RELATIONSHIP:
What is the Brahma Kumaris’ relationship to the UN?
The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) is a non-governmental organization in general category consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in consultative status with UNICEF and is affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI).
How is this relationship connected?
The BKWSU with its headquarters in Mt. Abu, Rajasthan, India is an international organization that holds the relationship with the United Nations as a non-governmental organization.
How old is the Brahma Kumaris’ relationship to the UN?
The Brahma Kumaris became affiliated to the DPI in 1980 and to ECOSOC in 1983.
AIMS AND PURPOSES:
What are the aims and purposes of the Brahma Kumaris?
1. Offer to people of all walks of life a simple, accessible and yet effective education in spiritual and moral understanding, principles and values in order to build human capacity, to reaffirm the spiritual identity, inherent goodness, worth and dignity of the human being and bring about a positive change of awareness, attitude and behaviour as the foundation for the overall advancement and betterment of the human condition throughout the world; and
2. Foster long-term human-centred development, offering a spiritual and moral perspective of contemporary issues of personal, community and world concern and facilitating a greater awareness of corresponding rights and responsibilities.
How do the Brahma Kumaris carry out these aims?
Through its international network of centers, the Brahma Kumaris offer courses in personal development and capacity building that help bring lightness, freshness, and spirit to people’s daily lives. They organize special activities, seminars, workshops, dialogues, conferences, and exhibitions to provide people with safe spaces to voice their personal and collective opinions on critical matters that impact their lives at a practical level. And to empower them through active participation to choose a course that would contribute to their overall wellbeing; and to build stronger communities through cooperation, tolerance, and respect. The main emphasis is on real life examples and the difference this makes at all levels of society.
How do the Brahma Kumaris contribute to the work of the UN?
The Brahma Kumaris support the UN Millennium Development Goals through a wide range of programs promoting education; gender equality and empowerment of women; mental, physical, and spiritual health and well-being; and environmental sustainability.
Their special competence in the area of human and social values allows them to bring a particularly ethical and spiritual approach to world concerns. In this capacity the BKs regularly work with NGO committees and caucuses, specialized agencies, and government missions; and they contribute to policy through oral and written statements.
The BKs strive always to promote awareness and highlight the great aspirations of the purposes and principles of the UN. In doing so, they initiate international projects to provide people from around the world with an opportunity to participate in activities of social and humanitarian concerns.
How have the Brahma Kumaris contributed significantly in the past of bringing UN programs to the masses worldwide?
The Brahma Kumaris have initiated and implemented global projects to help raise awareness of the significance of the UN on people’s lives:
The Million Minutes of Peace Appeal held in observance of the International Year of Peace in 1986. The Brahma Kumaris’ centers in 7 countries received the Peace Messenger Awards for their significant contribution during this year.
Global Cooperation for a Better World, a peace messenger initiative was a follow-up to the work done during the International Year of Peace. This initiative began in 1987 and concluded in 1990 and reached out to people in 129 countries asking them for their vision of a better world. These visions were compiled in a book entitled “Visions of a Better World” and presented at the United Nations in 1993.
Sharing Our Values for a Better World, a program done in 1995 in honor of the UN 50th Anniversary where people were asked to identify the significant values that gave meaning to the lives to the people in their country. A book entitled “Living Values: A Guidebook” was dedicated to the UN 50.
International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, the University signed a partnership agreement with UNESCO and was designated by it as a “Messenger for Manifesto 2000” and actively promoted Manifesto 2000, collecting over 37 million signed pledges by individuals to implement it. The University also organized “Flagship” and other significant events in 51 countries and held numerous seminars and workshops regarding and promoting the principles and values underlying a culture of peace.
