Dear Program Creators, Working Group Chairs, Speakers, Sponsors and Performers for the 2009 Week of Spirituality;
26-30 October 2009

……..The greatest gift of the week was to be able to attend all 9 programs and to experience the depth, wisdom and authenticity of our shared commitment to integrate mindful spirituality into the UN Agenda.   Each program had its particular strength of focus and each provided poignant expression of our common purpose and theme Global Peace through Reconciliation.

The Award Ceremony has become such an important kickoff.   Our awardees embodied that which we seek to nourish at the UN.  Special gratitude to Ichinori Tsmugari and Diane Williams representing the Nominating Award Task force and providing the beautiful crystaline awards to those honored.   The program following gave much food for thought and clarity of principle with regard to which spiritual principles can make a difference with respect to reconciliation.     The eco-spirituality program drew over 70 participants who listened to Michelle Kim’s elegant portrayal about the meaning of eco-spirituality; the Women Rising WG developed an eco-spirituality ritual while Tom Downes of the History of Spirituality and Deborah Moldow moderated a breadth of spiritual traditions who shared their perspectives on ancient sources for eco-spirituality.   The melodic singing by vocalist Ariaa Kathryn Jaegar and Indian Dance Invocation by Vaishali Chaudhuri and Radha Devi Dasi was amazing….three hours whizzed by!  Follow this ceremony and beginning the week Sharon Hamilton-Getz and the Spirituality of Values and Business and Sacred & Transcendental Arts working group flowed through with Reconciliation A manifestation of the Science of Consciousness in Everyday Life.

Spiritual Caucus, facilitated by Frances Edwards of Findhorn,  provided refreshment for the busy week and the Campus Peace Center program held at Pace was most moving as students from Brandeis, Wisconsin, Pace, Vassar, Palestine, etc.,  affirmed that the peace movement is alive and well on Campus only it is truly non-violent and strategic in its process and therefore, if it weren’t for such groups as the Campus Student Peace Center Working Group,  we might not  appreciate its variety and organizational savvy.   Time and time again participants reminded us that reconciliation is a cornerstone for peace as so many students have been victims of violence themselves.    Courageous persons who are daily challenged to practice forgiveness were present and the musician was right on target for the program.

The Spiritual Council Working Group offered a heartfelt dialogue about bringing reconciliation to the UN and  a good number of participants signed on to continue the dialogue into the future.  Universal Ethics Working Group lead by Martha Gallague broke new ground by holding its program at the Nigerian Mission where Minister Lawrence Obisakin joined with storyteller Laura Simms, Sheku Monastery of Sierra Leone and Celtic harpist Julie Haines to present a Story Bowl Concert.   In Genie Kagawa’s words the UE held an empathy program that launched an initiative to raise funds to feed the hungry.    On Friday,   The Health, Transformation and Spirituality Working Group lead by Dr Ani Kalayjian and co chaired from the heart, Georgina Galanis brought together powerful and integrated resources uniting science and spirituality to demonstrate the healing effects of inner peace, forgiveness and non-violence upon the body-mind-spirit; featuring Karen Trueheart and Duke Duscherer of MK Ghandi Institute, Anne Mincey of the HeartMath Institute, the Dialogue Project and Raccoon conflict resolution groups.   And finally, in the afternoon our closing featured Brahma on the exotic sitar and an amazing children’s dancing troupe Starlite Kids, NJ trained by director Julie Lira.    Audrey Kitagawa brought the week to a close with an ancient powerful invocation that was deeply appreciated and moved those present. The Culture of Peace Working Group distributed over 400 questionnaires with several groups promising to distribute them more widely in their circles.

The Spirit of the UN 2009 celebrates that more participants came to the programs on a daily basis.   We had more co-sponsors from UN Agencies and NGO coalitions than ever before, and cumulatively gathered nearly 400 in attendance including those who were returning for more events. The promotional materials, flyers and programs and volunteers reflected a professional level while donations including the awards, flowers and cake illustrated the wide contributions of ever greater numbers of people who seek to be part of this event.   Everyday, there were music, dancing, videos, storytelling that provided holistic portrayals of Global Peace through Reconciliation.    We are especially grateful to Dr. Monica Sharma for inspiring a more coherent series built upon the norms of compassion, equanimity, forgiveness and empathy as the shared tools we would demonstrate during our programs.    She encouraged a greater degree of collaboration among the working groups with programs that would inspire follow-up from year to year.    Each group succeeded at developing such initiatives.
And always, we will be grateful for the record that Danilo and Adriana Parmegiani with the Legion of Good Will provide through their pictures and edited copy. This year’s video promises to be stunning if they could only capture one-tenth of the thoughtful determined programming.    We extend our gratitude to the Church Center of the United Nations and Open Center NYC staff for their peace filled space and attentive service.  Colleagues and friends, I am humbled to be part of this all.   Together we are truly blessed.    Together, we will bring our Spirit of the UN to the official calendar as one day the General Assembly proclaims it so.

In deep appreciation, brava, through this initiative, the Committee embodies the practice and actuality becoming one  in the context of our beautiful diversity,

Martha Gallague
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