The launch of the first annual Week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concern’s (WSVGC) , under
the theme of “Celebrating the United Nations Commitment to Peace on its 62nd Anniversary, took
place at the United Nations on October 22nd, 2007 during the UN 62nd Anniversary. WSVGC’s role was to promote a culture of peace by illustrating the spirituality realm and values respected
worldwide expressed in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its general statement is as followed;

“In honor of the anniversary of the United Nations, the Week of Spirituality, Values and
Global Concerns has been created to bring about a culture of peace in which we, the peoples of
the world, can address together our common challenges in a holistic, positive and
transformative way. The Week’s activities recognize that spirituality and adherence to
universal values, such as those expressed in the United Nations Charter and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, are key to providing solutions to global concerns. The Week of
Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns is being launched on 22–26 October, 2007 at UN
headquarters, during the United Nations 62nd anniversary, to inspire and generate collective
engagement in an annual worldwide celebration. Members of the UN community and the
public are invited to participate in a series of programs and activities.

“Unless there is a spiritual renaissance, the world will know no peace.” - Dag Hammarskjöld ( UN Secretary-General, 1953-1961)

This week was sponsored by the Committee of NGOs (CONGO) on Spirituality, Values & Global
Concerns (SVGC)(NY) in partnership with the Values Caucus and the Spiritual Caucus. SVGC
spearheaded for this first WSVGC. Its vision, mission, and brief history are;

Evolving Vision Statement

The NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns envisions a global culture of
peace, solidarity, inclusiveness, shared responsibility, harmony, cooperation, goodwill and
reverence for the sacredness of all life through active peaceful engagement. Infused with a
foundation of spirituality and values which are universal in nature, transcending the boundaries of
religion, ethnicity, gender and geography, the Committee is resolved to help bring about a culture in which we, the peoples of the world, can address together our common global concerns in an holistic, positive and transforming way and ‘live together in peace with one another’ – thus realizing the core objectives and universal principles stated in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Evolving Mission Statement

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.

In order to fulfill the promise of the United Nations to create a more peaceful, just and sustainable
world, we support the recognition and acceptance that spirituality and adherence to universal values are key factors in providing solutions to global concerns. This committee recognizes the importance of connecting with our divine essence, inner wisdom and the oneness of life. We believe that an increased awareness and application of the importance of a value, spirit and soul conscious dimension at all levels of society particularly at the United Nations will allow for the finest and the highest levels of human potential to flourish for the benefit of all.

Committee of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns (CSVGC) History

On 24 October 2002 Member Organizations in Geneva in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN, applied to CONGO for the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns to be made a standing Committee of CONGO. The application was supported by the regulatory number of over twenty Member Organizations which submitted it to the CONGO Board at its Meeting in Vienna on 30-31 October 2002, where it was discussed and adopted. For more information about the CSVGC at the United Nations in Geneva please visit: www.csvgc-geneva.org. On February 27, 2004 the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns (NY) was accepted as a committee at the United Nations in New York. www.csvgc-ny.org.

CSVGC is comprised of more than 20 NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that have the
status of ECOSOC or DPI, including the IIFWP (Interreligious and International Federation for
World Peace) and IRFF (International Relief Friendship Foundation).

Mr. Tsumagari, the Executive Director of IRFF was one of the core people who was instrumental
in the organization of the event including the Martial Arts session titled ‘ The Spirituality of
Martial Arts and Its contribution to World Peace’, which enlightened the audience about martial arts origins. It has been misunderstood as violent sport, yet the origin of martial arts is centered on discipline and spirituality. WSVGC intention is for NGO’s to disseminate information about
WSVGC and its future annual events.

This year October 2007, the program included:

Monday 22nd



i. Opening and Gathering with Silent Meditation and Program Presentation
ii. The Role and Importance of Silence in the UN System
iii. Handout Distribution-“Inspiration from Kindness”

Tuesday 23rd

i. The feminine Principal in Spirituality and Consciousness
ii. Peace, Disarmament and Sustainable Development

Wednesday 24th

i. UN Anniversary Cake Cutting Ceremony
ii. The Spirituality of Martial Arts and Its Contribution to World Peace

Thursday 25th



i. Meditation Meetings at the Time of the Scorpio Solar Festival
ii. Launch of the Campus Peace Centers
iii. The Public Good and Its Relation to Global Ethics



There was a session on peace campus’ that was presented by a professor and student. Aaron
Voldman (member of Peace Alliance) is a student from Brandeis University. He shared ideas from their peace campus which presents a Peace monument built with bricks with peace messages inscribed in 72 languages. The campus also has a ‘peace’ room which has gifts donated from different faiths traditions such as Buddhism. It has a peace banner and the room is also used for meditation. Brandies offers presentation in classes about peace, which Aaron informed us that peace is an on-going process of striving for cooperation. He added that negative peace equates to war and positive peace is experienced with the presence of Justice. Aaron highlighted that Peace campus’s have a role in these troubling times when violence such as shootings is experienced on campus’.

Yvonne Acosta the UN Academic Outreach representative informed us that there is a magazine
called the Chronicle (un.org/chronicle) that highlights University-United Nation issues. She also
explained how Peace Education promoted community building.

The UNESCO Culture Specialist informed us of the efforts that UNESCO and its partners are
engaged in such as changing text in books to remove the stigmatization. NGO’s and peace centers as well as youth are partnering in the name of peace. There have been cases of attacks against education centers in Afghanistan and Iraq which in UNESCO’s eyes illustrates that Education is under attack after all it is the most powerful tool to encourage respect and understanding of the other which fosters peace.

A presenter shared with us that he has had several years of experience in Public Sector Ethics and is implementing these concepts within the UN system, keeping in mind the best interest of Humanity for the public good. He explained that billions of dollars go in and out of the UN from governments and thus there is need for public sector ethics.

Another speaker Dr Sharma spoke on a holistic level and enlightened us how people can move from thinking about common good to common well being, from thinking on an individual level to a
worldly view, change thinking from War to Peace. She gave statistics on the number of children and women who are sold into sex slave trade, that the human trafficking was a billion/trillion dollar
industry.

The spiritual leader Mhatma Swamijee offered a meditation session where the audience was invited join in the meditation.

Friday 26th

i. “Spirit of the UN” Award and Closing Ceremony
ii. Spirituality and Holistic Development Augmenting Business
Practices

On Friday November 26, 2007, at the closing ceremony Mrs. Seiko Lee sang mesmerizing songs.
Diane a member of the SVGC committee explained the UN history in terms of spirituality. The UN
has promoted spiritual growth for many years. There is the UN Staff and recreation, Friendship
Club and the Values Caucus which was established in 1994 to raise awareness. She quoted Dag Hammarskjöld, “Unless there is spiritual renaissance there will be no peace. Diane reminded the audience to visit the Meditation room at the UN.



Ambassador Chowdhury a former undersecretary General of the UN received a “Sprit of the UN
Award” from the Committee of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns for his support of
interreligious activities at the United Nations as well as the Spiritual Values Global Concerns
efforts. During this moment it was shared that the role of the UN and civil society is to build a
culture of peace.

There were several other speakers including Jeffrey Rubin who expressed that the world that we
live in today is a “for grabs world”. The issues of ethics and accountability have been tested with
corporate scandals as these corporations are only interested in profits. Some corporations do
consider customers and their staff but sometimes staff are exposed or part of fraud, deception,
improper accounting. There may be companies that look healthy from the outside but they are
engaging in practices that have board members self interests overshadowing the clients. The USA has become moral free and a win all situation not a win/win situation, even with Christianity as the majority faith tradition. It has reached a point where one says “If I exploit you, you are a chump and you deserve it. This leaves some people feeling a sense of emptiness and their lives as meaningless.

These people have a deep hunger for spirituality and we need to eradicate greed. We need to know what spirituality is and how we can use in everyday life. We need to become compassionate on a local and international level and help the other and enrich the world.

Ambassador Chowdhury gave a reflection of the speeches made and highlighted gender issues since women constitute 50% of the population in the world. He said prayer was useful in business, these operations can be profitable but the same time should engage in social justice.

Ken and Monica shared their insight that businesses are created by human beings and are meant to enhance other human beings lives, and not just operate for profit.

Reported by Chipo Muzorewa:

*Ms. Chipo Muzorewa is an “Ambassador for Peace” from Zimbabwe and she is currently a
UTS student, enrolled in the Maters of Religious Studies with Interreligious Peace building
concentration at the Unification Theological Seminary, and attended the conference on
Thursday October 25th and Friday October 26th 2007. She was able to enter the UN under the
banner auspices of the Universal Peace Federation –United Nations office in Manhattan, New
York.

Photographs are provided with courtesy of Mr. Danilo Parmegiani; Legion of Good Will’s
representative to the UN.