Happy Holidays! We Hope To Meet You At Our 2020 Conference In New York City
On behalf of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, I wish you a blissful holiday season. To all of you who attended our 2019 Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding, and ethno-religious mediation training, we say thank you. To our sponsors, partners, volunteers, interns, and all those who supported our work in 2019, we say thank you very much.
When I founded International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation in April 2012 to develop alternative methods of preventing and resolving ethnic, racial and religious conflicts through research, education and training, expert consultation, dialogue and mediation, and rapid response projects, many people told me that only the wealthy can create such an international organization in New York. My response was that although I am not a wealthy person, I can still follow my passion and do the ordinary things in an extraordinary way for global peace and security.
Motivated by the ongoing ethno-religious violence resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, including the most vulnerable, and intent upon actualizing God’s teachings and message of peace, I accepted that this work would require considerable sacrifice. I took a heroic decision to create ICERM in order to develop and propagate new ways of living together in peace and mutual understanding irrespective of ethnic, racial or religious differences. I am happy that ICERM has been championing this cause since 2012. This brings me joy this holiday season.
Our work wouldn’t have been possible without you. I hope you continue to support our work in your own little ways. Together, we can expand the reach of our International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding, ethno-religious mediation training, journal of living together, world elders forum, membership, and many more projects and campaigns.
I pray for global peace and prosperity in 2020. May we experience peace within this holiday season!
With peace and blessings,
Basil Ugorji
President and CEO
International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation (ICERM)
