The image provoked her to reflect on the questions: Why do people of faith fight each other in the name of God? How can religion contribute to peace in the world? It was then that she first learned about the United Religions Initiative (URI), a global community that promoted enduring daily interfaith cooperation, put an end to religiously motivated violence, and created cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings.
The URI purpose and vision (see www.uri.org) so inspired Marites that in January 2000, she and Shakuntala Vaswani (Hindu), and other friends from various faith traditions in Metro Manila, decided to form a weekly dialogue group they called the Peace Circle. This happened after the success of the Kapayapaan sa Bukang Liwayway 2000 (Peace at the Dawn of 2000), a first interfaith gathering on New Year’s Eve of 1999 that they organized as their contribution to the 72 Hours Project of the global URI community. The Peace Circle became a regular weekly meeting of friends from different cultures and beliefs who shared common aspirations for peace. Over the years, the dialogue meetings turned into Inner Work sessions, and its participants eventually formed the core group that created what is now known to be The Peacemakers’ Circle.On June 26, 2000, during the global signing of the URI Charter, The Peacemakers’ Circle was recognized as a Cooperation Circle (CC) and founding member of the URI.
On March 14, 2001 The Peacemakers’ Circle Foundation Inc., was registered as a non-stock and non-profit foundation at the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. Since then, we have grown into a vital bridge-building organization bringing together people of different cultures and beliefs to a common ground of dialogue.
We must be the change that we wish to see in the world! These compelling words of Mahatma Gandhi continue to inspire us to collaborate with one another in the spirit of unity in diversity, good will and cooperation for the realization of our common vision.
