Youth

URI respects wisdom from voices of all generations.
Coexister CC youth marching

URI celebrates the work and leadership of young people. Cooperation Circles work towards equity and fair age representation in all aspects of their work.

Examples of our work in this Action Area:

  • The URI Youth Connection Cafe is a monthly virtual meeting space for young people across the URI network to connect, learn together, and share their experiences as young interfaith peacebuilders. Each Cafe is hosted by a different youth Cooperation Circle who chooses the topic and facilitates the session. Read more here. Please contact URI if you would like to join these gatherings! 
  • In MENA, Desert Bloom CC regularly hosts youth exchange programs offering young people the experience of meeting across cultures and participating in cultural activities together. Most recently, Desert Bloom participated in the Creating the Way Youth Exchange program in Romania. 
  • In South India, Ecopeace Teen Cafe runs a transformative educational experience for 30 young high school learners. This five-month program covers four modules: community building, environment conservation, social justice, and peace. The learners engage weekly with different guest speakers and participate in activities together, facilitated by a team of youth volunteers. Read more here.
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Stories

URI Asia Executive Council attends URI Korea Youth Leadership Peace Camp

For the past four years, URI Korea has organized a Youth Leadership Peace Camp in partnership with the Korea Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This year the Peace Camp took place June 24-26 in Seoul. Dr. Abraham Karickam and Dr. Hira Paul Gagnegi, URI Coordinators from India, and Father James Channan, URI Coordinator from Pakistan, who are members of the URI Asia Executive Council, joined the Ven. Dr. Jinwol Lee and the young adults attending the Peace Camp this year. In addition to sharing their perspectives on interfaith work, they joined in youth activities and took this opportunity to develop plans and programs to sustain and develop URI across the Asia region.

URI youth visit demilitarized zone in Korea

Sixty one years ago on this day (June 25th, 1950), the Korean war erupted, which lasted for three years, causing much destruction and painful division. UN army comprising soldiers from 16 nations fought the battle, which was very rare. 10 million people had to part, for no reasons and still those millions long for a family re-union. Yes, today is the Korean commemoration day and we, the URI youth Camp family visited the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) to offer prayers for peace, with hundreds who flocked there with the same intent.

Posting #1 from Morocco

I arrived here about 8 hours ago after about 13 hours in the air and nearly missing my connecting flight in Paris. I arrived, without luggage, to the warm welcome of Noufal al Hammomi, a 2010 URI Youth Ambassador who has helped anchor the local logistics for upcoming Young Leaders Training and URI MENA and Europe Assembly and two friends.