Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation

“We practice healing and reconciliation to resolve conflict without resorting to violence.” - URI Principle 9
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation

URI Cooperation Circles work at every level, from influencing policymakers to providing training at the grassroots, to build peace, heal existing tensions, and prevent new conflicts.

Examples of our work in this Action Area:

  • EcoPeace/Friends of the Earth Middle East CC gathered Israelis, Jordanians, and Palestinians to join their voices in calling for cooperative restoration efforts in the Jordan River.
  • In Africa, Shalom Ghana CC ended a 10-year feud between Christians and Muslims by getting youth from both sides together to plant trees the village badly needed.
  • After an increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in California, USA, the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County CC co-sponsored a "Ring of Solidarity" where over 200 people joined hands around a mosque to show community support for their Muslim neighbors.
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World Environment Day demands actions, not words

Asia
Community Building
Environment
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation

By URI Peace Group of Journalists (URI Kashmir) CC

Muzaffarbad, 5th June 2011

Peace Group of Journalists (URI Kashmir) has called upon all stakeholders, including the government to make a collective effort towards implementing the UN 1997 Kyoto Protocol on the environment. The UN has declared 2011 the World Year of the Forests. At the time of independence, Pakistan had 25% forest cover, but according to statistics this has fallen below 2.5% landmass with forest cover. The 2010 historic flood that devastated Pakistan and the State of Kashmir, leaving behind a trail of destruction affecting 21 million, is largely attributed to deforestation by the timber mafia. It is therefore critical for Pakistan and State of Kashmir to protect the forests before they disappear altogether with serious consequences.

DEVELOPING MODERN SPRITUAL PRACTICES

North America
Community Building
Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation

There are many kinds of spiritual practice.  Most of them are derived from one of the major religions.  Spiritual practices of this kind tend to be based on teachings from one of the earlier civilizations.  Some of these practices are very profound and deserving of our attention.  On the other hand, we live in the beginnings of a global age, one which has teachings coming from different civilizations of the past and, at the same time, needing to be relevant to this age.  Each new civilization will be a combination of older teachings and teachings born of the age now coming into being.  It is in the integration of past, present, and future that a civilization gains its completeness.