About us

Who we are

We are a grassroots interfaith network non-governmental organization that cultivates peace and justice by engaging people to bridge religious and cultural differences and work together for the good of their communities and society. It is an affiliate of the world wide United Religions Initiative (URI) with its Global Support Office in San Francisco, California. URI-GL works with different organizations and individuals who are dedicated to non-violence, and the respect for life, situated mainly in Uganda and also harnesses the URI work in the great lakes countries namely, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, South Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania

Our approach

Three Pillars of Lasting Peace

We work at the intersection of faith, culture, and governance by using interfaith relationships as the foundation for systemic, community-owned change across the Great Lakes region.

Interfaith Dialogue

Bringing Muslim, Christian, and traditional religious leaders together to build bridges of understanding, reduce tensions, and cultivate shared visions for peaceful communities.

Advocacy & Mediation

Working with local leaders and clergy to resolve land disputes, hold governments accountable, and protect the rights of vulnerable communities b especially in post-conflict zones.

Women & Youth Empowerment

Amplifying the voices of women and young people in peacebuilding, bridging cultural and gender divides, and creating pathways to safety, dignity, and leadership.

Our beginning

The idea for URI came to California Episcopal Bishop William Swing in 1993, after an invitation by the United Nations to host a large interfaith service in San Francisco, marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. He asked himself, “If the nations of the world are working together for peace through the UN, then where are the world’s religions?”

Through dozens of meetings with world religious leaders, he discovered a thread of competition, a focus on expanding individual denominations, and little institutional commitment to building bridges. But in those at the grassroots of the world’s religions, he found a deep desire for cooperation and peace. From this inspiration, the vision for URI took shape: a supported network connecting people across religions and cultures in the service of peace and justice.

Bishop Swing hired a small staff in San Francisco, led by Executive Director Charles Gibbs. In partnership with Professor David Cooperrider from Social Innovations in Global Management at Case Western University and Dee Hock, developer of VISA and the Chaordic Alliance, they launched a four-year organizational process that included meetings among hundreds of stakeholders of diverse religions, cultures and disciplines all over the world. What emerged was a group of committed founders who formed the heart of URI’s global community, and a highly regarded, inclusive Charter that provides a unique, grassroots-based structure and a set of principles for action on behalf of the common good. With the signing of this Charter, the global URI organization was born on June 26, 2000.

You are warmly invited to participate in the life of URI and become part of this extraordinary force for peace and justice around the world.