United Religions Initiative North American - Briefings

Appreciative
Inquiry (AI) is a powerful method for organizational planning,
encouraging creative thinking, inclusive decision making, and truly
"outside the box" results. AI was used extensively in the process
of creating the URI charter and continues to be utilized by URI groups around
the world. AI training is available from many sources:

• Corporation for
  Positive Change, whose principals include Diana Whitney and Amanda
  Trosten-Bloom, who are responsible for facilitating many of the development
  meetings that resulted in the URI as we know it;
• Clergy Leadership Insitute offers training specifically for faith-based
  organizations, and their
  AI
  curriculum has recently been approved by the American Psychogical
  Association as continuing education for psychologists;
• 
  AI Certificate Program in Positive Business and Society Change, with AI
  founder and URI-supporter David Cooperrider (at Case Western Reserve
  University, Cleveland, OH)

A good source for further information and training opportunities is Case
Western's Appreciative
Inquiry Commons.

“In short, Rosa Parks didn’t make a spur-of-the-moment decision. She didn’t single-handedly give birth to the civil rights efforts, but she was part of an existing movement for change, at a time when success was far from certain.” So says Paul Loeb in his article The Real Rosa Parks. His description of the movement for racial justice in America, as exemplified by its leading lady, Rosa Parks, offers many lessons for other would-be movements, including the Interfaith Movement.