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24 Jun 2007 @ 17:20, by Roger Eaton • Unity-and-Diversity Council (UDC) converges on Temescal Canyon, CA. • Final parameters for an "online think-tank" (Global Assembly Dialog) completed • Executive session establishes strategic vision for UDC and Global Assembly rollout Contact: Rev. Leland Stewart, (310) 391-5735 Email: udcworld1@yahoo.com Rebecca Tobias, (310) 916-8888 Email: Rebecca@RaoulWallenbergInstitute.org PACIFIC PALISADES, CA -- June 24, 2007. The Special Events Committee of the Unity-and-Diversity Council held a Convergence gathering at Temescal Canyon Conference and Retreat Center on June 8-10, 2007. Rev. Stewart and the Unity-and-Diversity Council (UDC - est. 1965) are best known for hosting nearly five decades of interfaith and intercultural events, the largest being "Survival Sunday" held at the Hollywood Bowl with 12,000 in attendance, focused on publicizing the United Nations First Special Session on Disarmament. Four years later, in June 1982, the same concern produced the first Peace Sunday, which was held in the Rose Bowl with 100,000 in attendance, featuring such internationally known artists as Joan Baez and Bonnie Raitt. Peace Sunday was in support of the U.N.'s Second Special Session on Disarmament. Several smaller Peace Sundays have been sponsored by UDC since that time, with the goal of making it an ongoing community event. The Convergence retreat featured three days of panels, plenaries and workshops conducted by experts and facilitators on topics ranging from global governance and interfaith relations to conflict resolution. With attention to protecting the Earth's fragile environment and providing special services, tools, and skills to our urban area's at-risk youth, the UDC has created topical working groups to contend with some of the most pressing challenges facing civilization today. Utilizing modern technology in an automated and real-time fashion, the Global Assembly Dialog is an "online think-tank"; the first of its kind -- open to all with internet access. Gathering wisdom from diverse perspectives to break negative patterns of thinking, the Global Assembly (GlobalAssembly.net) generates a roster of ideas and evolving statements that are then ranked by the collective participants. "Our aim is nothing less than the creation of a vehicle of expression for the voice of humanity", explained UDC Executive Board member Roger Eaton, "the concept of the Global Assembly is along the lines of the UN General Assembly, but from the bottom up to build a world that works for all using the power of nonviolence." "The Unity-and-Diversity Council has been dedicated to showing how religions and belief systems have a common ground in truth," expressed Executive Board member Byron DeLear, "and with the UDC's Global Assembly Dialog, we will be able to witness, global truths evolving right before our eyes." "The goal of achieving 'unity-and-diversity among all peoples and all life' is a new idea whose time has come. It derives from the fact that the emerging global civilization is based upon pluralism, which means that there are many races, religions, cultures and organizations all needing to be included within a new and worldwide synthesis. No longer will any one religion or ideology be the dominant teaching or organization that controls the direction of modern life. Rather, there will be more and more acceptance of diversity among these paths, as well as an increasing degree of cooperation and mutual support..." ~ Rev. Leland Stewart Global Assembly: www.GlobalAssembly.net Unity-and-Diversity Council: www.UDCWorld.org

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