Dear Friends,
Greetings from the membership here in Kampala. We celebrated URI’s 15th anniversary last Friday here at our URI offices with the Cooperation Circle members. We had interfaith prayers represented by the Bahai, Sikh, Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, Brahma Kumaris, Muslim, Hare Krishna, Hindu, and Indigenous spirituality. Unfortunately the Jews couldn't make it. It was basically a light moment all through with sharing from the heart by the different Cooperation Circle persons about their interfaith and peace journeys with URI. URI Trustee Archbishop Odama read the Golden Rule, saying that it is the gist for our partnership as people from different religious, spiritual and indigenous spiritualities. Some of the historicals of URI in Uganda who were also part of the Charter signing process, like Hajji Abdu Katende, shared their individual as well as organizational experiences. (He had a newspaper clipping from the San Jose Mercury News of June 22, 1998 about URI.) Additional historical members, like George Olinga and Sr. Mary Gorretti, were not around, but their voices shall be shared in our video once it is done. Many of the names from some of you globally came up in this sharing.
We were entertained by the Muslim Matali group, Twekolere CC, and we also had comedy. All these performances were really humorous. Our MCs were both young people one from AFCCAD CC called Jaffer, and the other, our Youth Ambassador from the Hare Krishna, Mwanje Keeya, both of whom made us laugh with their comic presentations.
After being entertained we also cut the cake, and later had a sumptuous buffet for all. It was indeed a moment of sharing about the goodness in URI, both by those who have been there from the beginning to those who are practically new, guided by their diverse spirituality. Thank you the Uganda Cooperation Circles present, thank you invited guests, thank you to our staff team, thank you the entertainment teams, and thank you to all who made it possible.
In peace and appreciation,
Despina Namwembe, Regional Coordinator
Entertaiment by the Bahai Choir
A light moment between Bishop Odama and the Sikh Chief Priest
Comedy presentation
Cutting of the cake
Haji Abdul Katende sharing URI history from the Stanford summit
Interfaith opening prayers
Entertaiment by Mataali Muslim Group
A cross section of participants being entertained
Sharing lunch
Sharing the cake
Sharing by Sr. Jasu from the Brahma Kumaris
URI Trustee Bishop Odama reading the Golden Rule
Entertaiment by Twekolere CC
