United Nations
Over fifty-five years of service to the global community through our work at the United Nations.
As a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council, the TOU is an active member of the NGO community working on the inside of the United Nations to advance social justice. The TOU actively supports the aims and principles of the United Nations by attending world summit meetings, sponsoring programs for NGOs, and participating on committees and coalitions of NGOs with similar values.
The Temple of Understanding is accredited through ECOSOC with Special Consultative status. We are also accredited by the DPI (now the Department of Global Communications.)
Our current work at the UN is in coalition with a set of partners including:
- Mining Working Group
- Women’s Major Group
- United Nations Environmental Program
- NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief
- Women’s Working Group on Financing For Development
- UN Committee on the Rights of Indigenous People
- Committee of Religious NGOs – Climate Working Group
Updates:
Are Americans Returning to Religion? The New Data that Surprised Researchers
Is religion “back in fashion” in America? Recent coverage by CNN highlighted data showing that the median in-person worship attendance is on the rise for the first time in decades. Researchers with Hartford Institute for Religion Research, which conducted the study of...
Getting Down to Basics: Frequently Asked Questions About Interfaith
1. What does the term "interfaith" mean? Interfaith refers to encounters between different distinct traditions, for example: Islam-Hinduism; Judaism-Jainism; Buddhism-Christianity; Shintoism-Bahai; Zoroastrianism-Santeria, and so on. It is often used to describe joint...
Beauty in the Interfaith Movement: How Insight Becomes Embodied, Relational, and Actionable
In the spirit of World Interfaith Harmony Week, the TOU offered a panel discussion in the Unity Earth Symposium on Sunday, February 22, 2026. This session was from 10:00 - 12:30 Eastern. It started with opening comments and a keynote by Mathew Fox, followed by a...
Plastics Advocacy Leading Up To and Beyond INC-5.2
How does the Temple of Understanding pursue our eco-justice mandate within the complex realm of the United Nations? We collaborate, contribute, amplify, strategize, listen, speak, write, and lift up the voices of others, particularly youth and women of the global...
UN High Level Political Forum 2025
As we head into this year’s UN High Level Political Forum, with our interns, advocacy objectives, and a desire to be present and effective in this major UN gathering, the Temple of Understanding is grateful for the outstanding work of JCoR, the Justice Coalition of...
People of Faith Speaking Out for Oceans (UNOC3)
by Grove Harris, M.Div The Temple of Understanding’s work towards the health of oceans continues through our participation in this year’s UN Oceans Conference, UNOC3, upcoming in Nice, France. The Ocean and Climate Platform is online here. The Faith in the Ocean...