UUA International Blog Archive

On February 29th the academic groups of UMI Transitions, CRNS, and NYU ran a symposium in New York City entitled “Latin-American Migrations, Patterns of Settlement and Transnational Dynamics.” It’s goal was to bring together experts from around the world in the field of Latin-...

The word “Hiroshima” has become synonymous with the horrors of nuclear war. Unfortunately, we need to be horrified now and then. We need to see and feel just how terrible war is and how particularly horrifying nuclear war would be. A visit to Hiroshima’s Peace Park and the...

In response to continuing fighting and bloodshed in their country, Muslim and Christian leaders from Syria have joined together to urgently call for a peaceful solution to the ongoing violence. The statement came out of a meeting organized by the Religions for Peace Middle East...

The blog post below was written by Cristina Velez, a graduate intern at the UU-UNO. Today, March 8th, marks International Women’s Day! Marches like these are happening all over the world. Learn more about the history and celebration for International Women’s Day here ....

Kyoto, 5 a.m. March 6— I have often spoken and written about the importance of hospitality–about how hospitality is a spiritual practice. In the first two days of our visit to Japan I have felt as though I were attending a workshop in advanced hospitality. Our friends and...

Last week the member groups of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) (the Unitarian Universalist Association is one of 24 national religious denominations and organizations that constitute it) met in Washington DC for a retreat to discuss future directions of the organization....

Reintegration The first two months of 2012 have been so very exciting at the UU-UNO. During this period we finally completed a legal process that took far longer and was more complicated than any of us expected to legally merge the UU-UNO with the UUA. The legal process was most...

UUA President Rev. Peter Morales is in the midst of a week-long visit with interfaith partners in Japan. On Sunday, Rev. Morales attended the worship service at the historic Universalist church in Tokyo: Dojin Church. Members of the Tokyo Unitarian Fellowship (a largely ex-pat...

International Women's Day — which celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women throughout the world — is March 8. And while I believe we should honor women's accomplishments every day, International Women's Day is a great reminder. This year, one of the...

From March 3 – 12, 2012 Rev. Peter Morales, UUA President, will travel to Japan to visit with a number of historic interfaith partners. The visit will also provide Rev. Morales with an opportunity to extend congratulatory greetings to Rissho Kosei-kai during its annual “Founding...

From March 3 - 12, 2012 Rev. Peter Morales, UUA President, will travel to Japan to visit with a number of historic interfaith partners. These include: Rissho Kosei-kai (RKK) - a 6-million member lay-Buddhist organization headquartered in Tokyo. RKK Dharma Centers in Hiroshima,...

From the day of its inception, the UU-UNO Love Beyond Borders campaign has focused on creating an allied response to global LGBT/SOGI issues. (LGBT=Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender is the term most used in the United States; SOGI=Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity is the term...

UUSC partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21-28. In the post below, trip participant Nuala Carpenter shares thoughts on the experience. The UUA-UUSC Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the...

The biennial Council meeting of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) began on Tuesday night in Dumaguete City, The Philippines. This is the first time in the 15 years of ICUU's existence that the Council meeting has taken place outside of Europe or...

Rev. Eric Cherry, Director of the International Office at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), is currently in the Philippines attending a bi-annual Council meeting with the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) . The ICUU fosters connections...

On the heels of the recent BorderLinks service learning trip , which ran from Jan. 24-27, UUA President, the Rev. Peter Morales had the opportunity to visit with UU's in Mexico City. Below he shares reflections on worshiping with this vibrant emerging community. I have been...

UUSC partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21-28. Trip participant Casey Aspin reflects on the end of the journey in the post below. The UUA-UUSC Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions...

UUSC partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21-28. Trip participant Casey Aspin writes about her experience in the post below. The UUA-UUSC Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA...

In preparation for Justice GA in Phoenix, Ariz., (June 20-24, 2012) the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) have jointly organized three Service Learning trips to the U.S.-Mexico border with our partner organization,...

UUSC partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21-28. Trip participant Casey Aspin writes about her experience in the post below. The UUA-UUSC Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the contributions of UUA...

In preparation for Justice GA in Phoenix, Ariz., (June 20-24, 2012) the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) have jointly organized three Service Learning trips to the U.S.-Mexico border with our partner organization,...

UUSC is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21-28. Trip participant Casey Aspin writes about day four of her experience in the post below. The UUA-UUSC Haiti Volunteer Program is made possible through the...

UUSC is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21-28. In the post below, trip participant Casey Aspin shares thoughts on working at the eco-village with local members of the Papaye Peasant Movement (MPP). The UUA-...

In preparation for Justice GA in Phoenix, Ariz., (June 20-24, 2012) the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) have jointly organized three Service Learning trips to the U.S.-Mexico border with our partner organization,...

UUSC is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21–28. In the post below, trip participant Casey Aspin shares thoughts on the first two days of the journey to help rebuild the community and lives of earthquake...

In preparation for Justice GA in Phoenix, Ariz., (June 20-24, 2012) the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) have jointly organized three Service Learning trips to the U.S.-Mexico border with our partner organization,...

By Jordan Arseneaulton Reposted from 2B Online : Unitarian Delegate to the United Nations Bruce Knotts on patience, persistence, and religious responses to the global homophobia epidemic. His Compass for Compassion coalition of faith leaders and diplomats are trying to fight the...

CARE ABOUT WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT? SPREAD YOUR MESSAGE AND COMPETE TO WIN THE 2012 GREELEY AWARD The UU-UNO invites submissions of sermons or addresses that speak to building a more just international community. The award honors the memory of Reverend Dana McLean Greeley, the first...

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, January 21. In the post below, trip participant Kara Smith of UUSC shares her thoughts on the progress made so far and on the...

Please enjoy this exciting news from the Transylvania Unitarian Church: On January 13, 2012 the Consistory of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church honors the 444th anniversary of the proclamation of the first law on freedom of belief and conscience, and religious tolerance. In...

MORE WARNING SIGNALS ON CLIMATE CHANGE While governments hesitate over how to deal with the reality of global warming, the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues at an alarming pace. Resulting weather disruptions like more frequent droughts, floods, and violent...

Hillary Clinton US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a historic speech outlining LGBT rights as human rights at the UN. Presidential Memorandum The White House issued a Presidential Memo setting on LGBT rights , specifically confirming the US government’s obligation to...

Over the December 9th weekend, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) organized and facilitated our first Youth Conference (referred to affectionately as a Youth Con). It was hosted by the First Unitarian Universalist Congregational Society in Brooklyn , New...

This past weekend Typhoon Sendong struck the southern Philippines island of Mindinao causing the deaths of nearly 700 people with more than 800 additional people still missing. Recovery efforts are underway. The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines is centered in...

UUSC was excited to partner with the Unitarian Universalist Association on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, December 3–10. In the post below, trip-leader-in-training Nicole McConvery of the UUA reflects on lessons learned in Haiti. Cruising down the recently paved highway...

The UU Service Committee was excited to partner with the Unitarian Universalist Association on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, December 3–10. In the post below, written on December 9, participant George Wootton reflects on time spent working with the Papaye Peasant Movement (...

An essay by Jan W. Dash, UU-UNO Climate Initiative Chair The Durban Climate Conference (COP17), deadlocked, ran overtime with contentious debate. Youth spoke passionately about how climate change would affect them. Finally, all 194 countries pproved a compromise “Durban Platform...

Undocumented youth in New York stood up for their equal opportunity to higher education for undocumented people in a press conference on the stair steps in front of the City Hall on December 9th, 2011. Undocumented youth arrived to New York as children and wish to give back to...

UUSC is excited to be partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, December 3–10. In the post below, participant Bradley Korb describes the trip from Port-au-Prince to the training center of the Papaye Peasant Movement (MPP) and the...

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti, December 3-10. In the post below, trip leaders Nicole McConvery of the UUA and Evan Seitz of the UUSC share their thoughts on...

La identidad de género es “la vivencia interna e individual del género tal como cada persona la siente profundamente, la cual podría corresponder o no con el sexo asignado al momento del nacimiento,” text from the Gender Identity Bill that was approved in the Argentine Lower...

World AIDS Day December 1st The UU-UNO’s Every Child is Our Child (ECOC) Program works with children in Ghana who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. The ECOC provides health care and opportunities to education for these AIDS-orphaned children. On World AIDS Day we assess...

In my last report , you read about our history making LGBT coalition to end global homophobia. We continue to meet via phone to work for justice. Just after our October 11-12 conference at Union Theological Seminary, the UU UNO launched into one of it busiest periods of work. It...

Meet New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC) today! And sign their online petition for New York State DREAM Act to support the equal opportunity to higher education of undocumented youth in the U.S. Sign the petition here . The NYSYLC is a volunteer run organization led...

As we give thanks this Thursday, we keep in mind the privilege of security that many of us enjoy. Friday, November 25, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Despite progress in many parts of the world, data from the World Bank reports that women...

On October 31st the United States Chargé d'Affaires in New Delhi, Ambassador Peter Burleigh, held a dinner in honor of Kathy Sreedhar, Director Emerita of the UU Holdeen India Program (UUHIP). Ambassador Burleigh hosted the dinner at Roosevelt House, the historic Ambassador’s...

Cristina Velez, a graduate intern at the UU-UNO, gives her account of the November 17 United Nations NGO Committee on Children's Rights held at the UN Church Center in New York City. “Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us; Sing a song full of the hope...

"We were all children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our children, which has always been and will continue to be the most universally cherished aspiration of humankind." Excerpt from We the Children: End-decade review of the follow-up to the World Summit...

In celebration of the founding of the UN on October 24th, 1945, the UU-UNO invites congregations and individual UUs to deepen their understanding of the United Nations by devoting one service in October to reaffirming the connections between UU principles and vital issues dealt...

It was an honor for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to host an International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) Tent Summit for the 5 largest U/U groups around the world in Boston from November 6-10, 2011. Present for the meeting were representatives...