Chai with the URI Europe team is a unique gathering of URI Europe community members. Members are invited to bring their favorite beverage, come by, share positive energy, and come with any ideas, questions, or topics they have for the team.
On 13th May 17 members from 10 countries come together in order to exchange information and ideas about current and upcoming projects.
Some of the highlights and projects that were discussed during this meet are:
- Elisabeth Ziegler-Duregger: URI Lienz CC (Education Brings Peace), with Hassan Abo Ali supporting over 700 people in Northern Syria, planting trees into bomb craters, roses given to mothers on Mother’s Day; providing food, education, medical suppliers, prayer and spiritual support and many more. https://www.bildung-frieden.net/
- Warwick Hawkins, Deepak Naik (URI-UK, Together in Action, URIEurope): organized conference in the UK in 5 cities - Coventry, Sandwell, Birmingham, Leicester, London - with quality public events. Supporting Interfaith Week in November, after the dissolution of the Inter-Faith Forum, https://uriuk.org/
- Esmond Rosen (Barnet Multi Faith Forum), introducing Barnett Multi Faith Forum, new URI CC in Engagement Period share about their work and showed photos of recent events: https://barnetmultifaithforum.org/about-us/agm-reports-and-accounts/annual-review-2022-23-in-pictures-and-agm-agenda/
- Marleen Deconkheere, Patrick Hanjoul (Into Silence CC)l, Damme, Belgium, creating digital Silent Journey encounter, groups of 7 people working together for several weeks with a facilitator, built on long experience with face-to-face groups, bringing it to a digital space; first test group planned, will take place probably after the summer.
- Samir Akacha (Coexister CC France) - Interfaith Tour encountered large number of interfaith efforts around the world. Developed a set of questions that can help make friendship with a stranger. https://www.coexister.fr/en/coexister-accueil-english/ , https://www.facebook.com/iftour/
- Adnan Hasic (Balkan as a Soul Bridge CC), Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: the international Mostar Peace Connection Award will be given in 2024 to the founder of URI, Bishop Swing. The prize is by the Centre for Peace and Multi-Ethnic Cooperation. They have a national and international category of the prize. Previous recipients include António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN; Nelson Mandela; and many other significant peacebuilders. Adnan organises with related organisations a peace conference in Mostar in July 2024 when prizes will be awarded.
Webinar recording can be seen at URI Europe YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7uKvWIFwj4
