United Religions Initiative North American - Briefings

The the International Day of Peace is not mentioned, I am sure it is not an accident that the Save Darfur Coalition’s upcoming National Day of Action is on September 21. If your organization is looking for something to do on 9/28, perhaps Darfur might be a topic of discussion, deliberation, or action? The coalition also has mini-grants of $200 available for local organizations. Send an e-mail to sfuqua@uri.org if you’d like me to forward the full details.

From Paul Chaffee, Interfaith Center at the Presidio

Blistering weather reports from Las Vegas notwithstanding, 140 interfaith
leaders from Canada, Mexico, and the United States gathered in southern
Nevada on August 12. For four and a half days the group explored a complex
set of themes – “Hospitality, Generosity and Sharing –
Interfaith Action in Our World.” The weather turned out to be dry and
kind, the heat tempered by passing storms. University of Nevada Las Vegas is
beautiful and proved an exemplar of the hospitality we were discussing.

The URI Global Council voted in Korea to actively support and promote The International Day of Peace, September 21. This date was set by United Nations General Assembly Resolution and calls for the day to be observed with global ceasefires, nonviolence and peace education by nations, organizations, communities and individuals. For more information, visit http://www.uri.org/United_Nations.html.

Beverley Britton (member of the URI of Washington, D.C.), asked me to share the following information about suicide and tips about suicide prevention, saying “Suicide, especially among the young, soldiers returning from warzones,the indigenous,the elderly, and refugees, is on the increase in the US. Please share this pertinent list of symptoms, guidelines and resources with groups, including URI-NA and NAIN.” It is certainly an issue that all faith groups should pay attention to.

Got news from North America? Send it to sfuqua@uri.org.

The Utah URI has been host to a series of foreign delegations aimed at facilitating intercultural dialogue. Read on for details of the most diverse group of visitors yet.