Home > About Us > Professional Staff > Advocacy & Witness > International Resources

Office of International Resources

The Office of International Resources (IRO) seeks to support congregations as they respond to the call of the Unitarian Universalist Association's (UUA) Sixth Principle: "to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all."

The IRO:

Provides resources to congregations for international engagement;
Coordinates with Unitarian, Universalist, or Unitarian Universalist (U/U) organizations involved in international ministry;
Maintains and develops linkages with historic and new Unitarian/Universalist judicatories around the world based upon principles of right relationship.

Seeking to support congregations by way of resources and affiliations, the IRO is available to all UUA congregations that are either internationally-engaged or seeking to develop internationally-focused ministries.

Resources

The Office of International Resources has a multitude of resources available for congregations and individuals including:
- The “Faith Without Borders” Program
  which invites and supports congregational integration of a faithful and holistic vision of international engagement into their ministry;
- A Congregational “International Engagement Workshop"
  which is designed for congregations to develop or redesign their international engagement;
- Inspired Faith-Effective Action—International Edition Workshop
  which focuses on studying and developing best practices for international advocacy;
- I-News
  A bi-monthly e-newsletter for individuals and congregations;
- Congregational Profiles
  which provides descriptions of internationally-engaged UUA congregations;
- International Engagement Database
  which catalogs the many varieties of congregational international engagement.

Affiliations & Collaboration

The IRO supports U/U organizations that have an international focus, and promotes effective collaboration between these organizations and congregations, for example:
- Distributing worship materials and news from the International Council of Unitarian Universalists (ICUU).
- Collaborating with the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO), and supporting their yearly Spring Seminar.
- Promoting international church-to-church partnerships through the UU Partner Church Council (UUPCC).
The IRO supports effective institutional relationships with historic and newly developing U/U and interfaith judicatories around the world through,
- A newly established “Ambassador” program with three historic judicatories: Transylvania, North East India and the Philippines.
- Collaboration with the ICUU in the development of relationships with “emerging” U/U churches around the world
- Developing an international sabbatical program for UU ministers.
- Maintaining and Developing relationships with interfaith colleagues in Japan and around the world.

For complete information about International affiliations and our Collaboration efforts, please contact the IRO.