URI Stories of Impact

Our community is working tirelessly to bring peace and justice in all areas of the world regardless of religion. Read stories straight from the organizers.

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URI Story Spotlight

The Power to Change the World

peace prize

URI CC Receives the Common Wealth Peace Prize

The co-founders of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, a URI Cooperation Circle from Kaduna Nigeria, West Africa, receive the first Commonwealth Peace Prize.

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The Power to Change the World

Meet URI's new Executive Director, Karen Volker - As I step into my new role as URI’s first woman Executive Director, I want to acknowledge and highlight that I have joined a movement filled with remarkable individuals and organizations that harness collective strength to create meaningful impact—from local communities to the global stage.

Karen and Jerry

URI Celebrates its 25th Anniversary with New Five-Year Strategy and Executive Leadership

United Religions Initiative (URI) is thrilled to announce three significant milestones in 2025, including a leadership transition.

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1000 Peace Cranes


Take a journey into other worlds during the month of March at the University Museum at Texas Southern with the 1000Words | 1000Kalema Exhibition, March 2nd through April 1st. 

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My One Hour with Pope Shenouda III

Middle East and North Africa
Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation

Sixteen years ago today, March 20, I met the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda, III, in Cairo.  March 20, 1996 as an eventful day for me starting with the news of the death of the Sheikh of al-Azhar. Then I arrived early for another meeting, this one with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr. Muhammed Tantawi.  When we were talking, the telephone rang and it was President Hosni Mubarrak who summoned him for an immediate meeting.   (Tantawi was soon after selected as the Sheikh of al-Azhar.)  As we finished our chat, Tantawi said, "when the light of one religion burns, it is a great blessing.  When the lights of  many religions burn together, it will be radiant and bring abundant blessings."  He counseled that the vision of a United Religions would be for the good of the world if it were "gently presented."

URI Celebrates International Women's Day

North America
Women

When I was a young woman starting my career in theatre in the mid 1970’s, there were almost no women in prominent positions within the theatre community. For women of color, the opportunities were even fewer. I learned at a young age that as a woman I needed to fight harder to have my voice heard, so I started a multi-cultural theatre company with two female colleagues. It was one way to address a void that still persists decades later.