Fourth International Convocation of Unitarian*Universalist Women and People of Progressive Faiths
September 5–8, 2024 Cluj-Napoca/Kolozsvár, Romania
Organized by the International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women
And UNOSZ, the National Organization of Unitarian Women of Romania
In partnership with the Hungarian Unitarian Church
About 150 women and supporters of gender equity from around the world gathered in the historic Unitarian region of Transylvania.
Convocation Theme: “Weaving a Tapestry of Peace and New Perspectives”
Connect – Collaborate – Create
Impressions of the 4th International Convocation
More Impressions of the Fourth Convocation
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Summary of the 4th International Convocation of Unitarian * Universalist Women and People of Progressive Faiths, 5-8 September 2024, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. |
To illustrate the Convocation theme "Weaving a Tapestry of Peace and New Perspectives," each Convo participant was asked to bring a square of cloth carrying a personal significance - and to write about it on a piece of paper. This video is a tiny sample of the diversity and richness of the textiles, with inspiring stories that nurture the flame of our collective commitment to a more equitable, peaceful, and sustainable planet. |
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Dr. Porter has published and presented multi-lingually on women’s leadership and contributed to international NGOs’ programming for empowering people of all genders. She backs up words with action as a long-time Steering Committee member for Pitt’s Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies program. She teaches core courses on gender and education as well as anchors anthropological seminars on schools and culture, fostering democratic competencies, building culturally responsive research repertoires, and learning from Indigenous education’s best practices. She teaches using many arts-based pedagogies and experiential learning that gets students out of the classroom. |
A warm welcome to Transylvania, the birthplace of Unitarianism! Krisztina Sándor, co-president of the 4th Convocation and lay president of the Hungarian Unitarian Church, offers greetings from the House of Religious Freedom in Kolozsvár/Cluj. Formerly the residence of Unitarian bishops, the building is now a cultural center dedicated to the ideal of religious freedom and tolerance, recalling the 1568 Edict of Torda, the first law on religious freedom in Europe. |
The Convocation focused on the collective need for peace within ourselves and in our communities as we searched for ways to respond to intersecting global crises and uncertainties. The event was also be an opportunity to determine how to be more effective change-makers, weaving our own threads into a tapestry of a peaceful and sustainable tomorrow.
The event featured:
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Various expert speakers from around the world
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Workshops and creative expression
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Chalice circles
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Social events for fun and fellowship
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Visit of the House of Religious Freedom, one of the oldest and most significant 15th-century townhouses; once the residence of the Unitarian bishops, now a cultural center dedicated to the ideals of religious freedom and tolerance
Program. Please see the program schedule of the event.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Hesna Al Ghaoui, Hungary
Hesna Al Ghaoui is an award-winning television journalist, filmmaker, former war correspondent, and author of four books, with a special interest in human behavior, fear, and resilience. Born in Hungary of a Syrian father and a Hungarian mother, she gained her doctoral JD degree at the ELTE University of Budapest, Faculty of Law. She has worked as a documentary filmmaker and foreign affairs correspondent, reporting from many countries, including conflict zones in Afghanistan, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, Western-Sahara, and the Gaza strip.
As creator and host of a TV program titled "BABEL – The World with Hesna," she focused on exceptional life stories from all over the world, observing the appalling physical and mental effects of fear not only in combat zones but also in more peaceful countries.
Hesna's books include On the Land of Wars (focusing on her experiences as a war correspondent), Fear Bravely (addressing the nature of fear and how it can serve us in our everyday life), and Holli, the Hero (a children’s book about channeling fear into positive energy). She has been the goodwill ambassador of the Millennium Development Goals and regularly gives presentations about her experiences on the frontline and about the topic of fear, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.
Maureen K. Porter, USA
Maureen Porter has been an active member of First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh for nearly 20 years. She has served on the Social Justice Fund Committee, Campus Ministry Endowment, and advised Religious Education. A core member of the Khasi Hills team, she co-designed thematic services based on her pilgrimage to their partner Annie Margaret Barr School.
Maureen’s international interests began as a Rotary Exchange student in West Germany. She completed graduate work in Comparative and International Education Policy. As a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Porter takes full advantage of joint appointments in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and the Department of Anthropology. She co-leads the Institute for International Studies in Education (IISE), regularly sponsoring events on gender and leadership in international contexts, especially in Africa and Latin America.
Maureen is also a life-long fiber artist. Her grandmothers and mother nurtured her passion for sewing, quilting, weaving and rugmaking. Creative pursuits inspire and ground her after work, and lead to research in international textile and ethnic museums, where she foregrounds women artists who are pushing back traditional notions of what museums can contribute to public arts and gender equity.
Read More about our Keynote Speakers
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Location. Cluj-Napoca is the capital of Romania’s Transylvania region and the second-most populous city in the country. Currently ranked the 10th most livable city in Europe, it is a major academic center, with a thriving arts and culture scene and a booming tech sector.
The venues of the Convocation were the János Zsigmond Unitarian High School and the First Unitarian Church of Cluj/Kolozsvár, conveniently located next to each other in the city center.
The most famous son of the city, from a Unitarian perspective, is Francis David (Dávid Ferenc), the founder of the Hungarian Unitarian Church. Under the influence of his teachings, Prince John Sigismund (János Zsigmond) of Transylvania became a Unitarian; in 1568, at the Diet of Torda, an unprecedented decree of religious tolerance and denominational diversity was proclaimed, laying the foundations for freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
