United Religions Initiative

United Religions Initiative
HeadquartersThe Presidio in San Francisco, California, United States
Membership+250,000 people
Leaders
• Global Council Chair
Kiran Bali
• President
William E. Swing
• Executive Director
Victor H. Kazanjian Jr.
Establishment
• United Religions Initiative Charter
26 June 2000
Website
www.uri.org

The United Religions Initiative (URI) is a global grassroots interfaith network.

It has local and global initiatives through more than 1100 member groups and organizations, called Cooperation Circles,[1] to engage in community action such as conflict resolution and reconciliation, environmental sustainability, education, women's and youth programs, and advocacy for human rights.[2]

The organization was founded by William E. Swing, along with David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney.[3] The URI Charter was signed by more than 200 people present, and hundreds more joining over the Internet, at a ceremony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, on June 26, 2000.[4]

URI also holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).[5]

  1. ^ Cooperation Circles, United Religions Initiative
  2. ^ "United Religions Initiative Charter".
  3. ^ Cooperrider, David L. and Diana Kaplin Whitney, Appreciative inquiry: a positive revolution in change, page 31, Berret-Koehler Publishers Inc., 2005
  4. ^ Dyer, Ervin (June 28, 2000). "Charter Signed for Religious Coalitions". Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
  5. ^ "URI and the UN | URI". www.uri.org. Retrieved 2020-08-27.