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International
Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC)
Five things mark out the work of the Global Network as distinctive.
- It is about action and not just another network about dialogue.
- It is about the work of faith-based organisations with and for children rather than across all age groups.
- It is about inter faith approaches and inter faith projects.
- It is an NGO based in Geneva and Tokyo, initiated and sponsored by the Buddhist (Myochaikai) Arigatou Foundation of Japan (which has already fund-aided certain children's work around the world in very selected cases).
- It has developed regional forums world-wide and a global strategy.
A timely, exciting and well-planned initiative coming to fruition with a first forum in Tokyo in Millennium year, followed by a second in Geneva in 2004 - attended by some 350 people from around 68 different countries - the GNRC emanates from the faith tradition of the East rather than the West.
As a global network of faith-based organisations promoting the welfare of children, and affirming the link between prayer and practice, the GNRC has brought together and encouraged projects working in an inter faith manner. The GNRC global strategy is in three parts:
- To operate through six regional forums around the world and to encourage national inter faith children's work conferences.
- To establish an Inter Faith council on Ethics Education for Children.
- To form a project on “The Child in World Religions” sponsored by the Arigatou Foundation with support from UNICEF. This will study religious scriptures and sacred texts of ten major religions in connection with what they say about children and children's rights. The goal of this is to develop a primary resource that informs and guides the work of faith-based organisations for children's rights and well being, and also to examine the commonalities in religious values about children and children's rights in the ten religions and so lead to a greater and more effective delivery of programmes and unified policy statements relating to children's issues.
It cannot be stressed sufficiently that the focus on children and the belief in their intrinsic value is the hallmark of the network. No conference takes place without the presence and participation of young people.
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