News
TOU UN main representative report for August 2026
Sustainable cities and public spaces as "Temples of Understanding" Grove Harris, the Temple of Understanding’s Representative to the United Nations, joined the Green Hope Foundation for their annual side event at the UN High Level Political Forum: Centering Health,...
Eco Justice for All: Indigenous voices over the years
The United Nations celebrates the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on Sunday, Aug. 9. ToU participates in the UN Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which raises the visibility of Indigenous Peoples at the local, national and...
The growing interfaith space: Partners, colleagues and resources
The Temple of Understanding was founded in 1960 by interfaith pioneer Juliet Hollister to bring together diverse religious and spiritual traditions and draw on their wisdom to promote positive social change. Hollister was the first woman to found an interfaith...
TOU helps youth launch careers as global citizens
When Rhoda Ann Roby interned at the Temple of Understanding in 2025, she conducted a research project about sustainable fashion and presented it to her peers. When she returned July 14 as a guest speaker at an event about youth voices and climate change, she had...
The surprising common trait that successful leaders share
This article was written by Sandra Ukrainka, a 2026 Temple of Understanding intern. Think of a word to describe a leader. Did you say "strong?” Or "strategic?” Maybe something like “decisive” or “disciplined”? While all of those qualities are important, one essential...
Faith groups respond to Venezuela earthquake crisis
Since the massive twin earthquakes that devastated the north of Venezuela on June 24, faith groups have been at the forefront of the recovery effort. The quakes leveled entire areas of La Guaira, a coastal region in the country’s north, killing and injuring thousands...
OPINION: The War Against Ukraine: Delegates Face Stagnation at the UNSC
This opinion article was written Sandra Ukrainka, a Temple of Understanding intern from Ukraine. The views expressed in this article are the author's own. The opinions stated here do not reflect the official policy, position or viewpoints of the Temple of...
Youth Come Together to Advance SDG 17
HLPF side event engages youth in the climate conversation Youth leaders from the Temple of Understanding and Climate Cardinals will gather on July 14 from 1:15-3:00 p.m. ET to demonstrate the power of youth voices in the global conversation around climate change and...
Critical Dimensions of Sustainable Urban Development
Grove Harris, the Temple of Understanding’s Representative to the United Nations, will join the Green Hope Foundation for their annual side event at the UN High Level Political Forum: Centering Health, Equity, and Lived Experience in Sustainable Urban Development. The...
Re-examining religious freedom at America 250
Religious liberty is a core pillar of the American framework. While the founders envisioned religion as essential to a healthy republic, they saw it as something that should flourish free from state intervention, wrote Steven Waldman in “Founding Faith.” They believed...
Viral Knicks chant unites New Yorkers, promotes interfaith values
"My mayor Muslim, my bagel’s Jewish. My Christian Dior, Knicks in four!" The chant became an instant rallying cry, capturing New York’s basketball fervor in the runup to the Knicks’ NBA championship win. But it also pointed to something deeper – the unity of New...
From Intern to Professional: Internship Alumni Reflect on their Global Affairs Career Path
Twenty years ago, the Temple of Understanding opened its doors to its first group of summer interns. Since 2005, hundreds of young people have passed through that program, sat in those same rooms near the UN, prepared their first presentations, and walked away changed...