Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult for us to love without any marginalization or discrimination? Why is initiating a dialogue between communities so difficult? Why is identifying violence in thought and action so easy? Why is identifying and giving hope so difficult? Why are strengthened bonds of togetherness difficult to forge while breaking relationships on the basis of difference so easy?
As much as these are disturbing questions in our society, the members of North zone of India persistently try to keep the flame of hope and optimism alive through their initiatives. Their initiatives are steps towards the “HOPE” to have a peaceful, healthy, educated and aware community. Hence, the newsletter functions as a testimony of this Hope and a step and promise towards a stronger commitment for the future.
We at the URI North India regional office next year hope to take these passionate steps of our members to the next level of commitment of peace and justice by nurturing and sharing our purposes and principles of URI with the community at large. In this HOPE, may peace prevail on Earth.
The newsletter includes:
- ‘Youth for Peace’ workshops gathering than 70 young minds from all sectors of society.
- Ray of Hope, a short documentary on the work of URI Cooperation Circle Mahila Chetna Kendra. It follows a woman who has worked tirelessly and fought against all odds to uplift the women in her society and remove the limitations that struggling women in small villages face. (Watch the documentary here.)
- Cooperation Circle members celebrating Diwali, Friendship Day, language diversity, and tying Rakhi (honoring brotherhood amongst all living beings) to the President of India, his excellency Dr. Pranab Mukherjee.
- Cooperation Circle members speaking out against nuclear weapons, organizing youth leadership and engagement activities, leading blood donation drives, providing vocational training for girls' and women's equality.
- Cooperation Circle members organizing events to protect the environment, uplift the handicapped and underprivileged, and to promote peace in Afghanistan.
