Collaborative and appreciative learning from and with Cooperation Circles have guided URI’s growth to become the largest grassroots interfaith movement in more than 96 countries, impacting innumerable lives.
Based on this idea, URI India CCs continually check in on their channels of regional communication to improve their work together and in their respective communities. Most recently, CC members and regional staff in the North Zone met for this kind of recalibration after several regional changes. The meeting began with an interfaith prayer held by our members and revisiting favorite memories that CC members had as part of the URI community.
This walk down memory lane reminded us off several joyous moments of shared learning, hard work, challenges and strengthening relationships. It was instrumental in strengthening familial bonds of friendship and attachments that URI has been able to foster in the North Zone.
Reminiscing on our journey also helped review what had got lost on the way, what had changed, and what could be desirable future steps for the region’s growth and development. Among the suggestions that drew substantial interest included discussion of participation in the 2016 Indian National Assembly, youth development and engagement programs, building an extensive communication network and outreach program, and energizing the network through more CC to CC and CC-to-regional staff engagement. Other discussions involved hosting more events, publishing a newsletter, and better CC recognition.
The cluster meeting was driven by members’ thoughts and suggestions, and left members feeling energized, enthusiastic, and eager to work on new changes to be executed in the coming months by regional staff. The idea to hold small cluster meetings to interact more directly with CCs was guided by URI India’s National Coordinator, Biswadeb Chakraborty.
We would like to thank our dear members from eight different CCs and National Coordinator for guiding us always.
May peace prevail on Earth.