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No Longer in My Name: Faith-Based Response to Faith-Based Intolerance in Uganda

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The Unitarian Universalist United Nation’s Office and the Unitarian Universalist Association’s LGBT Uganda Fund, in collaboration with the United Nations NGO Committee for Human Rights, cordially invite you to:

 

No Longer In My Name: 

A Faith-Based Response to Faith-Based Intolerance in Uganda

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013, 5-9pm

United Nations Church Center, 777 United Nations Plaza, NYC

Wine and Cheese Reception: 5:00pm

Program: 6:00pm

  • Special Screening of the new film: GOD LOVES UGANDA
  • Interfaith Clergy Panel Discussion
  • Personal Messages from LGBTI Ugandans and Ugandan Faith Leaders

 No Longer In My Name HD Poster final

Since 2008 Western Evangelical missionaries have inundated Uganda, spreading a gospel of Homophobia, resulting in the draconian “Anti-Gay” Bill and violence against the Ugandan LGBTI Community. This inspired the
 murder of rights leader David Kato. Join us in reclaiming faith as a tool for peace, love, tolerance and dignity for all!

About the film

The feature length documentary God Loves Uganda is a powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to change African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right.The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting “sexual immorality” and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow Biblical law. God Loves Uganda premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Watch a preview of GOD LOVES UGANDA here!

God Loves Uganda

About Faith-based LGBTQ Advocacy in Uganda

Today the only outwardly LGBTI friendly religious clergy in Uganda are UU Minister Mark Kiyimba and Bishop Christopher Senyonjo. They have formed a coalition called The Eddoboozi, composed of eleven Ugandan faith-based organizations that oppose the anti-gay bill and call for a more tolerant, non-violent approach to homosexuals. Rev Kiyimba, Bishop Senyonjo and The Eddoboozi have communicated that what they need most are faith allies to join them in Uganda in their call for religious tolerance. Rev. Kiyimba believes that a public well-attended symposium can help change the atmosphere of intolerance. He suggests creating a “Symposium on Reconciliation” conference in Kampala, where international faith leaders will come and teach a gospel of tolerance and love.

The UU –United Nations Office is working with Rev. Kiyimba and Bishop Senyonjo to organize a high profile symposium conference in Uganda where famous and influential faith leaders like Bishop Desmond Tutu and Rev. Jesse Jackson travel to Uganda and publicly teach and workshop with local clergy and citizens in Uganda. At this conference, we can screen films like “God Loves Uganda” and bring in experts to talk about both science and values. We think that this will have the greatest impact with respect to changing the hearts and minds of the Ugandan people.

About the UUA LGBT Uganda Fund

The UUA LGBT Uganda Fund is dedicated to empower LGBTI affirmative religious leaders in Uganda. Funds support LGBT Homeless Youth resources, HIV+  Orphanages, and the creation of an annual Symposium on Reconciliation Conference, where influential faith leaders from all over the world come to Uganda to preach against violence and intolerance. LGBT Faith-Based Advocacy has been shown to be the most effective vehicle for change in religious nations, yet it is the most underfunded area of LGBT activism. Help make an invaluable impact for LGBTI people living in Uganda with your generous tax deductible donation to the UUA LGBT Uganda Fund. Please consider making a generous donation to the UUA Uganda LGBT Fund, supporting these local progressive faith leaders who are LGBTI Allies in Uganda. Donate today!

 

Co-sponsored by:

The Unitarian Universalist Association -United Nations Office

United Church of Christ

Muslims for Progressive Values

Union of Reform Judaism

JQY Jewish Orthodox Queer Youth

GLAAD

Love Beyond Borders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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You Are Welcome: Every Child is Our Child Site Visit

This year the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office sent three office members, UU-UNO Envoy Coordinator Kamila Jacob, New York University Social Work Intern Jacklyn Booth, and Fordham University Social Work Intern Anida Fregjaj to Ghana for the annual Every Child is Our Child Program Site Visit. This site visit was a unique opportunity for staff and interns to engage the community at different levels, to learn from the experiences of community leaders, families and children, and to bring these stories home. Following is the beginning of a collaboratively written diary of the experience. Read more about the relationships strengthened and built, the challenges that exist in the communities and the lessons brought back to share by clicking on each day below.

Kamila Jacob, Jacklyn Booth and Anida Fregjaj

The car ride from Accra to Odumase, where the Every Child is Our Child (ECOC) program is located, provided the first opportunity for us to observe our surroundings. As we moved from the urban region to more rural spaces, the potholes began to act as streetlights. Slowly, the poverty became more apparent and we were struck by the socio-economic disparity surrounding us as we drove through the landscape. A huge walled-in mansion on one-side of the road, what seemed to be a pile of aluminum and clay rubbish (but was actually a home) on the other. And yet, the marketing and display of the shops alongside the roads was impressive; it was easily accessible, organized, and aesthetically pleasing. Again our eyes traveled to the half completed construction sites, some looking abandoned (with plant life starting to take over) while others sheltered families. We couldn’t wait to start our journey in Odumase.

Our day by day diary:

Day 1: Saturday: Meeting with the Queen Mothers and ECOC Children

Day 2: Sunday: Ghanaian Spiritual Culture and Engaging Families and Communities

Day 3: Monday: Visiting ECOC Schools and Exploring Universal Education through the eyes of Teachers

Day 4: Tuesday: Spending Time with two students Grace and Macy; Meeting the ECOC Board

Day 5: Wednesday: Expanding Knowledge of HIV/AIDS Intervention in Ghana: Local and National Levels

Day 6: Thursday: Departing Thoughts and Future Work

Read more…

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Half the Sky Film Screening

uu-uno The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office has partnered with the Half the Sky movement which raises awareness about critical women’s rights issues, opening a space for a deeper discussion and action steps. The UU-UNO has developed a resource packet so that congregations can host screenings and guided discussions. Suggestions for immediate action steps that can be taken by individuals and congregations are also outlined in this packet.

On April 12, Arun Lobo, a UU-UNO intern through Fordham University, half-the-sky1flew to Durango, Colorado to facilitate the discussion at the Half the Sky Screening at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Durango.This film was inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s bestselling book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.” Hidden in the overlapping problems of sex trafficking and forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and maternal mortality is the single most vital opportunity of our time – and women are seizing it. From Somaliland to Cambodia to Afghanistan, women’s oppression is being confronted head on real, meaningful solutions are being fashioned.

Arun Lobo
Arun Lobo

UUFD is a small congregation, but it is not a barrier for them – they took the initiative to host this screening and discussion in their Sanctuary. Maureen Maliszewski, the Chair of the Social Justice at UUFD, organized this event with 48 participants who participated actively in an enlightening discussion. The event began with lighting of chalice by Arun and an introduction of UU-UNO. Arun is a Franciscan Priest from India who has worked on many of the issues described in the film. He was able to provide the audience with firsthand accounts to reinforce the Half the Sky film. One of the participants said, “Maureen, we are so fortunate that Arun was able to come to Durango to share firsthand experience with us related to issues covered in Half the Sky. Arun brought home hard realities that often seem far from our daily lives in Durango.” Nine people who attended the event were so inspired that they are in the process of forming a local ‘Half the Sky’ action group and as a whole, the attendees raised over $500 to support the work of the UU-UNO on critical women’s rights issues.You can read more about this screening in the Durango Herald here.

Audience in Durango, Co.
Audience in Durango, Co.

The next screening of this film will be held in New York City at the Community Church of New York, on May 12th. If you would like more information about the upcoming screening or you are interested in hosting a screening of the 40 minute, condensed version of Half the Sky, please contact us at unitednations@uua.org.

 

 

 

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Sex, Love and Violence: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity in a Globalized World

uu-unoThe Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office hosted the annual Intergenerational Spring Seminar on April 4th through the 6th. The title this year was Sex, Love and Violence: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in a Globalized World. We had 135 attendees of all ages from all around the United States and Canada. The seminar illustrated two different perspectives on how to advance equal rights for all humans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The first perspective examined the importance of governments and inter-governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, working on equal protection under the law, by passing laws (countries) and setting global standards (United Nations). The second perspective explored changing the hearts and minds of people, thus creating sustainable change. This can be created through efforts in different constituencies in our communities: Religious communities and sports are two important examples. Change starts within yourself, one person at a time.

Panel on Global Discrimination & Criminalization of LGBTQ.
Panel on Global Discrimination & Criminalization of LGBTQ.

At the heart of our Unitarian Universalist faith is a call for universal salvation. In humanist terms this salvation is not contained under the rubrics of “acceptance” or “tolerance” but rather the rubric of “love.” Similarly, this salvation is not inert or predetermined but is instead living and fluid. In other words, for  Unitarian Universalists, salvation is lived. The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office’s 2013 Spring Seminar on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity took up this issue of lived salvation in a myriad of ways. (more…)

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Justice Con: JUUstice for All Souls

DC flyer The UU-UNO Youth Conference, “Justice Con” was first executed at First UU in Brooklyn, NY with the help of the Metropolitan New York Youth/Adult Committee (YAC). “Justice Con” was designed to work across districts with flexibility to include district-based schedules and traditions while updating workshops as needed.

The Joseph Priestly District Youth Steering Committee (JPDYSC) hosts 4 Youth Conferences (Cons) a year – Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.  JPDYSC routinely works with guest presenters in the Winter, but this year took on something new; JPDYSC partnered with the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office for the annual Social Justice themed WinterCON.

Participant photo

We worked together to set the schedule, structure the workshops, and include JPD CON traditions.  We had meetings, we had conference calls – so many conference calls – and next thing we knew, registration was open!  Justice Con: JUUstice for All Souls was being advertised in JPD congregations, on our webpages, and – of course – on Facebook.   As the date got closer and closer, we had more and more participants register.  The participant total reached a new record high at WinterCon, 137 participants!

Opening night, we started off by learning about JPDYSC and the CON Covenant. Participants were introduced to the youth and adult leaders who ensured us we would have a wonderful weekend at the congregation of All Souls DC. We then played a rousing game of UU-UNO Trivia: Are UN or are you out? The Friday night worship was joyous, celebrating the international language of laughter. (more…)

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The 57th Session of the Commission for the Status of Women at the United Nations

 jack and anida csw

 

The Commission for the Status of Women’s 57th Session (CSW 57) took place from March 4th-15th, here in NYC, at the United Nations. The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office took an active role in the CSW events. Below you will find summaries of all of the CSW panels and events attended by our office representatives.

What exactly is CSW? Every Spring the CSW meets for two weeks to develop recommendations for international communities on a specific topic. This year, the focus of the meetings was on the Elimination and Prevention of all Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls. CSW events are attended by UN agencies, NGOs, government representatives and others. For additional information on CSW, click here. To read panelist papers from some of the CSW meetings, click here.

womens day march

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Groundbreaking Event on Sexual Orientation Change Efforts: A Recap

The Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office organizes a groundbreaking discussion on Sexual Orientation Change Efforts!

Selling the Promise of Change: International Health and Policy Consequences of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE)
Jan 31st 1-3 @ United Nations Church Center

Conversion Therapy Flyer
Program Flyer

In the Unitarian Universalist (UU) tradition of spearheading, cutting edge advocacy and standing up for vulnerable populations, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) organized one of the first ever panel on Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) and its International Human Rights consequences. Collaborating with the United Nations Non Governmental Organization’s (NGO) Committee for Human Rights and the NGO Committee on HIV/AIDS, The UU-UNO put together a panel of experts to present on this controversial issue, so it could be rigorously examined from different frameworks. The topic was reviewed from a medical, political, international, legal, academic, personal and religious perspective. This multiple systems approach resulted in a jammed packed program with six world renowned speakers, the reading of heartfelt personal letter, and a preview of a relevant film on the subject. Attendance at the event was standing room only, with audience participants from United Nations missions and agencies, religious organizations, and advocacy NGO’s .The feedback so far has been unbelievable; our office has been flooded with emails from organizations thanking us for hosting this historic event and wanting more programming. The event was covered in the national media on the Huffington Post and will be published as a collection of papers in the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health.

Check out the Huffington Post article here! (more…)

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Selling Sexual Orientation Change Therapy: Promise or Pressure?

Can people change their sexual orientation? How does the promise and pressure to change affect the lives and human rights of LGBT people worldwide?

The Unitarian Universalist Association -United Nation’s Office (UUA-UNO) in partnership with the UN NGO Committee on Human Rights & the NGO Committee on HIV/AIDS Present:
 
SELLING THE PROMISE OF CHANGE: International Health and Policy Consequences of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE)
Thursday January 31st, 1-3pm, UN Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, New York City.

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) rights have progressed into the UN framework of international human rights. The notion that people can or must change their orientation to conform with cultural or religious norms has risen to the forefront of the debate on this topic. Mental health, HIV/AIDS prevention, violence against women, religious and personal freedoms all play important roles in this analysis.

Join the UUA-UNO  for the groundbreaking discussion on the legalities, ethics and science behind the movement promoting sexual orientation change efforts and its relationship to international human rights. A panel of experts will review the literature, policy and personal narratives relating to this issue. Q & A to follow.

Current Panelists Include:

  • Toiko Kleppe - UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Dr Jack Drescher, MD - Author of the APA’s official position on sexual orientation conversion therapy.
  • Sam Wolfe, Esq – Southern Poverty Law Center
  • Chaim Levin – Survivor of ex-gay therapy and plaintiff in the landmark case against a conversion therapy organization
  • Rebecca Jordan-Young, Ph.D – Women’s, Gender and Sexual Studies, Columbia University
  • Pastor Jay Bakker – Revolution Church, Son of Televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker
The event is predominantly about how the concept that Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) is changeable, affects how SOGI is seen vis-a-vis international human rights. We will explore the ex-gay movement’s involvement in anti-gay laws in Uganda, Nigeria and Eastern Europe. We also want to explore how the promise of change can affect violence against LGBT people, particularly forcing children into dangerous programs, mob violence against suspected gay people and corrective rape practices against lesbian and trans people. We will review this issue in western society and examine how it is exported to other nations.

We think the program will have a significant impact in framing SOGI issues with respect to human rights. With the recent Russian backed UN resolution to put the words “Traditional Values” as a qualifier for human rights, a values discussion about the rights of LGBT people is more necessary than ever. Discussing the concept of change efforts, religious pressures and psychological promises is an essential starting point to this conversation.

Funding in part by the NYU Social Justice and Diversity Grant

This event is free and open to everyone. Join us and spread the word! RSVP to UNintern@uua.org

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Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization meeting “The Impact of Climate Change on People Living in Poverty”

Flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy in Sea Bright, New Jersey.

Climate Change has a devastating impact on those living in poverty, but the effects are being felt worldwide. Most recently, 55 million people were affected by Hurricane Sandy, which stretched 900 miles and killed 113 people.

We must do our part to respect the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, by not only educating ourselves and others on the causes and effects of climate change, but also taking the proper steps to preserve the world in which we live.

Last week, the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office (UU-UNO) attended a climate change meeting hosted by the Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization (DPI/NGO) at the United Nations. Fighting poverty remains one of the highest priorities not only of the UN development agenda, but also for the Climate Task Force at the UU-UNO. Climate change has become an apparent problem in the lives of many living in extreme poverty, interfering with and sometimes halting development. Guest speaker at the DPI/NGO meeting, Daniel Buckley, a member of the Climate Change Team for the Environment and Energy Group in the Bureau for Development Policy of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), emphasized that the failure to deal with climate change will affect 40% of the poorest populations. Combating climate change is imperative. It causes life-threatening problems such as poor water quality, resulting in increases in fever, diarrhea, and malaria as well as other diseases. Although most of the facts presented in this meeting were already familiar to the UU-UNO, I found it was important to hear guest speakers calling for action. According to Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, Abdul Momen, more than five million people in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, were forced to leave their homes due to permanent flooding and are now part of the “floating population”, whom live in very harsh conditions, with a lack of sanitation and other civic amenities. Pakistani school districts have been regularly destroyed and their children cannot receive education on a consistent basis. Natural disasters cause greater inequality and social injustice.  (more…)

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Letter from the UU-UNO Director

UU-UNO Director’s Letter: November 2012

Bruce Knotts

50th Anniversary Celebration and Hurricane Sandy

Keynote Speaker: Gillian Sorensen

Our November 3rd , the UU-UNO’s 50th anniversary celebration almost didn’t happen.  Just days before, New York City and the surrounding area was hit by Hurricane Sandy.  We had worked on this event for over a year.  Scott Seale and Marilyn Mehr headed a 50th anniversary celebration committee that worked tirelessly for months to prepare for a New York City Gala event to celebrate the UU-UNO’s 50 years of service at the United Nations.  We debuted a wonderful documentary film of our 50 years at the UN.

Senator Adlai Stevenson III (son of Amb. Adlai Stevenson II)

The film, like the event itself, was the product of a lot of volunteer help.  Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher volunteered his exceptional narration skills for the film.  Gavin Grace, who is not a UU, volunteered his talent as a videographer because he so admires the work the UU-UNO does for international LGBT rights.  All our speakers on the video also volunteered their talent and time, as did All Souls NYC Archivist, Lorraine Allen.  We benefited from a grant from the UU Funding Program to allow us to put the video together.  LDJ Productions, volunteered their exceptional production skills to give us a flawless evening at the NY Times Center.

So with all this preparation and the volunteer support of so many wonderful people, we are more than prepared for biggest bash in the 50 year history of the UU-UNO.

UUA President: Rev. Peter Morales

People were flying in from all over the USA and Canada for the event; and then America’s most destructive storm hit New York and New Jersey doing some $70 billion worth of damage.  While hurricane Katrina cost more lives, because of the built-up nature of the New York Metropolitan area, hurricane Sandy did far more damage.  My husband and I hunkered down in our powerless apartment and wondered if all our planning would be destroyed along with so much else in New York City.

We worried that the NY Times Center might not have power.  Senator Stevenson might not be able to fly in from Chicago.  The catering firm might not be able to fulfill our food order.  As New York City quickly began to restore infrastructure to many parts of Manhattan, we also picked up the pieces of our event and pulled it off in grand style.  Some of our out-of-town friends decided not to brave post hurricane Sandy New York.  However, all our speakers arrived from near and far.  We had guests fly in from California, Canada, Texas and elsewhere to attend our event.  Some of our staff had serious transportation problems and some volunteers left powerless or damaged residences to carry off a grand evening.  Given the havoc of just days before, our grand gala was all the more special signaling the courage and persistence of the UU-UNO determined to weather all storms to, in the words of Rev. Peter Morales, “not just to survive, but to prevail.”

Cannon Albert Ogle presenting an award to Bruce Knotts
Scott Seale and Marilyn Mehr present an award to Bruce Knotts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill

The Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament announced to cheers from parliamentarians that she would allow the infamous anti-homosexuality bill to come up for a vote before Christmas as her Christmas gift to the country.  The international community with the UU-UNO playing a leading role has kept this bill at bay since 2009.  It seems at long last, after so much effort, the Ugandan Parliament will ignore the best advice of human rights advocates from around the world and pass the bill.  It is yet unclear what the bill will entail.  In its original form, it called for the death penalty for homosexuality and for prison sentences for anyone who fails to report a homosexual to the police within three days.  There are some rumors that some of these more egregious provisions will be modified.  The death penalty might be reduced to life in a Ugandan prison at hard labor.  It will likely remain impossible for health care workers to provide care to those who have same-gender relationships, thus eviscerating Uganda’s national HIV/AIDs strategy.  With passage of the bill seemingly an inevitability, the only hope is that the Ugandan President may veto the bill.  He has said that Uganda already has still laws which criminalize both homosexuality and the promotion of homosexuality.  The latter law has been used recently to end any discussion of LGBT rights.  Most societies, including our own, find it a long and difficult process to accept sexuality different from the majority.  However, such change is possible in a society which guarantees the right of free speech.  Laws in Uganda, Nigeria, Russia, Iran and elsewhere make it difficult or impossible even to discuss such matters making change that much more difficult.  We are calling on people to pray for all those oppressed by all those regimes which oppress individual expression and speech.  There are many petitions that we urge people to sign to convince the Ugandan President to veto the bill should it pass.  My personal favorite is on AllOut.org.  As it happens, Andre Banks, Executive Director and co-founder of AllOut.org will be one of our two keynote speakers at our April 4-6, 2013 Spring Seminar.  Register online for the spring seminar using “trip code” HIP7061.

 

UU-UNO Spring Seminar

As you’ve just read, violence and oppression against the LGBT population in Uganda is getting worse.  It’s also getting worse in Nigeria which also about to pass legislation against same-sex marriage, which is already illegal in Nigeria, but the new legislation will also include prison terms for anyone who performs a same-sex union, witnesses one, or advocates for one, whether this is done in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world.  This and other global events will be discussed on our upcoming April 4-6 Intergenerational Spring Seminar entitled Sex, Love, and Violence: Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation in a Globalized World.  Youth arrive at the host congregation on the evening of April 3rd.  Our keynote speakers are: Charles Radcliffe:  Chief, Global Issues Section of The Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights Andre Banks:  Co-Founder and Executive Director of AllOut, “Adding people power to the historic fight for LGBT issues”.

Early Bird Rates (until March 1st)

Intergenerational Spring Seminar 2012
  • Senior (65+) $295
  • Adult $340
  • Young Adult $225
  • Youth/Seminary $140
  • Day Rate $160

Rates after March 1st until March 15th Deadline

  • Senior (65+) $355
  • Adult $395
  • Young Adult $285
  • Youth/Seminary $175
  • Day Rate $160
Media Panel Spring Seminar 2012

 

Online registration is now open.  When you are asked for a “trip code”, please enter HIP7061.  The UU College of Social Justice is collaborating with us and we are using their website, which is usually used for UU service learning trips, to register people for the seminar.  They will pass your name on to us and we’ll send you registration materials.  You can also send us an email (unitednations@uua.org) after you register and we’ll send you materials about our exciting seminar.  Remember registration includes the cost of most of your meals at the seminar and also accommodations at 4thUniversalist Church NYC for youth.

 

If you have questions or concerns, please write us at unitednations [at] uua [dot] org.

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