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The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is a non-governmental organization in general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in consultative status with UNICEF and affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI). It is also an accredited observer organization to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is a non-governmental organization

Non Governmental Organization (NGO) The United Nations is both a participant in and a witness to an increasingly global civil society. More and more, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other civil society organizations (CSOs) are UN system partners and valuable UN links to civil society. CSOs play a key role at major United Nations Conferences and are indispensable partners for UN efforts at the country level. NGOs are consulted on UN policy and programme matters. The UN organizes and hosts, on a regular basis, briefings, meetings and conferences for NGO representatives who are accredited to UN offices, programmes and agencies.

General consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), What is consultative status with the United Nations?

The first time that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) took a role in formal UN deliberations was through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1946. Article 71 of the UN Charter opened the door for suitable arrangements for consultation with NGOs. This relationship with ECOSOC is governed today by ECOSOC resolution 1996/31. International, regional and national NGOs, non-profit public or voluntary organizations are eligible to obtain consultative status. There are three categories of status: General, special and roster consultative status.

There are presently 3743 organizations in Consultative Status with ECOSOC. 146 of them have General Consultative Status.

The Brahma Kumaris have been in Consultative Status with ECOSOC since 1983 • Granted Roster Status by the ECOSOC in 1983. • “The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations decided this morning to grant consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, a non-governmental organization. … The organization was placed on the Council’s Roster. • “The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is based in Rajasthan, India. In a report to the Committee it states that it aims to “impart moral and ethical education so that man can be a useful member of society”, by opening Raja Yoga education centres and spiritual museums and sponsoring exhibitions and conferences.” • (NGO/68 9 February 1983 Press Section, United Nations, New York)

• Granted General Consultative Status, at the ECOSOC substantive session of 1998. “I would like to inform you that the Economic and Social Council, at its substantive session of 1998, decided to grant General consultative status to your organization. … Kindly also note that Part IX, paragraph 61© of Council Resolution 1996/31 requests your organization submit quadrennial reports on their activities in support of the United Nations.” Letter from Hanifa Mezoui, Chief NGO Section, Department for Economic and Social Affairs, dated 11 September 1998)

Affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI). What is affiliation to DPI?

The Department of Public Information and NGOs cooperate regularly. NGOs associated with DPI disseminate information about the UN to their membership, thereby building knowledge of and support for the Organization at the grassroots level. This dissemination includes: Publicizing UN activities around the world on such issues as peace and security, economic and social development, human rights, humanitarian affairs and international law; Promoting UN observances and international years established by the General Assembly to focus world attention on important issues facing humanity.

The Brahma Kumaris have been affiliated to the Department of Public information since September 1980.

“It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Brahma Kumaris has been approved for listing with the Department of Public Information. …We look forward to a mutually valuable association. … You are most cordially welcome to join us for what I sincerely believe should provide an exciting and rewarding experience in grappling with the very serious problems facing us and in helping to forge realistic solutions so that we may all enjoy a safer and more humane world.” (Letter from Sally Swing Shelley, Chief NGO Section, Department of Public Information, dated 30 September, 1980)

Consultative status with UNICEF What is partnership with UNICEF?

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) play a critical role in supporting UNICEF efforts to deliver results for children. The CSOs that work with UNICEF are infinitely diverse, offering a broad range of specialized knowledge and experience in areas pertaining to children. It is this diversity that produces some of the most innovative and effective achievements for children. The common thread linking UNICEF partnerships with CSOs is the shared objective of realizing children's rights. The Brahma Kumaris was welcomed into consultative Status with UNICEF in September 1987 “We take great pleasure in welcoming the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University into consultative status with UNICEF. Following your letter of application dated 18 August; we have received confirmation of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, a principal requirement for formal association with UNICEF. … Thank you for your commitment to the work of UNICEF, and I look forward to working with your organization in areas of mutual concern.” (Letter from Allegra Morreli, Deputy Director, Division of Information and Public Affairs, UNICEF, dated 9 September, 1987.)

Accredited observer organization to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Civil society engages with the climate change process through representative non-governmental observer organizations. Article 7, paragraph 6, of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change provides for the admission of non-governmental organizations to sessions of the Convention bodies as observers. New applicant organizations are formally admitted by the Conference of the Parties following the successful completion of the admission process. The Brahma Kumaris have been an accredited observer organization to UNFCCC since 2009. We are listed on the UNFCCC here: http://maindb.unfccc.int/public/ngo.pl Also Flagship Member of FAO’s ERP Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) The Education for Rural People (ERP) partnership aims to contribute to removing barriers that prevent poor people from using their capacity as part of FAO worldwide call to action to foster rural peoples’ capacity to be food secure and to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.  ERP is a research-based policy approach promoting multi-sectorial alliances between ministries of education and agriculture and related stakeholders and advocating for increased access to improved quality education and skills training for all rural adults, youth and children. ERP works through the identification of political, institutional, organizational and individual opportunities and constraints that poor people face in developing their capacity and accessing education and training services at all levels of education, in both formal and non-formal settings.  It works through a network of more than 400 partners including governments, international agencies, universities, civil society, the media and the private sector.  FAO is the UN lead agency for the Education for Rural People (ERP) Partnership Flagship which is one of the Partnerships of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development as well as one of the flagships initiatives of the Education for all programmes led by UNESCO . The Brahma Kumaris are a flagship member of Education for Rural People (ERP) List of members: The Brahma Kumaris are number 132. http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPmembersList_en.asp Article on FAO website below: Are values contributing to rural development and poverty reduction?  6 June 2007  FAO Headquarter, Rome, Italy The experience of the Brahma Kumaris NGO - an ERP member – was presented by Ms Gayatri Naraine, Brahma Kumaris’ representative to the United Nations and liaison person for international projects with the United Nations. Brahma Kumaris has chosen to invest some energies and resources in educating rural people in living their values. She explained that "values are the link between the social, economic and cultural dimension of rural development". Ms Gayatri presented the Living Values Education Programme. A comprehensive values education programme that provides resources for values–based education, including training and a wide variety of experiential, values–based activities and methodologies for educators, facilitators, parents, and caregivers. These activities and methodologies enable children and young adults to explore and develop 12 universal core values: cooperation, freedom, happiness, honesty, humility, love, peace, respect, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance, and unity. The Brahma Kumaris NGO earned six national and one international Peace Messenger Awards from the Secretary-General of the United Nations. (http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/ERPevents66_en.htm)

What is the reach of the Brahma Kumaris worldwide? The Brahma Kumaris is an international organization with a presence in a total of 110 countries, territories and islands, and a membership of over 800,000 worldwide Through its international network, the Brahma Kumaris provides people with opportunities and settings to voice their opinions on critical matters that impact upon their lives. Part of our responsibility is to ensure that peoples’ messages make their way back to the UN through written and oral statements and other publications presented at UN conferences and meetings.

How are the Brahma Kumaris funded? There is no membership fee charged. Its main source of funds is derived from voluntary contributions from individuals who have taken benefit from the services provided by the organization.

What is the mechanism for effective communication with the UN? The BKs main office for the UN is in New York. There are also offices in Geneva and Vienna. We have representatives at each of these offices and also designated representatives for the five Regional Commissions of the UN. Our UN offices work in close consultation with the BK World Spiritual Headquarters in India, the International Coordinating Office in UK, and the Regional Coordinating Offices in New York, Sydney, Moscow, Nairobi, and London

What is foundational of the work of the BKs at the UN? The core expertise is: “The cultivation of pure awareness and reaffirming faith in the dignity and worth of the human person. The “spiritual technology”: awareness, attitude, vision, action, and the world.

How do the Brahma Kumaris contribute to the work of the UN?

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) is an international non-governmental organization headquartered in Mt. Abu, Rajasthan, India. Founded in 1936, the organization’s leadership is women although membership is open to both women and men. It is believed that the core values based on traditionally feminine qualities – patience, tolerance, sacrifice, kindness and love – would increasingly become the foundation of progress in personal growth, human relations, and the development of caring communities. The theology and practice of the organization is focused around restoring and affirming the dignity of all people, without distinction. It is about building spiritual partnerships in which there is harmony between the sexes based on trust and respect. Although women head the organization, there are many men coordinating centers and playing other key administrative roles.

Aims and purposes: To provide to people of all walks of life a simple and accessible education in spiritual and moral understanding, principles, and values to build human capacity; to reaffirm the spiritual identity, inherent goodness, worth, and dignity of the human being and to foster a spirit of universal brotherhood to bring about a change of awareness, attitude, and action as the foundation for the overall advancement of the human condition; to foster human-centered development by offering spiritual perspectives of contemporary issues and facilitating a greater recognition of rights and responsibilities.

Main course of action: To build human capacity by offering individual and group courses, lectures, and training programs; to raise public awareness by hosting conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and outreach projects and events; to educate, empower, and promote learning and literacy through publications, audio-visual devices, broadcasts, webcasts, telecasts, and social networking. To support, co-sponsor, and cooperate with organizations and other constituents of society in related fields of social and humanitarian interests.

What UN Conferences have the Brahma Kumaris participated in over the years? Over the years, the Brahma Kumaris have participated in most of the UN world conferences. Listed below include some of the conferences attended in the past ten years:

7th Global Forum on Reinventing Government: Building Trust in Government, June 26 – 29, 2007, Vienna, Austria

World Summit on the Information Society, December 2003, Geneva, Switzerland

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), November 2005, Tunis, Tunisia

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference - COP15, Bella Conference Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark. 7-18 December 2009

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP16) November 29 to December 20, 2010, Cancun, Mexico

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP 17) November 28 to December 9, 2011, Durban, South Africa

Rio+20, United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 20‐22, 2012.

United Nations Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Eleventh Meeting, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, India October 8‐19, 2012

United Nations Framework convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP18, Doha, Qatar, November 25 to December 7, 2012

What UN Days/Weeks do the BKs observe? • World Interfaith Harmony Week - first week of February. • International Women’s Day: March 8 • International Day of Happiness • World Health Day: April 7 • Road Safety Week: 6-12 May 2013 World Environment Day: June 5 • International Youth Day: August 12 • International Day of Peace: September 21 • International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: October 17 • UN Day: October 24 • International Day of Tolerance: November 16 • World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (third Sunday in November) • Human Rights Day: December 10

How do the BKs work with the NGO Community at the UN? The Brahma Kumaris work with the collective wisdom of the NGO community on different issues. They attend regular meetings, co-host programs and events, and support joint statements. They are a member of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGO) and serve on the following committees, caucuses, and working groups:

In New York: a. Member and Co-Chair of the Council of the Values Caucus b. Member of the Bureau of the Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief c. General member of the Committee of Religious NGOs d. General member of the Spiritual Caucus e. General member of the Committee for the International Day of Peace

In Geneva: a. General member - Committee on the Status of Women b. General member - Committee on Human Rights c. General member - Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief d. Observer - Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns

What are some of the on-going activities in support of UN programs? • Annual observance of UN-dedicated days • Promote Gender Equality and Empowerment of Young Women, through the Commission on the Status of Women. • On-going research on development of Renewable Energy to ensure environmental sustainability. On going research into Sustainable Yogic Agriculture conducted by the Rural Development Wing of the Brahma Kumaris and Universities of India. Establishment of a Brahma Kumaris International Environmental Initiative since 2010. • Reduction of child mortality and improvement of maternal health through the Global Hospital and Research Center. • Values in Healthcare: A Spiritual Approach, a personal and team development programme for healthcare practitioners in partnership with the Janki Foundation. • Supporting a Global Partnership for Development through dialogue: o “The Call-of-the-Time Dialogue Series”, a living dialogue taking place on all continents, among people of all generations and from many different walks of life. These dialogues create ‘safe spaces’ for world servers to have real conversation and meaningful connection. With the overarching question of “What is the time calling us to do?” the dialogues provide the opportunity for conversations filled with insights, ideas and fresh perspectives so that, in collective wisdom, the seeds of true global partnerships emerge.

o The Future of Power dialogues aim to bring together on a neutral platform both international leaders and leaders of India to find ways to develop their individual and collective strategies in modeling responsible leadership now and for the future. As we witness repeated breakdowns of systems, there is an urgent call emerging for a more responsible leadership to steer us through turbulent times and achieve a stable and positive long term vision we know is possible. The purpose of these dialogues is to identify and call upon some of the world’s infuential leaders to: • Deepen their awareness of what is needed to develop and sustain a more responsible leadership. • Share best practice of responsible leadership. • Explore what it means to be a ‘trustee of power’ today and tomorrow. • Develop further insight into new paradigms of leadership emerging through the power shifts of the 21st Century. • Re-emerge awareness of ‘soft power’ which includes leading with values, spirituality and culture. • Spotlight Values – Youth initiative to explore, express and exchange values in a creative meaningful way. • Prakashmani Scholorship established as a way to commemorate the life of, and continue the legacy of, world visionary Dadi Prakashmani (1922-2007). The scholorshp supports an Intern to come to United Nations headquarters in New York and work with the Brahma Kumaris at the United Nations. • International Children’s Creative Competition “Fairy Tales of a Beautiful Heart” Under the aegis of UNESCO. Aims: To promote human values, tolerance, and a culture of peace; To create an atmosphere of cooperation and inspiration; To support children’s creativity; To remember that nature needs our help and we are responsible for our beautiful planet. • Safety Through Spiritual Life Skills

This Road Safety initiative is aimed at reducing the incidence of road accidents by educating and equipping people with the inner skills needed to practice road safe behaviour. It engages with multiple stakeholders helping them to understand and experience the peace-loving, honest human spirit within them that inspires them to act with responsibility. Spiritual life-skills strengthen their ability to overcome the weak states of mind that drive them to addictions, road rage, greed or carelessness on the wheel.

This project is aligned with the UN Global Plan for Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Initiated in India, activities are being implemented in more than eight states. These include regular educational sessions for personnel of State Transport Bodies, youth and other road users, video shows, public interest messages in video / pictorial form in public buses, cinema theatres, radio talks and offering gratitude cards to drivers. The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on 18th Nov 2012 was observed worldwide with special events organized in nine countries. Participants of all these services have reported positive changes like control over addictions, lower stress levels and stricter adherence to rules.

For collaborative action on this theme, Brahma Kumaris has also made an application, to join the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.

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 of peace 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. Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) or Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya was founded by Brahma Baba (Dada Lekharj Kripalani) and (Om Radhe) in India in the 1930's.

1. India-One project http://www.facebook.com/pages/India-One/192933107469775

2. BK Environmental Initiative Yogic agriculture, basic view re environment a reflection of human consciousness and thoughts as part of the environment (& therefore to be used economically, healthily etc.)

3. BK Relation with United Nations The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is a non-governmental organization in general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in consultative status with UNICEF and affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI). It is also an accredited observer organization to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).