Potpourri- The United Religions Initiative - A Non-Religious But Bridge-Building Organization For Peace

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The United Religions Initiative - A Non-Religious But Bridge-Building Organization For Peace
By Radhamohan Das
The United Religions Initiative (URI), HQ San Francisco, CA 94129 was established by thousands of people from different religious communities of the world on six continents with their united efforts and co-operative works since 1996, culminating in signing its charter on June 26, 2000 in a global summit held from June 25 through 30, 2000 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. In fact, a vision came for creating URI to the Right Reverend William E. Swing, Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of California, who was invited by the United Nations to host an interfaith service in June 1995 to commemorate 50 years services of the political leaders working together for peace through the UN. Bishop Swing accepted the invitation, but the people of diverse religions and traditions whom he invited had not joined hands to work for peace. He then thought of forming the United Religions where people of diverse faiths work for peace on a daily basis. The Bishop invited people from all over the world to join in imagining what a United Religions might be. The URIs concept based on the spiritual values is of the vision and stature of the United Nations. The URIs charter: The charter of the URI, a non-religious and bridge-building organization reads as: "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." Organizational set-up: The URI which is also a non-hierarchical and de-centralized organization has an organizational set-up of people who act from their deepest values and claim their right and responsibility to do exceptional things to serve interfaith cooperation on a local and a global level for a common purpose. There is a Global Council Trust consisting of thirty four trustees, three each from eight geographic regions and transition executive committee, one each as executive and founding trustee, and five nominated trustees for regional support. Asia's three trustees are from Pakistan, Korea and India. Besides, there is the global staff headed by Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs as executive director since the transition period. The various activities undertaken under the executive committee are in the fields of communications, communication and technology, financial management, peace building, philanthropy and global fund-raising, membership and organizational development and technology, and vision for peace among religions. The global URI is headed by the founding president the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing. Cooperation Circles (CCs), Multiple Cooperation Circles (MCCs): The URI being a locally rooted or growing organization, individuals, associations or organizations seeking membership in the URI may create a cooperation circle (CC) or join any existing cooperation circle. The cooperation circles are called because they are created by people who came together to initiate acts of interfaith cooperation. Each URI cooperation circle can have its own unique purpose, membership, process of governance, decision making activity etc. which are relevant and consistent with the preamble, purpose and principles. The cooperation circles may form a Multiple Cooperation Circle (MCC). Two or more Multiple Cooperation circles may also form a Multi-Multiple Cooperation Circle. A cooperation circle must have at least seven members from at least three different religions, spiritual expressions and indigenous traditions. The growth of URI and Manipur URI CC: The URI, a growing global community of diverse religions and traditions has rooted its steady growth in eight geographic regions of the world viz. Africa, Asia, Europe. Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East, North America, the Pacific, Southeast Asia & Indonesia and Multi-regional (non geographic). By now, nearly 200 URl cooperation circles (URI CC) and Multiple Cooperation Circles (MCC) have been created in nearly sixty countries in eight geographic regions. Manipur URl CC is one of the Asian URl CCs in the north easternmost corner of India founded on January 4, 2000 under the guidance and leadership of Dr. T.D. Singh popularly known as Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami. Dr. T.D. Singh, a Hindu monk is a disciple of the ISKCON founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was one of the spiritual leaders invited by the founder of URI, Bishop Swing in 1996 to share his views and values, and wisdom in the global interactions for creation of the United Religions Initiative, and was concerned in drafting the preamble, purpose, principles (PPP) and charter of URI, which was formally signed in the charter signing global ceremony held at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA from June 25-30, 2000. We convened three-four meetings inviting several members representing various religious communities of Manipur to discuss and interact with each other - the URls PPP and charter. And, finally Manipur URI CC, initially known as Manipur Chapter (North-east India), was born on January, 4, 2000 with Dr. T.D. Singh as the founding president in the auspicious place of ISKCON, Airport Road, Imphal. Manipur URI CC which was later recognized by the global URI comprises diverse religions and traditions such as Sikhism, Jainism, Islam, Indigenous Meitei Laininglup (Ibudhou Pakhangbaism) and Ragwang, Hindustani Samaj, Buddhism, Christianity, Bahai and Vaisnava Hindu. Manipur URl CC is now manned by an executive committee headed by Dr. T.D. Singh as president, Md. Riyazuddin Choudhury, a noted Manipuri Islamic scholar as working-president, Prof. M. Thaimei of indigenous Ragwang faith as vice-president, who has recently disappeared from the material world having left a vacuum, myself as secretary, supported by Sri Pramod Kumar Chhabra of Jainism as treasurer, Sri S. Satnam Singh of Sikhism and Sri Bipin Gardener (Bahai) in the capacities of joint-secretaries, and many more responsible citizens as executive members. The united and cooperative efforts of the members of Manipur URI CC are readily available in our activities to help in taking up projects toward achieving URIs charter in letter and spirit. Manipur, a tiny State, but having multifarious religions and traditions, is difficult to work for satisfactory result, though it has scope for interfaith cooperation among diverse religious communities. Manipur is unique to have the unity in diversities with nearly thirty-two different communities having diverse religions, traditions, cultures, civilizations, languages etc. For that matter, religion is the language of India, the symbol of all its movements. Interfaith collaborations are therefore essential in this part of the world for peace and prosperity. Activities of URI and Manipur URI CC: 2001& 2002 regional assemblies: Five regional assemblies were held to serve the needs of the cooperation circles and encourage their development in each region. The North America Regional Assembly was held from May 31-June 4, 2001 at Salt Lake City, Utah. The Africa Regional Assembly and Asia & the Pacific Regional Assembly were held at Nairobi, Kenya and Bali, Indonesia on October 8-11, 2001 and December 13-16, 2001 respectively. In the 1st Regional Assembly of Asia and the Pacific held under the theme, "Pilgrims of Peace" at Bali, Indonesia, Dr. T.D. Singh accompanied by Sri Parathasarathi Das, member and the newly joined members viz. MM Singh, K. Nilo Singh, L. Chaoba Singh, Rajeshwar Paul and K. Manglem Singh participated. The Interim Global Council Meeting was also held on November 12-14, 2001 at San Francisco, California USA. The Latin America and the Caribbean Regional and Europe and Middle East Regional Assemblies were already held. On August 18-25, 2002, the URIs Global Assembly 2002 -"Sharing the Sacred, Serving the World" was held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. T.D. Singh, president of Manipur URI CC participated as an invitee. The first project which helped us to create Manipur URI CC was the 72-hr Interfaith Peace Building Project -December 31, 1999 to January 2, 2000. The peace march taken place in the streets of Manipur on Jan. 2, 2000, as a closing program was a historic event. It was attended by more than 1000 people representing many diverse religious traditions such as Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Bahai, Christianity, Brahma Kumaris, Hinduism, and other traditional religious groups, namely Meitei Laininglup, Ragwang faith, and many more. The peace project was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister, W. Nipamacha Singh and a message was sent by the then Governor, His Excellency Ved Marwah. It was a beginning for Manipur URI CC in creating the cultures of peace with a new age of harmony, understanding and tolerance so badly needed in the present situations of Manipur. Manipur URI CC organized an International Conference in association with AIPSO, IDPD and some NGOs for three days - Nov 17 through 19, 2000 at Imphal. The University of Bhagavata Culture, Manipur was also collaborated in organizing the conference, which had another peace rally successfully performed on the first day i.e. Nov. 17, 2000. On that day, the URI Charter was signed by hundreds of people who participated in the peace rally. Manipur URI CC sponsored the Guwahati URI CC in March 2001, now recognized by the Global URI, with the assistance of Padmashree Natwar Thakkar, former secy. of Nagaland Gandhi Ashram. It is the first URI CC in Assam. Manipur URI CC timely made an appeal on Godhra carnage and riots in Ahmedabad city in Gujarat in Feb. 2002 on a three-paged appeal, addressed to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India, Lal Krishna Advani, then Union Minister of Home Affairs, Ashok Singhal, International working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and to others concerned. We condemned outright the heinous and barbaric acts in the Godhra carnage and its aftermath rioting and lootings carried out by the most dreaded and senseless mobs or criminals and thousands of the most uncivilized rioters and looters in Ahmedabad city and rural areas of Gujarat, which claimed the lives of many Indians including women and children and destroyed properties worth lakhs of rupees. "It was indeed a disgrace to the nation" in the words of Prime Minister. We appealed to them to keep the tense and explosive situations under control and be brought to normalcy so that the communal harmony among the Hindu and Muslim communities particularly in Gujarat and rest of the country in general be restored immediately to preserve India as a unique country and to help safeguard its pluralism. Manipur URI CC a constituent organization of Manipur Peace Committee formed in the context of the people’s movement during June 18, 2001 uprising has been actively involved in peace creating activities in Manipur. Manipur Peace Committee headed by Dr TD Singh, who is the president of Manipur URI CC comprises many members of URI CC, such as Md. Riyazuddin Choudhury as working president, Dr. K. Binodkumar Singh secy, myself, Dr. TS Gangte and Dr L. Ibemtombi Devi as vice-president, and many more respectable member. Dr. TD Singh called upon the then Union Home Minister LK Advani on July 23, 2001, by leaving Mumbai for New Delhi, while he was still under treatment in Mumbai, to apprise him of the then impending situation in Manipur due to loss of 18 innocent persons in the spontaneous uprising occur-red on June 18, 2001 and urged Advani to revoke the ceasefire extension from Manipur immediately to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony in the region. Advani heard Dr. TD Singh, who also presented him a memorandum and another memorandum to the Prime Minister earlier, patiently and assured him that the Government of India would look into the matter and take the positive action. The Manipuri dailies flashed the meeting as news items. In March 2001, Bishop Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, the Global URI president and Rev. Charles P. Gibbs, executive director of URI staff, San Francisco, visited Manipur URI CC. During their visit, a project which is memorable in the history of Manipur URI CC was organized to strengthen the interfaith collaborations in Manipur. The members of Manipur URI CC led by Bishop Swing visited sacred places of worship of Gurudwara, Jain temple, Masjid at Hatta, Sanamahi Laipham at Kangla, St. Joseph Catholic Church at Mantripukhri, Bahai Sanglen at Sangaiprou and ISKCON Temple at Airport Road, and joined in their respective prayers, bhajans, kirtans and other rituals, and worshipped the God. We worshipped Sri Guru Grand Sahibji and heard his teachings with the concepts of Pangat and Sangat, and had the langar also. We worshipped Bhagavan Mahavira and heard the chantings of Shanti Path (Prayer for Peace). At Masjid, Hatta, we heard the chanting of the kirat from the holy Quran vide Surat As-Saff, Chapter 61, text-vi to ix, by Moulvi Allaudin. We then came to know the brief history of the indigenous Sanamahi Laininglup (Pakhangbaism), read out by Devdutta Meitei at Kangla. Next, we had the prayer service in the St. Josheps Cathedral Church, Mantripukhri in presence of the most Rev. Joseph Mittathany, Archbishop of Imphal, and heard devotional songs. At Bahai Sanglen, we had the peace prayer of Bahai faith. Lastly, we had the darshan of Sri Sri Radhakrishnachandra, Sri Jagannatha, Sri Baladeva, Srimati Subhadrarani and Sri Sri Gauranitai in the ISKCON temple and joined the kirtan and had the lunch prasadam with our special guests at ISKCON premises. The spirit, values and vision of the United Religions Initiative, a unique organization composed of self organizing groups are expressed in the following briefly discussed preamble, purpose and principles (PPP): Preamble: The preamble which starts with the statement of the charter is the call that inspires the members to create URI now and continue to create it everyday, and to fulfill its charter. The preamble states: The members of URI respect the uniqueness of each tradition and differences of practice, believe that respecting each others voice and sharing the values and wisdom could help us in the activity for the good of all, believe that our religious and spiritual lives could guide us to build our community rather than dividing us and therefore we the interdependent people rooted in our traditions now unite to build cultures of peace, justice, healing and protection for the benefit of our Earth community. The members of URI unite to build safe places for conflict resolution, healing and reconciliation, unite to support the freedom of religion and the rights of all individuals and peoples as enshrined in the International Law, unite in bringing together our wisdom and values for a responsible cooperative action to help face the economic, environmental, political and social challenges on the Earth community, unite to provide a global opportunity to those people whose voices are not often heard for their participation, unite to celebrate our success and failure, and unite to use our combined resources only for non-violent and compassionate action, to awaken the deepest truths, and to manifest love and justice among all life in this Earth community. Purpose: The purpose is the statement that draws us together in common cause and to fulfill the charter. Principles: The principles are the fundamental beliefs that guide our structure, decision and content and are in pursuit of the purpose and these are briefly discussed as follows: The URI is a non-religious and bridge-building organization. We, members of URI respect the sacred wisdom of each religion, spiritual expression and indigenous tradition and their differences. We encourage our members to believe deeply in their tradition. We respect our mutual understanding and extend hospitality. We respect our own diversity and model practices. We respect equal participation of men and women in all aspects of URI and practice healing and reconciliation in resolving conflict without violence. We practice to protect and preserve the earth for both present and future generations. We co-operate with others in their interfaith efforts. We respect individuals, organizations and associations subscribing to URIs PPP. We take unanimous decisions concerning the interests of all affected parties. We are authorized to take up any action at any scale and area in consistent with PPP. We use our resources for the pursuit of PPP only. Most importantly we should have the responsibility to develop our financial resources to meet our own needs and to share the same for the needs of others. We maintain the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct, and use our resources fairly and accurately, to open to all. We respect and honor the richness and diversity of all languages and the right and responsibility to translate and interpret the charter, bylaws and other documents in accordance with the preamble, purpose and principles. Lastly, we do not force our members to participate in any ritual or convert them (proselytize). The Manipur URI CC and all other URI CCs and affiliates throughout the sixty countries in eight geographic regions viz. Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Middle East. North America. The Pacific, Southeast Asia and Indonesia, and multi-regional (non-geographic) are celebrating the URIs third anniversary - June 26-28, 2003 as 72 hour Gift Giving confining to principle 17. "We have the responsibility to develop financial and other resources to meet the needs of our part, and to share financial and other resources to help meet the needs of other parts." It is appropriate to quote an extract of "The gift" The St. Charles Gig: Poems by Brenda Herold: ... "& then I noted how what is given returns & is given again & again, so that in the end there is no giver, no taker & each one becomes the source & then there is only the gift" - Keeping the theme of the celebration suggested by the Global URI in mind, we, members of Manipur URI CC have decided to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of URI in our own way but keeping the intention to raise the fund to meet the purpose as in the principle 17 as a policy program of URI and help us to take up many more projects in near future to fulfill the charter of the URI in letter and spirit, i.e. in creating the cultures of peace, understanding, tolerance, justice and healing for the people of Manipur and all living beings. We pray for the divine blessings to achieve the goal.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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