UNITED NATIONS-NGO

When The New Seminary received its designation as an ECOSOC (Economic/Social) NGO (Non Governmental Organization) in 2002, we looked at many different organizations open to us as members, to determine where TNS could be of service while supporting the message of Interfaith and Sacred Activism. We chose the Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns. The CSVGC-NY is a committee made up of members of many different NGOs. While the purpose of the committee may be found on the website in the vision and mission statements, this part of the statement, we believe, sums up the direction the committee is taking and why it echoes the work of TNS:

“The Committee aims to integrate spirituality and values into all areas of the United Nations agenda and of public policy. We aspire to support the spiritual principles, global ethics and universal values such as respect, justice, peace, dignity, freedom, responsibility and cooperation, that underlie the work of the United Nations as reflected in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Within the committee are many working groups, each dedicated to bringing to fruition one goal which supports the stated purpose of the United Nations. In October (anniversary month of the founding of the UN), the CSVGC-NY presents a Week of Spirituality and Global Concerns (WoS) when each of the working groups showcase the work they have been doing to further the goals of the UN.

TNS students and graduates held the energy for all of the programs as they welcomed visitors and UN staff and agency personnel to each of the workshops presented by the Working Groups of the CSVGC-NY and participated in several of the group’s presentations such as Meditations for Peace, the establishment of Campus Peace Centers, and many other world healing programs.

For the last two years, dozens of TNS Students and Alumni have participated and have had the chance to network with various other NGOs and committees and, in some cases, contribute to their work being done on a world scale.

Last year, Rev. Julie Lira (then a student) and Rev. Dana Mark had the opportunity to work with an organization called ATOP (Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention) and went to Sierra Leone to bring healing and joy and art therapy to children in the refugee camps who had been badly treated during the ongoing terrible wars there. This year, they both are going to Haiti in March with the same group to work at bringing relief and care to many of the tens of thousands of children orphaned and displaced by the devastating earthquake six weeks ago. Doing this work has truly enhanced their ministries in ways they had never before imagined.

I will close this with an invitation. If you are a TNS Student or Alumni, and you are interested in being part of volunteer corps that TNS offers to the various groups working at the U.N., please send me an email (haravnyc@aol.com) with all of your contact information, and, as possibilities arise, you’ll be offered an opportunity to be part of this very necessary work.