The Significance of Civil The Significance of Civil Society and Religion: Society and Religion:

UN RenewalUN Renewal

22

UPF’s Core ObjectivesUPF’s Core Objectives

Renewal of the United NationsRenewal of the United Nations Partnerships among governments, Partnerships among governments,

religions and civil society fostering religions and civil society fostering

development grounded in universal development grounded in universal

values.values. A culture of peaceA culture of peace A framework for interreligious A framework for interreligious

cooperationcooperation

33

Call to Supplement Call to Supplement Formal Institutions for Formal Institutions for

UN RenewalUN Renewal““We must supplement formal institutions We must supplement formal institutions with informal policy networks, bringing with informal policy networks, bringing together international institutions, civil together international institutions, civil society and private-sector organizations, society and private-sector organizations, and national governments, in pursuit of and national governments, in pursuit of common goals.”common goals.”

Kofi Annan, “We the Peoples: Kofi Annan, “We the Peoples:

The Role of the United Nations in the 21st The Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century” Century”

44

Call to Supplement Call to Supplement Formal Institutions for Formal Institutions for

UN RenewalUN Renewal““The time has come for the United Nations The time has come for the United Nations to outline its working relationship with civil to outline its working relationship with civil society organizations. It is very important.”society organizations. It is very important.”

HE Anwarul K. ChaudhuryHE Anwarul K. Chaudhury

Former Undersecretary General, UN Former Undersecretary General, UN

55

Renewing the United Renewing the United NationsNations

to Build Lasting Peace to Build Lasting Peace

““At their root, human problems and At their root, human problems and not entirely social or political, so not entirely social or political, so social and political approaches have social and political approaches have limited effectiveness. Religious faith limited effectiveness. Religious faith and religious devotion have far and religious devotion have far greater importance in most people’s greater importance in most people’s hearts than do political loyalties….”hearts than do political loyalties….”

Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000

66

Renewing the United Renewing the United Nations to Build Lasting Nations to Build Lasting

PeacePeace

““I believe that there is an urgent I believe that there is an urgent need today, within the United need today, within the United Nations and through its many Nations and through its many activities, to encourage mutual activities, to encourage mutual respect and increased cooperation respect and increased cooperation between the world’s political and between the world’s political and religious leaders….”religious leaders….”

Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000

77

Renewing the United Renewing the United Nations to Build Lasting Nations to Build Lasting

PeacePeace““I submit that serious consideration be I submit that serious consideration be given to forming a religious assembly or given to forming a religious assembly or council of religious representatives council of religious representatives within the structure of the United within the structure of the United Nations. This assembly or council would Nations. This assembly or council would consist of respected spiritual leaders in consist of respected spiritual leaders in fields such as religion, culture and fields such as religion, culture and education…”education…”

Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000

88

Renewing the United Renewing the United Nations to Build Lasting Nations to Build Lasting

Peace Peace ““Of course, members of this Of course, members of this interreligious assembly, would need to interreligious assembly, would need to have demonstrated an ability to have demonstrated an ability to transcend the limited interests of transcend the limited interests of individual nations and to speak for the individual nations and to speak for the concerns of the entire world and concerns of the entire world and humanity at large.”humanity at large.”

Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000Rev. Sun Myung Moon, August 18, 2000

99

Making Religion RelevantMaking Religion Relevant

““We need a United Nations that can We need a United Nations that can effectively direct the abundant financial, effectively direct the abundant financial, academic, spiritual and technical academic, spiritual and technical resources…. This challenge makes religion resources…. This challenge makes religion once again relevant in the daily affairs of once again relevant in the daily affairs of mankind…. It is time for this challenge to mankind…. It is time for this challenge to come to the recognized universal body of come to the recognized universal body of nations, the United Nations.”nations, the United Nations.”

- - Kenneth Kaunda, President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, President of Zambia, 1964-911964-91

1010

Cooperation Based on Cooperation Based on Spiritual PrinciplesSpiritual Principles

The United Nations should no longer be just The United Nations should no longer be just a meeting-place of leaders of the civilized a meeting-place of leaders of the civilized world with dictators, killers and terrorists. world with dictators, killers and terrorists. The United Nations should go to a new The United Nations should go to a new level. Any efforts toward such cooperation level. Any efforts toward such cooperation and mutual understanding will be hopeless and mutual understanding will be hopeless unless they are based upon healthy moral unless they are based upon healthy moral and spiritual principles.and spiritual principles.

Stanislav Shushkevich, President of Belarus, Stanislav Shushkevich, President of Belarus, 1991-941991-94

1111

Need for a Formal Body Need for a Formal Body in the UNin the UN

Ambassadors and diplomats individually Ambassadors and diplomats individually

carry their own spirituality. carry their own spirituality. However, we need an institutionalized However, we need an institutionalized

body within the United Nations to bring body within the United Nations to bring

spirituality formally to UN discourse.spirituality formally to UN discourse.

1212

Potential of Religious Potential of Religious TeachingTeaching

Religions teach compassion, love for Religions teach compassion, love for

one another, and consideration for one another, and consideration for

those in need.those in need. Religions have the power to end the Religions have the power to end the

cycles of resentment and violence, cycles of resentment and violence,

bringing about true reconciliation.bringing about true reconciliation.

1313

Teaching CompassionTeaching Compassion

““All men are responsible for one another.”All men are responsible for one another.” Talmud, Sanhedrin 27b (Judaism).Talmud, Sanhedrin 27b (Judaism).

““Give and it will be given to you … for the measure Give and it will be given to you … for the measure

you give will be the measure you receive” you give will be the measure you receive” Luke 6:38 (Christianity)Luke 6:38 (Christianity)

““All [human] creatures are God’s children, and those All [human] creatures are God’s children, and those

dearest to God are those who treat His children kindly.” dearest to God are those who treat His children kindly.” Hadith of Baihaqi (Islam)Hadith of Baihaqi (Islam)

““The Great Compassionate Heart is the essence of The Great Compassionate Heart is the essence of

BuddhahoodBuddhahood.” .” Gandavyuha SutraGandavyuha Sutra

1414

Teaching Love for the Teaching Love for the EnemyEnemy

““Love your enemies and pray for those who Love your enemies and pray for those who

persecute you, so that you may be sons of persecute you, so that you may be sons of

your Father who is in heaven.” your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:43-48 (Christianity)Matthew 5:43-48 (Christianity) ““The good deed and the evil are not alike. The good deed and the evil are not alike.

Repel the evil deed with one which is better, Repel the evil deed with one which is better,

then lo! He with whom you had enmity shall then lo! He with whom you had enmity shall

become a bosom friendbecome a bosom friend.” .”

Qur’an 41:34 (Islam)Qur’an 41:34 (Islam)

1515

Teaching Love for the Teaching Love for the EnemyEnemy

““Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to

subdue hatred.”subdue hatred.” Tosefta, Baba Metzia 2.26 (Judaism)Tosefta, Baba Metzia 2.26 (Judaism)

““Hatreds never cease through hatred in this Hatreds never cease through hatred in this

world; through love alone they cease.” world; through love alone they cease.” Dhammapada 3-5 (Buddhism)Dhammapada 3-5 (Buddhism)

““Do good to him who has done you an Do good to him who has done you an

injury.” injury.” Tao Te Ching 63 (Taoism)Tao Te Ching 63 (Taoism)

1616

An Idea Whose Time Has An Idea Whose Time Has ComeCome

““We believe the creation of an We believe the creation of an interreligious council or a specific interreligious council or a specific unit on interfaith understanding unit on interfaith understanding within the UN system is an idea within the UN system is an idea whose time has comes.”whose time has comes.”

- - Hon. Jose de Venecia, Jr., Speaker of the Hon. Jose de Venecia, Jr., Speaker of the Philippines House of RepresentativesPhilippines House of Representatives

1717

Philippines Spearheads Philippines Spearheads Interreligious Interreligious ResolutionsResolutions

1818

Three UN General Assembly Three UN General Assembly Resolutions Resolutions

spearheaded by the Philippinesspearheaded by the Philippines

““Promotion of Interreligious Dialogue,” Promotion of Interreligious Dialogue,”

A/RES/59/23, November 2004A/RES/59/23, November 2004 ““Promotion of Interreligious Dialogue and Promotion of Interreligious Dialogue and

Cooperation for Peace,” A/RES/60/10, Oct. Cooperation for Peace,” A/RES/60/10, Oct.

20052005 ““Promotion of Interreligious and Intercultural Promotion of Interreligious and Intercultural

Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for

Peace,” A/RES/60/L.11/Rev.2, December 2006Peace,” A/RES/60/L.11/Rev.2, December 2006

1919

Designation of a Focal Designation of a Focal UnitUnit

“…“…insures the systematic and insures the systematic and organizational follow-up of this organizational follow-up of this dialogue through the designation of a dialogue through the designation of a focal unit in the Secretariat to handle focal unit in the Secretariat to handle these matters.”these matters.”

““Promotion of Interreligious and Promotion of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and

Cooperation for Peace,” Cooperation for Peace,” A/RES/60/L.11/Rev.2, December 2006A/RES/60/L.11/Rev.2, December 2006

2020

Sponsoring NationsSponsoring Nations

Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Congo, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Gabon, Gambia, Guatemala, Egypt, El Salvador, Gabon, Gambia, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Thailand, Senegal, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, UzbekistanTimor-Leste, Uzbekistan