North America

See photos and stories of how the global URI community celebrated the International Day of Peace this year.

This newsletter highlights the efforts of North America’s Cooperation Circles, who continue to make positive changes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It is an honor to recognize Father Gerry O’Rourke, a Catholic priest for 70 years, for the profound gifts he gave to URI in its early years and particularly to appreciate Fr. Gerry’s passion that helped URI become “a safe space.”

URI Communications Interns reflect on how URI’s values have impacted them, what they have learned, their experience working virtually during a pandemic, and their future plans.

The Global Council is URI's governing board of directors. Global Council Trustees are democratically-elected by the URI member groups, called Cooperation Circles, around the world. The Trustees oversee the work of URI, offer direction, and provide leadership and strategic governance. 

Though he died quietly on Wednesday evening, July 29, 2020, at age 95, and though the URI family had hardly heard his name for many years, he will always be a giant in our midst. Why? Because his thinking was inlayed in our Charter.

SARAH Spiritual and Religious Alliance for Hope is a URI North America member group. Read about the work this group has been doing in its Strategic Report for 2020-21.

Iftekhar Hai is an interfaith bridge-building pioneer. Before most people saw the need for bridge-building among people of different religious faiths, Iftekhar was already showing the way.

We at URI North America uplift the voices of protest against white supremacy and honor the truth that systemic racism has always plagued our society.