Oficina Ecuménica ante las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York

Situada en el Church Center de las Naciones Unidas, la Oficina Ecuménica ante las Naciones Unidas (EUNO, por sus siglas en inglés) es el centro de coordinación de las iniciativas de promoción del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias en la sede de las Naciones Unidas en la ciudad de Nueva York.

Junto con ACT Alianza y a través de la EUNO, el CMI desempeña un papel clave convocando y facilitando la promoción a diferentes niveles y elaborando estrategias ecuménicas conjuntas sobre cuestiones prioritarias.

La EUNO es un instrumento fundamental que contribuye a crear una plataforma para que los más marginados de entre nosotros, sobre todo los que provienen del Sur Global, den testimonio de sus experiencias y de su verdad con el fin de influir en la formulación de políticas y la adopción de decisiones en la sede de la ONU en Nueva York, entre los Estados miembros y en el seno de otras instituciones intergubernamentales y multilaterales.

Al mantener un diálogo permanente y cooperar a nivel programático con organismos tales como el Equipo de Tareas Interinstitucional de las Naciones Unidas sobre Religión y Desarrollo Sostenible, el Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia (UNICEF), el Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas (FNUAP) y ONU Mujeres, nuestro objetivo es fortalecer y potenciar el discurso y la práctica de la ONU sobre cuestiones relacionadas con la paz y la seguridad, el desarrollo sostenible y los derechos humanos. Por medio de estas asociaciones dinámicas, la EUNO sirve para reiterar el llamado a la acción de la comunidad ecuménica, promoviendo la construcción de la paz, la reconciliación, los derechos humanos, la resistencia pacífica a la violencia y el desarrollo sostenible.

El objetivo de la EUNO es amplificar la voz profética y los valores del movimiento ecuménico en los distintos contextos multilaterales de las Naciones Unidas (ONU), y articular esa voz en relación con los principios comunes de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas y del derecho internacional. Nos proponemos influir en la formulación de políticas y la adopción de decisiones en la sede de la ONU en Nueva York, entre los Estados miembros y en el seno de otras instituciones intergubernamentales y multilaterales. 

Tenemos la esperanza de que, a través de la colaboración ecuménica y con espíritu ecuménico, podamos ampliar la capacidad de promoción de nuestras iglesias miembros y organismos y enlazar con momentos de promoción importantes en los que las voces del movimiento ecuménico puedan influenciar el discurso global sobre las cuestiones más cruciales de la justicia y la paz en nuestro mundo actual.

Los aspectos fundamentales de la estrategia de promoción de la EUNO son promover y ampliar la capacidad de los dirigentes de iglesias y de los representantes comunitarios para participar en actividades de promoción a escala nacional, y tener acceso a quienes adoptan decisiones en la ONU. Gracias a las relaciones de cooperación con los Estados miembros de la ONU, la EUNO se asegura cauces abiertos de comunicación. Asimismo, trabajamos para identificar sinergias estratégicas dentro del movimiento ecuménico con el fin de unir a actores y facilitar la promoción colectiva.

La EUNO garantiza que el CMI está representado activamente y ejerce una gran influencia en sus actividades prioritarias:

1. paz y seguridad

2. desarrollo sostenible y seguimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS)

3. religión, violencia y extremismo

4. justicia de género

5. derechos de los pueblos indígenas

Welcome
Introduction to the Symposium

Moderators: 
Ms Simona Cruciani, Senior Political Affairs Officer, UN Office of the Special Advisor on Prevention of Genocide
Mr Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance

8:10 High Level Opening
The formal welcome session will feature a high-level representative from three entities— UN Member States, the UN System and faith-based. It will focus on reaffirming the importance of the symposium in general and the urgency and relevance of the current theme.

Ms Alice Wairimu Nderitu, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, UNOSAPG
Ms Diene Keita, Deputy Executive for Programme, UNFPA
Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary, World Council of Churches

8:35 Session 1 - Upholding Human Dignity: Respecting Rights, Flourishing Humanity

This session will serve as an introduction to where we are now and where we want to go as it relates to the UN and its mandates. It will address the role of faith actors and religious institutions in serving as a moral compass and guide to keeping human dignity at the core of human rights.  

Moderator: Ms Audrey Kitigawa, President/Founder, International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation

Dr Ganoune Diop, Director, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-day Adventist Church
Ms Elisa Gazzotti, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Representative to the UN, Human Rights Education Focal Point and Chair of NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education
Mr Atallah Fitzgibbon, Faith and Partnership Adviser, Islamic Relief Worldwide
Mr Michael Wiener, Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva

Questions from the audience

9:50 Session 2 - Gender Equality, Peace, and Eradicating Violence

This session will serve as a space for understanding the interlinkages between the state of violence and conflict, its impact on gender equality, and how we can build a more just and peaceful world.   

Moderator: Ms Leyla Sharafy, Technical Adviser on Gender, UNFPA

Ms Karen Volker, Director of Partnership and Violence Prevention, United Religions Initiative
Rev Dr Elaine Neuenfeldt, Gender Justice Programme Manager, ACT Alliance
Mr Jimmie Briggs, Principal, Skoll Foundation
Dr Azza Karam, President, Women’s Learning Partnership

Questions from the audience

11:05 Session 3 - Key Learnings for a Just, Peaceable and Inclusive Future

This session serves as the learning and hearing section of the Symposium on practical experiences from different levels–grassroots, national, regional, multiregional and international. This session also contributes to the Summit of the Future and an elaboration of the UN Pact for the Future.  

Moderator:  Rev Dr Liberato Bautista, Assistant General Secretary for United Nations and International Affairs, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church

Mr Anwar Khan, President, Islamic Relief USA
Ms Emily Kenney, Policy Specialist, Rule of Law, UN Women
H.E. Sheikh Shaban Mubaje, Grand Mufti, Uganda Muslim Supreme Council; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace-African Council of Religious Leaders
Ms Amani Aruri, Karama Network
Mr Peter Prove, Director, International Affairs, World Council of Churches

Questions from the audience

12:20 Concluding Remarks

Ms Simona Cruciani, Senior Political Affairs Officer, UNOSAPG
Mr Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance

12:30 Close

The 2024 Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs marks a significant milestone as it celebrates its tenth edition in a distinguished series of annual gatherings that began in 2015. A decade ago, faith-based partners initiated this symposium, which coincided with Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday that aimed at fostering dialogue on the intricate interplay between religion and international affairs. With a deliberate inclusion of UN member states and entities, the symposium sought to create a platform for collaborative policymaking and constructive engagement.

In 2016, the second symposium established a strong partnership with the UN Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development, creating an annual policy dialogue involving UN entities, member states, faith-based actors, and civil society to address pressing global challenges. Past themes included human rights, preventing atrocities, promoting peace, addressing migration, and economic justice. The 2020 symposium was postponed, leading to a workshop for faith-based organizations. The 2021 and 2022 virtual  symposia focused on gender equality and combating systemic injustices. In 2023, the symposium emphasized human security. The upcoming 10th Symposium will reiterate commitment to human rights and dignity, fostering consensus for future events. It aims to inspire collective action for a compassionate society and aligns with the World Interfaith Harmony Week in February to promote understanding among diverse religious communities worldwide.

The 10th Symposium is timely as the international community both takes stock of progress on existing commitments and look to address the challenges of the future.  The world  is radically different from when the UN was conceived, and different even from the context that shaped the 2030 Agenda. The introduction to Our Common Agenda states: “Humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough”. 

• Common theme of progress reviews - despite some successes, woefully off track in almost all areas, in part worsened as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic but ultimately due to existing/unfair systems and structures, insufficient funding towards a just transition towards an economy of life and a lack of political urgency to address the polycrises of our time.
• SDG Summit - promises of commitment and accelerated progress to achievement, but need for concrete policies and finance
• December 2023 also marks the 75th anniversary of the UDHR - link here to current context; impunity; abuse of rights by multi-sectors etc

• Need to continue to work to achieve these  existing agreements but in a world changing rapidly with critical issues such as  the consequences of climate change, the rise of AI, pushbacks on human rights standards and global governance, protracted humanitarian crises, we also need to look at how we can achieve 2030 Agenda in the emerging context.
  Call to engage with Pact for the Future, but also noting solidarity with GS in that core issues around global financial structures, funding, technology transfer remain and need to be transformed as a basis for moving forward.
• Resources, climate change and environmental degradation, continue to drive conflict, alongside rise of populism, fundamentalisms and xenophobia -  connect here to New AGenda for Peace, with key steps forward.

Key focus areas:

1- Upholding Human Dignity: Exploring Humanity, Rights, and Respect:  The core question of what it means to be human will be explored deeply. The symposium will underscore that embracing human rights must be intrinsically tied to respecting the dignity of every individual. Discussions will encompass the significance of dignity in personal and professional relationships and the responsibilities we have in safeguarding it.

2. Faith Communities Shaping the Future We Want: In the planning for what follows the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the active role of the faith community in society and their roles as thought leaders and service providers highlight the importance of faith leaders in negotiations and output of plans for the future.

3. Champions of Change for Gender Equality, Peace, and Eradicating Violence: Explore the impact of faith-based organizations on promoting gender equality, women's empowerment, and challenging harmful cultural norms. Discuss successes and challenges in this area. Examine the role of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in promoting peace, mediating conflicts, and fostering dialogue among different communities. Do FBOs and religious leaders have a responsibility in addressing, intervening, and preventing violence (both religiously motivated violence and other forms of communal violence)? Discuss case studies where these organizations have successfully contributed to conflict resolution. This could tie into a discussion on how the advancement and success of achieving the SDGs are affected by violence.  

4. Navigating the Crossroads: Assessing the Role of Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs: Engage in a balanced discussion about potential challenges or controversies associated with the involvement of faith-based organizations in international affairs, including questions of accountability, neutrality, and potential conflicts of interest. Can also include discussions on the local and global impacts of FBOs, considering how their efforts influence both their immediate communities and the broader international landscape.

Format of the Symposium:

• High Level Welcome:
  The formal welcome session will feature a high level representative from three entities—faith-based and IATF-nominated speakers from the UN System and UN member state. It will focus on reaffirming the importance of the symposium in general and the urgency and relevance of the current theme.

• Opening Session:
  This session will serve as an introduction to where we are now and where we want to go as it relates to the United Nations and its mandate. It will address the role of faith-based organizations in serving as a moral compass and guide to keeping human dignity at the core of human rights.

• Session on Champions of Change for Gender Equality, Peace, and Eradicating Violence:
  This session will serve as a space for understanding the interlinkages between the state of violence and conflict, its impact on gender equality and how we can build a more peaceful world.

• Session on Key Learnings: (practical experiences from different levels–grassroots, national, regional, multiregional/international) 
  This session serves as the learning and hearing section of the symposium.

• Concluding Session: 
  This concluding session will feature two key speakers–one from the faith-based group and another from the UN system–who will provide key ideas about what needs to be done next. This session is envisioned to impart a strong call for collaboration and partnership on the key learnings from the symposium.

Participation:

Invitations will be sent to various constituencies and networks of the collaborating symposium partners. This includes FBOs, civil society organizations, member states and their permanent missions, and UN agencies through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development. 

Registration to participate online is open to all to join interactively. The symposium will be broadcast live via YouTube for general public viewing.

Documentation 

Following in the tradition of previous symposiums, a symposium packet will be produced electronically and distributed in advance. It will include this concept note, a short bibliography of reference materials to prepare participants for discussion, and a list of biographies of panel moderators and speakers. A weblink to the event will contain the symposium packet as well as post-event documentation of presentations and statements. As a hybrid event, various social media platforms will be used to simulcast and broadcast the symposium.

Readings 

• U.N. Resources

Our Common Agenda Report

New Agenda for Peace

• Religious, Ecumenical and Interfaith Resources 

Symposium History

Summary of the Symposium History

Ms Donna Bollinger

Email: [email protected]

Address:

777, United Nations Plaza

10017 New York, New York, USA