In 1999, we were honored to facilitate the Sacred Ceremonies, that spiritually recognized and empowered the birth of the United Religions Initiative, (URI). This was a manifestation of the Vision and Inspiration of California Episcopal Bishop and Elder Brother, Bill Swing.
Bishop Swing was empowered, in 1996, by the simple, but profound vision and truth, if there is a United Nations, why not a United Religions Initiative? Bishop Swing's Vision was ceremonially and formally manifested four years later at Stanford University.
Twenty-Four Years later, URI is now globally active in 108 Nation States, with 1013 Cooperation Circles (CC). A CC brings together, at least, three different Faith Communities, dedicated to working together to uplift the Human Family, in accordance with its Preamble and Principles:
URI Preamble and Purpose
Preamble
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.
We respect the uniqueness of each tradition and differences of practice or belief.
We value voices that respect others and believe that sharing our values and wisdom can lead us to act for the good of all.
We believe that our religious, spiritual lives, rather than dividing us, guide us to build community and respect for one another.
Therefore, as interdependent people rooted in our traditions, we now unite for the benefit of our Earth community.
We unite to build cultures of peace and justice.
We unite to heal and protect the Earth.
We unite to build safe places for conflict resolution, healing, and reconciliation.
We unite to support freedom of religion and spiritual expression, and the rights of all individuals and peoples as set forth in international law.
We unite in responsible cooperative action to bring the wisdom and values of our religions, spiritual expressions, and indigenous traditions to bear on the economic, environmental, political and social challenges facing our Earth community.
We unite to provide a global opportunity for participation by all people, especially by those whose voices are not often heard.
We unite to celebrate the joy of blessings and the light of wisdom in both movement and stillness.
We unite to use our combined resources only for nonviolent, compassionate action, to awaken to our deepest truths, and to manifest love and justice among all life in our Earth community.
Purpose
The purpose of the United Religions Initiative is 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.
The Guiding Principles of URI are outstanding. One, among many Principles, that is very important: Members of URI shall not be coerced to participate in any ritual or be proselytized.
Both the Parliament of World Religions and URI welcome Indigenous Faith Traditions as equal and sacred as any other Faith Tradition. These are global movements, among many other global movements, that are uniting and moving us toward World Peace and a new Global Civilization.
