global y por medio de los 3 PPPs me uno a ese esfuerzo global y local para crear culturas de paz, justicia y saneamiento para la Tierra y todos los seres vivos.
Sofia Del Carmen Painiqueo Tragnolao (Aflaiai CC: Lumaco, Chile)
Sofía Painiqueo Tragnolao, nació en la Comunidad de Dibulko Comuna de Lumaco, es hija de Manuel Painiqueo y Francisca Tramolao, es la mayor entre cinco hermanos, sus estudios básicos y nivel medio completos, nivel superior incompleto, es casada bajo la ley Mauche, con Luis Leviñir Curaqueo , tiene dos hijas , ha trabajado en distintos oficios.
Es cantautora, maestra autodidacta de mapudhgun (lengua mapuche), con experiencia y logros como dirigente mapuche, desde muy joven participa en los Centros Culturales mapuche de Chile en la novena Región, es fundadora de la organización Fotm Mapu, posteriormente Folilche Aflaiai en el año 1980 en Santiago, ha trabajado en el rescate, difusión y Desarrollo socio-político, económico y cultural del Pueblo Mapuche. Instaura diversos talleres y cursos de capacitación en organizaciones,comunidades mapuche y no mapuche colegios y Universidades dirigidos a jóvenes, adultos, dicta charlas, foros, conferencias, contribuye a la confección de un grafemario para escribir la lengua Mapuche, produce música Mapuche envasada, produce un documental titulado (Porque nos llamamos Mapuche). Fue candidata a Diputada al parlamento de Chile, fue Concejal de la Comuna de Lumaco, participa en URI como mujer de fé , forma el CC Aflaiai en la Comuna de Lumaco. Ha representado a la Mujer Mapuche en distinto Encuentros Nacionales e Internacionales.
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Dr. Ahmed Osama Abu Doma (Dokki,Egypt; member of Al Karma CC)
A member of URI from 2004, Dr. Abu-Doma is also a researcher, university lecturer, and social activist. He has been involved with various international and local organizations including the Al Karma Foundation, Al Ilkhaa Aldiny, Rotary International, and the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs. He is an elected officer of the Egyptian Engineering Syndicate Board, regularly speaks and participates in international and Egyptian conferences and seminars, and has appeared on several political and economic television shows. Dr. Abu-Doma holds a doctorate from Helwan University, Cairo.
Naoufal El Hammoumi (Tiflet, Morocco; member of Salam Shabab CC)
Mr. El Hammoumi started working with youth NGOs in Morocco when he was seven years old, and went on to found several national and international level initiatives focused on youth empowerment and engagement in peace tolerance. He is the president of the Young Peoples' Development NGO in Tiflet, the founder of Salam Shabab CC, and a founder-member of the Association of Arab Youths, the International League of Young Journalists, and the Arab Fund to Support Mobility for Young People. He has taken part in several multinational conferences on young peoples' impact on sustainable development, human development, lobbying, and participative development. Selected as one of the top ten best young journalists in Morocco in 2003 by the Moroccan government, he is also regularly featured in the press and authors works on subjects pertinent to his activism, such as current projects in progress on the network of Young Arabics and reinforcing the regional press in Morocco and online.
With a particular passion for learning about cultures and new technologies for tolerance and anti-extremism, Mr. El Hammoumi enjoys building international websites for youth initiatives, taking part in humane actions, tennis, and traveling. As an ambassador, his dream is to work with a dynamic team to carry out their dreams on the ground, to continue his work as a missionary for peace, tolerance, and nonviolence, and to support young peoples' ability to think positively about life. Through his work with Salam Shabab CC particularly, he hopes to contribute to establishing a harmonious society with people of different religions and an appreciation of this diversity of faith.
Ameenah Ezzat Yaqoob (Amman, Jordan; member of IRIS Women Jordan CC)
Ms. Yaqoob started her journey as an interfaith activist in 2005 as a participant in a program on religion’s role in conflict; though she believes that religion can be instrumental to or become a mask for violence, she has seen firsthand that many recent conflicts have also involved religious beliefs themselves. She has worked for a range of international and local NGOs including ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee, Right to Play, CARE International, and currently the Luminous Group, with a strong focus on monitoring and evaluation, training, and capacity building. As a trainer in different subjects, she attends many seminars and conferences on topics related to cultural exchange, citizenship, and gender, and is a member of various organizations including the Jordan Youth Forum, Leaders of Tomorrow, the Jordanian-Danish Dialogue Center, the Arab Network for Dialogue, and Youth Spirit. A strong believer in human rights and interfaith peacebuilding in practice, she has a solid understanding of the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crisis and is interested in the role of youth in peace activities. Ms. Yaqoob hold a degree in English from Balaqa University.
Multiregion
Suchith Abeyewickreme (Kiribathgoda, Sri Lanka; member of URI Global Youth CC)
Mr. Abeyewickreme was born in Bangkok but has spent most of his life Sri Lanka. Initial intending to be an electrical engineer, he realized his life path lay in social development and peacebuilding. In university, he was part of AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run leadership organization, spending several years in various leadership roles within the organization. Currently, he serves as the Secretariat Coordinator for the South Asia Region of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) at Sarvodaya, coordinating interfaith and intercultural ethics education programs for children in South Asia. He has also been involved in many projects on education, entrepreneurship, leadership, HIV/AIDS, and cultural diversity. Mr. Abeyewickreme joined URI in 2010 and spent his time as a URI Youth Ambassador supporting reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka, and is eager to apply his local and international experience to furthering URI’s principles and helping the network’s growth. In his free time, he enjoys traveling in Sri Lanka, reading, meditation, and yoga.
Elana Rozenman (Jerusalem, Israel; member of TRUST-WIN CC)
Ms. Rozenman is the Founder and Executive Director of “TRUST - Emun”, a women-led Israeli non-profit organization that works towards building trust and mutual understanding among the faiths in the Middle East in the midst of violent conflict. She has been involved in interfaith and inter-cultural work for years since the recovery of her son from being seriously wounded in a Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem in 1997. She became convinced that the voices of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women of the region are crucial to ending the violence and conflicts. She co-founded the TRUST WIN (Women’s Interfaith Network) of Israeli and Palestinian women – Christian, Druze, Jewish, and Muslim carrying out activities building religious harmony in the Holy Land, believing that their inter-religious sisterhood forged in mutual suffering is the key to strengthening the truth of their religions and the energies for harmony and non-violence. She has led Women’s Walks for Peace locally, regionally, and internationally – most recently at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. She co-directs the WIN MENA (Women’s Interfaith Network of the Middle East and North Africa) which is involved in training women leaders in the region. She is a founding member of the Abrahamic Reunion and other interfaith organizations. She participated in the creation of the Israeli – Palestinian Women’s Healing Quilt currently touring the US. She is a frequent speaker and facilitator at local and international Interfaith and Peace Conferences spreading her unique trust-building approach based on her experience living in a conflict zone. She was the Middle East Consultant for Peace x Peace, a U.S. NGO connecting women around the world through the Internet and co-produced their book ”Sixty Years, Sixty Voices: Israeli and Palestinian Women”.
Audri Scott Williams (Cottonwood, Alabama/USA, member of Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk CC)
Ms. Williams was first introduced to URI in 2005 as a walker on the Trail of Dreams World Peace Walkers on their world tour. Being a CC member and experiencing the network of support inspired her to become an advocate for interfaith and intergenerational dialogue as a foundation for creating peaceful and just communities. She has received several awards for her service, including the Presidential Certificate of Merit from President Bill Clinton; HBO’s Hearing Her Voice, Telling Her Story Award; Volvo for Life’s American Heroes Award; and the 2008 URI Bowes Award to the Trail of Dreams Team. As a Global Council Trustee, she hopes to bring the Multi-Regional perspective to the table to contribute to the global community’s continued vibrancy and growth. Ms. Williams holds a Master’s in Liberal Arts from Naropa University, a BA in Criminology from the University of Tampa, and postgraduate studies at Harvard University, the University of Maryland, and American University.
North America
Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/USA; member of Charter for Compassion CC)
Dr. Campbell was inspired to strive for a culture of justice ever since Dr. Martin Luther King taught transformative nonviolent activism during the Civil Rights Movement and the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. Since then, her life’s work has been grounded in faith-based organizations, most notably in the National Council of Churches where she served as General Secretary. As one of the first female Ministers, she has always been connected with those who are marginalized and struggling to have their voices heard, and advocated for interfaith understanding as the foundation to unity and peace. Dr. Campbell has participated in some of the greatest interfaith and peacebuilding events in recent history, including leading peace missions to the Middle East and negotiating the release of American soldiers in Serbia. She served as an honorary election monitor during Nelson Mandela’s election as the first African president of South Africa, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu referred to her as a “woman of courage and compassion”. She is proud to be part of the Global Council and is looking forward to applying her experience to promote URI’s mission to build bridges of work for good in communities where it is needed most. Dr. Campbell is the recipient of 14 honorary degrees and the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award, an author, a mother of three, grandmother to eight, and a new great-grandmother.
Fred Fielding (Alameda, California/USA; member of Interfaith Center at the Presidio CC)
Mr. Fielding is an Episcopalian and a lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, and first discovered interfaith work as a seminary student. His background in television production has also translated into his interfaith work, supporting youth activists and use of digital technology to enable a deeper interfaith, inter-generational focus. He has produced videos and facilitated programs with youth and digital media as an entry to interfaith relationship building for URI, Partners in Peace, and Crop Walk SF. He finds URI’s grassroots culture and structure is uniquely complementary to allowing greater engagement with growing interest in interfaith peacebuilding, as it allows people to gather in creative ways, determine their approach, and adapt while supporting each other as a global network. In North America there is growing interest in interfaith engagement. As a Global Trustee, Mr. Fielding hopes to foster new growth through sharing wisdom and best practices such as encouraging new voices and communications while enhancing the simple but effective core model and principles.
Jaya Priya Reinhalter (Sebastian, Florida/USA; member of Kashi Foundation CC)
Ms. Reinhalter was born and raised at Kashi, an intentional interfaith community, so interfaith approaches have been the foundation of her life and work from her earliest memories. Growing up, she was introduced to hundreds of faith leaders, and was an active member of an interfaith youth group which came together in service of the local community. She also attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions for the first time at age 16 in 2004, and awoke to the global need for interfaith cooperation. Returning to live and work at Kashi after completing her education, Ms. Reinhalter applies the principles of her research on the capacity of intentional and interfaith communities to affect change in their larger societies, extending Kashi’s engagement and reach through partnerships with global spiritual, interfaith, and activist communities. As limitations to deep-seated change continue to proliferate, she believes that URI’s work in building bridges between communities, generations, and faiths will be key to overcoming them.
