Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Biff and Connie planting trees in front of the URI office, Karickam

Monday, December 11, 2017

With leaders of URI Nilgiri Adivasi Communities at Kotagiri

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Sunday, November 12, 2017

With Lakshmi Menon, grand daughter of O. Chandu Menon at Durga Sharif, Ajmer during URI National Assembly

On Inter-textual dialogue among Holy Books at the URI National Assembly at Ajmer.

Kerala URI delegation to the National Assembly in font of the Pushkar Lake in Ajmer. Behind is the famous Brahma Mandir on the border of Thar desert.

Friday, September 22, 2017



REFLECTIONS
By 2020 URI would complete two decades in its unforeseen journey. By 2020 our Bishop Bill Swing would be somewhere around his 85th birthday. What better could he have achieved than this that he is leaving a legacy which is claimed by millions of peace builders around the globe in more than one hundred countries? On many occasions people asked this question: what was the highlight for me at the Sarajevo Global Council and Staff Meeting. There are many:
1. I have seen a well- knit organisation. We have come a long way from the 2000 Charter Signing ceremony. We are a confident community today.
2. The youth are taking over the organisation to a beautiful second phase as was evident in the leadership given by the " Youth for Peace " CC in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There was a brilliant inner circle in the room when our philosopher Phil asked young ones below 36 to come forward and receive a powerful indigenous blessing and the command they received to take the movement forward was emphatic.
3. I could read from the bright eyes of Biff Bernard and Bob Coleman a shining future rooted in firm monetary foundations, which was radiant in the eyes of John Weiser and his team in several GC meetings in the past.
4. I could see a mature GSO staff who knew their job and role very well, captained by a seasoned Executive Director in Victor.
5. I was thrilled by one of the most captivating speeches, which I could listen in my life, as Sally Mahe compelled us into tears and to the reality that even Sally has to take aturn at some point. We remembered Charles Gibbs and many others who were there to row us through the rough waves on our boat ashore.
6. The regional staff around the world are simply astounding toady, with many youngsters so eager to learn from the senior lot.
7. Hats off to Isabella & Co., who have opened before us a new horizon of stunning connections through the newly designed website. The wholesome world of URI is just a click away.
8. Stories that we heard from Fathima and her companions will long reverberate in our ears and fill our hearts with newer mantras to carry forward our grass root mission in all earnest. You can never stop and relax when the dangers of war and terrorism loom large and dim.
9. I have learned again that the richness of a face to face adventure can never be compensated by whatever other devises and deviant designs.
10. No words to thank Stefan and Karen Hernandez for their stupendous efforts in bringing 99 % folks to Sarajevo. When they filled even our visa application forms for us, we knew really they were more than serious.
11. And at last, when Victor the magician came out with the energy ball, we all learned how important we have to hold on for the magnet to work. If we are also in tune to the cosmic waves in similar fashion, we will not be that far in realising our cherished results and goals.
Adieu Sarajavo; we come more confident than before. Let the world rejoice. And the beaming smile of Guru Krish Shiv will never fade from our eyes. He reaffirmed the fact that "the child is the father of man". And his mother Kiran Bali has evolved into a better chairperson, who can triumphantly lead the Global Council to a better tomorrow.
Abraham Karickam ( from the Fly Dubai plane to Dubai, in company of Karen Barenche, Ravi Kandage, Prof. John Kurakar and Nivy Balachandran ).



Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Sri. P. H. Kurien I.A.S giving the valedictory address at the three day Training in Disaster Management at Thiruvalla


Sri. Rajat Thomas, Program Officer, VYK, New Delhi taking class during Disaster management Training at Thiruvalla. 




Dr.Sekhar Kuriakose inaugurating Disaster Management Training at Thiruvalla. 



Thursday, June 29, 2017

   Kottarakkara B. Sudharama, poetess being felicitated during URI 17th birthday    celebrations.



        URI South India Regional Team during 17th Birth Day celebrations of URI


Wednesday, June 21, 2017

URI South India- Sri Lanka  Regional Council Members

URI South India- Sri Lanka  Regional Council Members    

              -
Co – Ordinator                    :   Dr. Abraham Karickam ( 9446593013)
 Global Council Member    :   Prof. John Kurakkar (9447559495)
Global Council Member     :   Ravi Kandage
Chairman                             :   C N N Raju ( 09845426151)
Vice Chairman                     :   Adv. Sajan Koshy (9446797646), Keerthi Rajapaksh,
               Devi Lal (9446478726)Yogi Devraj (09449166245)
Convener                             :   P.K.Ramachandran ( 8281253739)
Joint Secretary                    :    Subraya Shanbhogue , D.M.Karunasena  
Executive Members             :  Mariamma Mathew (9961042176), Sanoop Sajan (9497369949),        Fareena , Mohan Lal ( 9446478726), Srinivas Yogindra         (9476648089), Prasad  

Saturday, June 17, 2017


VISHWA YUVAK KENDRA
(INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CENTRE) 

Jointly organized by

URI

Cosmic Community Centre - CC unit of United Religions Initiative,
Karickam P.O., Kottarakara, Kollam, Kerala.
Phone No. 0474 2663903

Training Program on

 “Community Based Disaster Preparedness for Risk Reduction”

3-5 August, 2017 at Thiruvalla


APPLICATION FORM
(PLEASE FILL UP THE PARTICULARS IN BLOCK LETTERS)


1.             Name of applicant in full:_____________________________________________________________________________

2.             Date of birth ____________Age:_____ Sex:    Male             Female                         T. Gender

3.             Educational Qualification:_________________________________________________________________________________

4.             Occupation (with designation):____________________________________________________________________________

5.             Name and address of the  organization/Institution: ______________________________________________________
               
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                               
                PIN ___________    Phone No: ________________E-mail: _______________________________________

7.             Years of experience:_____________________________________________________________________
               

8.             Reason for participating in this Training Programme: __________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

9.             Whether participated in any such training/workshop before:                  (Yes/No).  If yes, please give details __________________________________________________________________________

10.          Arrival: ___________  Departure:____________  Food habit: Vegetarian / Non Vegetarian (Pls. tick)

11.          Registration fee payment details: DD No/Cash.___________ Dated ______________Amount Rs._______
               


(Signature of the sponsoring organization)                                                      (Signature of the participant)

(If sponsored by an organization, please attach copy of the letter with the application)
Please note           1.             Only confirmed participants allowed to participate.
2.             Provisional registration may be sent before 30th June 2017 through email urikarickam12@gmail.com / mathewlwsi@gmail.com

                                
VISHWA YUVAK KENDRA
(INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CENTRE)

Jointly organized by

URI

Cosmic Community Centre – CC Unit of United Religions Initiative,
South India Region, Karickam, Kottarakara
Email <urikarickam12@gmail.com
Phone No. 0474 2663903

Training Workshop on
Community Based Disaster Preparedness for Risk Reduction
Date : 03-05 August 2017
Venue : Dr. Joseph Marthoma Camp-Research and Meditation Centre, Kombady, Thiruvalla

Invitation

Greetings from URI South India and Sri Lanka Regional Office, Karickam Kottarakara!
We are convinced that in this changing world, all are expected to be aware of the climatic change and to participate in the mission of making people resilient to the impact of hazards, that may lead to new disaster situation in non conventional areas. Participating in the global mission of making this world safer, Vishwa Yuva Kendra (VYK) and United Religions Initiative (URI) will be organizing training workshop on Community Based Disaster Preparedness for Risk Reduction. 
Vishwa Yuvak Kendra (International Youth Centre) is one of the pioneering organisations of India and consistently working for in the area of youth development for over five decades. VYK is a model centre for orienting the nation’s youth and make them responsible citizens equipped with requisite concepts and leadership qualities, so that they can contribute to the task of nation building and act as agents of socio-economic transformation.

United Religions Initiatives (URI) is to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.  Through this office we promote dialogue among people of Living Faiths and ideologies and also to work for justice, peace, communal harmony and social and spiritual well being of people irrespective of their religion, caste, colour or creed. 
The Cosmic Community Centre, an NGO registered under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Society’s Registration Act XI of 1955, vide Reg. No. Q 632/04 is a recognized Cooperation Circle (CC) unit of URI.   The Cosmic Community Centre thus coordinates, conducts and assists studies on various religions and burning social and global issues like poverty, hunger, nuclear proliferation, and justice and world peace through International Interfaith Conference in the Intertextuality Series, which was started in the year 2005.
Why this programme
Significant changes are taking place in the climatic condition, resulting in the frequency and severity of the related hazards increasing and spreading into the new geographical areas of South India, especially in the state of Kerala.  By and large, the people of Kerala are not aware enough to   cope with the climate change impacted hazards. In order to create awareness and to develop essential coping mechanism at grass root level in the area, we choose the theme “Community Based Disaster Preparedness for Risk Reduction”.  We expect participants mainly from Kerala based NGOs; but will be kept open for selected participants all over South India and Sri Lanka for this workshop. Selected members from NGOs mainly disaster prone areas outside Kerala are encouraged to participate in this workshop to have better impact through active sharing of their experience among participants from not so severe disaster areas, like South India.
The venue of the training programme will be at Dr. Joseph Marthoma Camp-Research and Meditation Centre, Kombady, Thiruvalla.  Thiruvalla, is centrally located and well connected with public transports both rail and road transport systems available in Kerala.  Boarding, lodging and conference hall facilities are in the same compound.
Resource Persons: In addition to in-house resource persons, we will invites officials from Indian Meteorological Department, Fire Force, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Environmentalists and other concerned from local government. We expect officials from VYK.
The programme is rigorously developed and will be addressed by experts in the field. Interactive methods will be used in the programme to make it stimulating, participatory, enjoyable and full of learning.
The training will be helpful to beginners as well as professionals who want to make difference in their life. 

The objective of this camp is to create awareness among the grass root level community members as representatives of NGOs/CSOs/CBOs and concerned local government officials on the impact of climate change and the need for developing appropriate coping mechanism to minimize the impact and to think for a peaceful coexistence respecting each other and uphold human values.
Who are eligible participants: Representatives from South India based Non Government Organizations, URI Cooperation Circles (CCs), Civil Society/Community Based organizations, etc. are encouraged to participate in the programme. You may kindly note the following:-

·         Each eligible participant would be required to pay Rs.100/- towards registration fee by Cash/Demand Draft in favor of Cosmic Community Centre payable at Kottarakara.   The participants would be provided free lodging within the premises of the venue (separate for male and female) from Thursday, 3rd August, 2017 evening to Saturday 5th August 2017 morning and board facilities (breakfast, lunch, dinner and conference tea, snacks).
·       The programme would commence with registration at 11.00 am on 3rd August, 2017
·       Medium of instruction will be mainly English.
·       Travel expenditure will be borne by the participants.
·         The registration fee will neither be refunded nor be adjusted against any other        programme.
·        Any facilities availed other than the above mentioned ones, would be chargeable as per camp rules.
·         The number of participants are limited and would be considered on “first come first serve” basis.
The eligible participants are requested to report at the registration desk at the venue from 11.00 am on 3rd August, 2017. 

In case of any query you may contact the CCC/URI office on Phone No. (0474) 2663903. Please send the completed application form (Enclosure) along with the registration fee, latest by 25th July, 2017For more details the under mentioned links of website <urikarickam.blog.in> and Facebook <urikarickam> may also be used. Relaxation on Registration fee amount may be considered on special case depending on the merit at the discretion of the organizers during Registration.

We are hopeful that you would make optimum use of the opportunity provided to enhance knowledge, skills, awareness and sense of volunteerism.  With your wholehearted support and encouraging participation, we can join the nation in reducing the sufferings/saving life and hardship of fellow citizens, who may be affected by natural and human made hazards.
                                                                                                               
Rajat Thomas                                                   Dr.Abraham Karickam                                    K.G Mathaikutty
Programme Associate                                  URI Asia Secretary General                         Camp Director
Vishwa Yuvak Kendra                          (M) 94465 93013                                               (M)  97467 12009
(M) 81301 44866                                                              
Email  thomas@vykonline.org                                               karickam@gmail.com                                         mathewlwsi@gmail.com

                                

Monday, June 5, 2017


VISHWA YUVAK KENDRA
(INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CENTRE)
Jointly organized by
URI
Cosmic Community Centre – CC Unit of United Religions Initiative,
South India Region, Karickam, Kottarakara
Email <urikarickam12@gmail.com
Phone No. 0474 2663903

Training Workshop on
Community Based Disaster Preparedness for Risk Reduction

Date : 03-05 August 2017

Venue : Dr. Joseph Marthoma Camp-Research and Meditation Centre, Kombady, Thiruvalla

Programme Schedule

Thursday, 03-08-2017

AM
11.00   Registration

12.30   Lunch

PM
02.30   Inaugural Session                   
04.30   Tea
05.00   Introductory Session – DEFINISION OF DISASTER
06.30   Technical Session - 1
07.30   Dinner & rest
Friday, 04-08-2017
AM
07.00   Breakfast

08.00   Technical Session 1 – DISASTER RISK ANALYSIS

09.30   Training Session 2 -     ENVIRONEMENT  & CLIMATE CHANGE

10.45   Beverage break
11.00   Training Session 3 –    DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
12.30   Lunch
PM
01.30   Training Session 4 –    DISASTER & DEVELOPMENT

02.30   Group discussion
03.30   Beverage break
03.45   Plenary Session
05.00   Video show on disasters - Flood/Landslide/Earthquake
07.30   Dinner
08.00   Cultural Program by Participants.
Saturday, 05-08-2017
AM
07.00   Breakfast

08.00   Training Session 5 -     COMMUNITY BASED DISASTER MANAGEMENT

09.30   Training Session 6 –    TRAUMA & PSYCHO SOCIAL CARE
10.15   Beverage Break
10.30   Valedictory Ceremony
12.30   Lunch & Departure

                                                **************************