United Religions Initiative: Five Years of Transformation

Families in Darfur seek relief at a refugee camp.

On June 26, the Global Council of the United Religions Initiative (URI) will meet in Seoul, Korea. This is a momentous anniversary for the organization, which was founded five years ago. URI evolved from interfaith conferences that were held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations–and that international body is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. In addition to installing the new council members to their three-year terms, there will be a full agenda of discussions about critical issues for the world’s religious communities.

Increasingly, the world’s religious leaders have been called upon to respond to escalating global conflicts. Combining the spiritual and the political, the URI charter states:
We, people of diverse religions, spiritual expressions and indigenous traditions throughout the world, hereby establish the United Religions Initiative to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.

To this end, URI has responded to calls from its Korean membership to support their work in the region, says Executive Director of URI, The Rev. Canon Charles Gibbs. “The situation on the Korean Peninsula has global implications. Our members in Korea requested our presence to show solidarity with the movement towards a peaceful reunification. Religious leaders affiliated with URI in the South have been forging connections with their counterparts in the North. We ourselves will be meeting with leaders from South Korea, then traveling on a peace pilgrimage to the demilitarized zone.”

Though it draws from religious groups all over the world, URI is very responsive to the concerns and interests of its members. A response group within the organization began research on the atrocities in Darfur, Sudan. The group then compiled information that was presented to the Global Council. The Council was persuaded to endorse the Darfur Unity Statement, which was created by the Save Darfur Coalition and signed by over 100 non-governmental agencies in the absence of a substantial resolution to the conflicts in Sudan. Says The Rev. Gibbs, “The Global Council recognized the request to sign onto the statement after the diligence of the researchers from within the organization presented compelling reasons to join.”

Part diplomatic body, part grass-roots umbrella group, URI is holding the space for positive global transformation. “We support the people in their struggles to have a different reality,” says The Rev. Gibbs. “We are committed to building cultures of peace.”

To find out how you can get involved with the work of United Religions Initative, click here.

North Korean soldiers patrol the demilitarized zone at the border with South Korea.