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For over 13 years CCIU has been working to advance the goals of interreligious understanding, respect, and religious pluralism in the Greater Hartford area. As people of faith we believe that learning about each other's religion in an honest, open and respectful atmosphere is vital to the thriving of our society and culture.
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To accomplish these goals CCIU has engaged in a variety of educational activities including, issuing public statements on religious issues, dialogue luncheons, and lectures, and seminars that are geared towards providing an honest and educated exploration of its member religious groups.
Our organization is made up of at least two representatives from the following faith groups: Baha-i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Unitarian Universalism. Our Board meets monthly in the Greater Hartford area. For more information on our organization please visit or contact us. We welcome people of all ages, and religious backgrounds.
Please join us in promoting interreligious understanding through our society and world.
INTERFAITH CALL FOR UNITY - IN RESPONSE TO FORT HOOD ATROCITY
(Written by San Francisco Interfaith Council – adopted by consensus of CCIU Board 11/19/09)
The atrocity that took place on November 5 at Fort Hood, Texas, is a tragedy that has undoubtedly brought sadness, anger and grief to many of our brothers and sisters. We mourn along with the families, friends, military personnel and other loved ones who have been deeply hurt by the loss of so many innocent lives. We offer our prayers and support for the victims of this violent act and their families.
We fully support our Muslim brothers and sisters in our community who fear that these actions will make them vulnerable to discrimination and prejudice as the details of this incident unfold. We acknowledge with appreciation the public statements of many Muslim organizations condemning the atrocity at Fort Hood. This is a time when our faith communities need to come together so that all can be treated with respect without discrimination. Our faith traditions remind us to lovingly reach out to those most in need, and we want to make sure no one is excluded in the much needed embrace of communal prayer at this time.
Please join us in offering our prayers and good thoughts for all those affected by the recent killings in Fort Hood.
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Statement of Support for Baha'i Leader's in Iran
The Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding, Inc. (CCIU),
founded in 1994 with a commitment to mutual understanding and respect
for all religious traditions, strongly condemns the Government of Iran
for its "sham" trial of seven Baha'i leaders who have been imprisoned
since the April of 2008. It appears that the Iranian Government is once
again using its courts as an instrument of religious persecution in
blatant violation of international human rights law.
CCIU calls on the Iranian Government to cease the long-time,
state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority. Some 300,000 Baha'is
live throughout Iran, making the Baha'i Faith the country's largest
minority religion. The persecution of Baha'is in Iran has been taking
place since the religion began there in the mid-nineteenth century, and
more than 200 Baha'is have been killed or executed since the Islamic
Republic of Iran came to power in 1979. In addition to the seven Baha'i
leaders, there are 40 other Baha'is in Iranian prisons solely for their
religious beliefs.
CCIU calls for a just, fair, and open trial respecting all international
standards and obligations, including allowing independent observation of
the judicial proceedings.
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