Arigatou International

Arigatou International is happy to attend the Child Rights Connect General Assembly and contribute as an active member of the network. Mrs. Maria Lucia Uribe Torres, Executive Director of our Geneva office, will continue with her second term as member of the Executive Committee, where she also serves as treasurer. Arigatou International also co-convenes the Working Group on Children and Violence, where we are leading advocacy work with the UN Human Rights mechanisms. We also welcome the appointment of Ms. Mikiko Otani as new President of the ExCo, and give thanks to Ms. Maria Herczog Ph.D for her amazing work as President during the last six years. In the photo, Ms, Maria Herczog, outgoing President, Ms. Maria Belen Paz Aguilar, Vicepresident, representing the Learning for Well-being Foundation, Mr. Alex Conte, Executive Director of Child Rights Connect, amd Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe, Executive Director, Ethics Education for Children - Arigatou International Geneva. #childrights

We are glad to share the news about the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Arigatou International and The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity aims to inspire all people to live the values of human fraternity by inspiring leaders and empowering youth, women, and vulnerable communities, to pursue and realize a more peaceful future. By entering into this MoU, both organizations reaffirm their commitment to promoting, individually and jointly, actions for creating a culture of human fraternity and peace, strengthening educational approaches for interreligious and intercultural learning based on Ethics Education and empowering children to become agents of change, engaged in dialogue and action to address the most pressing challenges in their communities, strengthening mutual understanding, respect, peace and cooperation, ultimately contributing to a culture of peace. The MoU was signed by Rev. Kenishiro Saito, Chair of the Board of Directors of Arigatou International, and H.E. Ambassador Khaled Al-Ghaith, Secretary General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. We are grateful for this collaboration and look forward to strengthening efforts to continue building a better world for our children. Ethics Education for Children - Arigatou International Arigatou International - Prayer and Action Arigatou International GNRC

A discussion was held on 29 May at the margins of the World Health Assembly on the upcoming Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children that will be hosted by the Government of Colombia - Presidencia de la República de Colombia - in Bogota on 7-8 November 2024, and co-organized with the Government Offices of Sweden, World Health Organization, @ United Nations Office on Violence against Children and UNICEF. Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe Torres, Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva, joined the meeting and spoke about the importance of engaging religious communities in advancing the agenda to end violence against children and addressing social and cultural norms that condone violence. She also spoke, as co-convener of the Working Group of Children and Violence of Child Rights Connect, about the upcoming booklet on effective measures to end violence against children that showcases eight country case studies in their efforts to advance policies, commitment, funding and programs. Arigatou International is proud to be part of the Group of Friends of the Global Ministerial Conference, who are providing support in the preparatory process, and looks forward to bringing the conclusions and recommendations to the Sixth Forum of Arigatou International GNRC that will take place in Abu Dhabi from 19 to 21 November, hosted by the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities (IAFSC). In the photo Ms. Uribe is together with Vice Minister of Health of Colombia, Dr. Jaime Urrego, and Ambassador Gustavo Gallon, Permanent Representative of the Government of Colombia to the United Nations in Geneva. The meeting also included the participation of Zewelanji, Child Change-Maker from Zambia and Mie Kohiyama, Adult Survivor Leader from France.