uri voice proposal

8/14/2019 URI Voice Proposal

1/11

AProposaltoprovideURIavoiceforpeace,justiceandthe

healingoftheEarthforalllivingbeings.


2/11

TheNeed"Intheendwewillremembernotthewordsofourenemies,butthesilenceofourfriends." ---MartinLutherKingJr."Ourlivesbegintoendthedaywebecomesilentaboutthingsthatmatter".--MartinLutherKingJr."Oppressioncanonlysurvivethroughsilence."---CarmendeMonteflores

MartinLutherKingJr.

InordertobetterachievetheURIpurposetoendreligiouslymotivatedviolence,promotedailyinterfaithcooperation,andcreateculturesofpeace,justice,andhealingtheEarthforalllivingbeings,astructuretobringforththepropheticvoicesofthevariousreligioustraditionsandspiritualexpressionsoftheworldisneeded.WithsomanyissuesintheworldtorespondtoURIneedstofindapropheticvoiceforpeace,justice,andhealingtheEarthtofurtheritspurpose.


3/11

KeyURICharterPreamble&Princi lesForthisPro osal

5. We listen and speak with respect to deepen mutual

understanding and trust.

9. We practice healing and reconciliation to resolve conflict

without resorting to violence

11. We seek and offer cooperation with other interfaith efforts.

13. We have authority to make decisions at the most local levelthat includes relevant and affected parties.

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I T E E CY CL E A E

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I T E E CY CL E A E

TheURICharterPreamblestates:Weuniteinresponsiblecooperativeactiontobringthewisdomandvaluesofourreligions,spiritualexpressions,andindigenoustraditionstobearontheeconomic,environmental,political,andsocialchallengesfacingourEarthcommunity.Weuniteto provideaglobalopportunityforparticipationbyallpeople,especiallybythosewhosevoicesarenotoftenheard.KeyURIPrinciples:


4/11

KeyPrinciplesofthisProposalStatements would be made to speak to the largerURI for further study, reflection, and action.Statements would therefore not be made onbehalf of URI but to URI CC's for theirconsideration and action. At the same time thesestatements might be used by other organizations,media, etc for their consideration as well.

Statements would only be made if they showed aclear relationship to the implementation of the URIPurpose and/or Preamble and were consistent withURI Principles. Special emphasis would be given inthe statements to principle 9 that states: Wepractice healing and reconciliation to resolve

conflict without resorting to violence.

Statements for consideration to the larger URIcould be initiated by any URI member of a CC,local CC, MCC, or MMCC member. keeping intradition with the URI historical structure of theability to act at the lowest level possible.


5/11

ProposedStructure

A new part time staff position would be created to research, keep up to breast with global issues, and interact with

groups outside URI. This person would be responsible for drafting and editing statements for consideration by the GlobalCouncil Review Panel on various global issues and providing counsel to others within URI who were interested in

submitting statements for consideration. The work involved with this new position would go beyond the volunteer level

of expertise and time commitment. A new staff person would also help implement principle 11 which states: We seek

and offer cooperation with other interfaith efforts. This would be particularly true when it comes to statements.

This new staff person would be joined by a URI Global Council Review Panel of at least three other persons to consider

any statement to be sent out to the URI members. These three or more persons would be appointed by the Global

Council to represent their interest.

URIRegional staff would become part of the Global Council Review Panel for any issue dealing with their specific

region. Each URI Regional staff person would be encouraged to also have their own advisory group of 2 or more

persons from their region to give input as well. Regional staff would have a full vote on the recommendation of the URI

Global Council Review Panel.

The URI Executive Director would have veto power over any statement that the Global Council Review Panel approves.

This would help provide an additional check and balance to any statement going out to the membership with URI's

name. The Executive Director would also have the option to refer the statement to the full Global Council forconsideration if he or she so chose. If the URI Executive Director did not approve a statement within 10 days it would be

considered vetoed.

The Executive Director's veto could be reversed at any time by the Executive Director and/or brought to the full Global

Council at their next scheduled meeting for any issue that the panel felt strongly enough about to have considered

beyond the decision of the Executive Director. For the panel to refer the matter to the full Global Council the Global

Council Review Panel decision would have to be unanimous. It would be rare or never that the Global Council would

probably consider any statement under this process but the option would be available if the panel felt strong enoughabout some issue. All approved statements would be be posted and archived on the URI Website.


6/11

NotesOnProposalRationaleURIhasbeenintheprocessofformationforovertenyears. ItispasttimethatithasavoicetocontributetoglobalissuesaswasenvisionedintheURIpreamblewhereitstates:Weuniteinresponsiblecooperativeactiontobringthewisdomandvaluesofourreligions,spiritualexpressions,andindigenoustraditionstobearontheeconomic,environmental,political,andsocialchallengesfacingourEarthcommunity.

People

in

the

world

need

URIs

voice

especiallythepoorasthepreamblestates:Weuniteto provideaglobalopportunityforparticipationbyallpeople,especiallybythosewhosevoicesarenotoftenheard.

Theunheardvoicesneedtobeheard,especiallythevoicesofthepoor.


7/11

ProposalRationalecont.TherationaleforhavingstatementsspeaktoURImembersasopposedtoforURImembersandtherationaletoinvolvetheRegionalStaffinstatementsthatconcerntheirregionisfoundinPrinciple13.thatstates:Wehaveauthoritytomakedecisionsatthemostlocallevelthatincludesrelevantandaffectedparties.BynothavingaglobalbodyspeakforaCCorallURIindividualmembers,aURICCmaydisagreewiththeGlobalCouncilandindividualsfrom

various

faith

traditions

are

free

to

oppose

decisionsaswell. ThisalsohelpskeepdecisionmakingatthemostlocallevelInthecaseofinvolvingRegionalstaffinstatementsaffectingtheirregion,thisallowsdecisionmakingatthemostlocallevelandalsoincludesrelevantaffectedpartiesinthedecision.

AvoiceforURIisneededtosharethesacredandservetheWorld.


8/11

ProposalRationalecont.ManyifnotmoststatementswillcomeaspartofthedaytodayoperationsofURI. SomestatementsmayhavemorefarreachingimplicationsthattheentireGlobalCouncilshouldconsider.AllowingtheURIExecutiveDirectorthediscretiontodeterminewhichstatementsneedexpediting,whichstatementsneedmoreinvolvementofthefullGlobalCouncil,orwhichstatementsarejustnotappropriateforaparticulartimeinthelifeofURIareprovidedin

this

structure.

ThiswillprovideagoodcheckandbalancefortheGlobalCouncilReviewPanel.SoasnottogivetheExec.DiruncheckedpowerthepanelcanvoteunanimouslytobringanissuetothefullGCifitsochosetodoso. AllmembersofURIcancontributetotheprocessofpeace,justice,andhealingtheEarth.


9/11

ProposalSumaryIn

summary

this

proposal

to

give

the

URIaglobalvoiceisstronglyrootedintheURICharterpurpose,preamble,andprinciples.ThestructureprovidesamechanismfortheGlobalCounciltospeakonanyissuewithoutfallingintothetrapofhavingtospeakforothersorcreateaburdenofheavytimecommitment.ThestructurealsohasmanychecksandbalancesbetweentheGlobalReviewPanel,theURIRegionalstaff,theURIExecutiveDirector,andthefullGlobalCounciltoensurePrinciple5isimplementedinallstatementswhichsays:Welistenandspeakwithrespecttodeepenmutualunderstandingandtrust.Finally,thisproposalisdesignedtohavetheflexibilitytobehighlyefficientwhenneeded,deliberativeandmoreengagingofthefullGlobalCouncil

when

needed,

and

proactive

in

giving

URIasignificantvoiceintheworld.URIhasmanypeopledependingonitforavoiceintheworld.


10/11

Thefateoftheearthisinourhands.AstrongURIvoicewilldetermineinparthowwecarefortheEarth,ouronlyhome.


11/11

Forfurtherinformationorquestionscontact:DavidRandle (727)-388-6675 email:[email protected]

uri voice proposal

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