In Focus
Learning to Live Together, a resource material to nurture ethical values needed to learn to live together in plural societies, is now available for teachers and youth leaders. Read more ...
Highlights
Learning to Live Together
Children in World Religions
Children and Media
Child Rights
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Background
In May 2000, nearly 300 men and women representing seven major world religions from 33 countries and regions on every continent gathered in Tokyo, Japan to inaugurate the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) at its First Forum, which was organized by the Arigatou Foundation. The objective in forming the GNRC was to contribute to the well being of children from religious perspectives, through collaboration and cooperation among people of different religions engaged in activities for children. The GNRC is working to achieve this by cooperating, not only with religious people, but also with international agencies, governments, NGOs, scholars, business people, and men, women and children from all walks of life, in order to foster a global movement to create a better environment for children in the 21st century.
In the follow-up to the First Forum, the GNRC set its sights on realizing a fundamental solution to the problem of poverty, which is at the root of the many challenges children face, and to do so by working primarily in the field of education. Since then, GNRC members have organized workshops and conferences to work out specific action plans as well as establish interfaith networks in major world regions such as South Asia, Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America inviting the participation of other people of faith from countries throughout these regions.
The international community has warmly welcomed these interfaith initiatives devoted specifically to children. On the occasion of the United Nations Special Session on Children in May 2002, Rev. Takeyasu Miyamoto, Leader of Myochikai and President of Arigatou Foundation, and inaugurator of the GNRC, was given the opportunity as an NGO speaker to make a statement on behalf of the GNRC to the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly. He proposed three key actions for religious people to build a world truly fit for children. The first of these proposals called for the establishment of a "Council on Global Ethics Education for Children."
After a series of preparatory meetings among GNRC members, experts in ethics and in education, representatives of UNICEF and UNESCO, and other concerned leaders and academics, the establishment of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children was announced at the Second Forum of the GNRC in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2004.
In the follow-up to the First Forum, the GNRC set its sights on realizing a fundamental solution to the problem of poverty, which is at the root of the many challenges children face, and to do so by working primarily in the field of education. Since then, GNRC members have organized workshops and conferences to work out specific action plans as well as establish interfaith networks in major world regions such as South Asia, Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America inviting the participation of other people of faith from countries throughout these regions.
The international community has warmly welcomed these interfaith initiatives devoted specifically to children. On the occasion of the United Nations Special Session on Children in May 2002, Rev. Takeyasu Miyamoto, Leader of Myochikai and President of Arigatou Foundation, and inaugurator of the GNRC, was given the opportunity as an NGO speaker to make a statement on behalf of the GNRC to the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly. He proposed three key actions for religious people to build a world truly fit for children. The first of these proposals called for the establishment of a "Council on Global Ethics Education for Children."
After a series of preparatory meetings among GNRC members, experts in ethics and in education, representatives of UNICEF and UNESCO, and other concerned leaders and academics, the establishment of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children was announced at the Second Forum of the GNRC in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2004.