Our Founder

Audrey E. Kitagawa

Audrey E. Kitagawa, J.D.

President and Founder

"In the seemingly ordinariness of daily living is the power of transformation. Individual transformation arises out of awareness, and a willingness to change to become a better person right where we are. We each have personal responsibility and collective responsibility to make positive changes here and now."

Background

Audrey E. Kitagawa, J.D., is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, the President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, the Chair of the Anti-Racism Initiative and the Gender Equality Working Group of the G20 Interfaith Forum, and the former Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations.

She is a United Nations Representative for the United Religions Initiative, an Ambassador of Religions for Peace International, and Chair Emerita of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, A Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. She has been enstooled into the royal family as the Nekoso Hemaa, (i.e. Queen Mother of Development), of Ajiyamanti in Ghana, West Africa, and has a school which she helped to build named after her in her African name, the Nana Ode Anyankobea Junior Secondary School.

She wrote the chapter, Crossing World Views, The Power of Perspective in the Hawaii Japanese American Experience, which was published in a book about multiculturalism, communication and Asian women entitled, Learning In The Light. Her chapter, Globalization As The Fuel For Religious And Ethnic Conflict has been published in the book, Globalization And Identity, Cultural Diversity, Religion and Citizenship. Her article, The Role Of Identity In The Rise And Decline of Buddhism In Hawaii, The 50th State Of The United States Of America, has been published in Sambodhi, a Buddhist Journal. She published articles in World Affairs The Journal Of International Issues, entitled, The Power of Om: Transformation of Consciousness, and Practical Spirituality. She wrote the chapter, The US In Foreign Affairs: Source of Global Security, Or Source of Global Fear? in the book, America and The World: The Double Bind.

She has been listed in Who's Who Of American Law, Who's Who Of American Women, Who's Who In America, Who's Who In The World, and Prominent People of Hawaii. She is the recipient of the Medal “Pride of Eurasia” and a Diploma from the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University for her outstanding contribution to the development of spiritual culture and education in Eurasia. She is the recipient of the Spirit of the UN Award which is given to outstanding individuals who have demonstrated the vision and spirit of the United Nations as expressed through the UN Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She was conferred an Honorary Interfaith Minister degree by the New Seminary.

Content

September 21, 2023

11 Days of Global Peace – “PEACE”

September 20, 2023

Bringing “Peace Through Unity:” An Interfaith Exploration

September 19, 2023

Women as Powerful Agents of Transformation for Peace

September 13, 2023

Peace Week Assembly 2023

August 6, 2023

Honoring the 2nd Annual Nuclear Prayer Day - August 6, 2023

July 31, 2023

Saving Seeds & Storytelling For Survival: A Woman's Perspective

June 23, 2023

World Unity Week 2023: Promoting Human Security Through Love

June 22, 2023

FOR THE LOVE OF LIFE: Finding Our Way to an Ecological Civilization

May 17, 2023

World Unity Week 2023: New Earth Rising - Assembly 2

March 29, 2023

Advancing Security and Sustainability at the G7 Hiroshima Summit

March 16, 2023

TIME OF PROPHECY: Walking in the Prayers of Our Ancestors

March 14, 2023

"Is there gender in/ equality in religion and society?"

March 13, 2023

A Conversation with Audrey Kitagawa & Jon Ramer

March 10, 2023

Interfaith Service of Remembrance & Gratitude

February 23, 2023

RELIGICIDE: Examining Religious, Ethnic, and Racial Violence

February 20, 2023

NIU NOW: Reconnecting to the Tree of Life

February 14, 2023

New Pathways to Peace: The International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation

February 12, 2023

Women's Interfaith Network of the United Religions Initiative Monthly Meeting

November 16, 2022

CHINA Town Hall 2022 : Exploring Pathways to Peace in the U.S.-China Relationship

October 25, 2022

"Anti-Racism" Why the concept 'Unity in Diversity' doesn't work for everyone.

October 18, 2022

Birthing a New World – 13th Annual Global Oneness Summit & Celebration 2022

October 2, 2022

International Center for Religion and Diplomacy – Day of Nonviolence

September 29, 2022

Meaningful World – 2022 United Nations International Day of Peace

September 26, 2022

Remembering the True Self and the Sacred Nature of Service

September 22, 2022

The Diplomacy Imperative: Human Security, Illusory Security, and Nuclear Weapons

September 21, 2022

International Day of Peace: 11 Days of Global Unity

September 16, 2022

International Day of Peace Observance

August 23, 2022

Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of India's Independence

August 22, 2022

Interfaith Leadership & Sustainable Development

August 16, 2022

Gorbachev/Shultz Legacy Youth Award and Youth Fusion

August 12, 2022

All Faiths Seminary 2022 Graduation, Ordination, and Celebration

August 3, 2022

Securing the Future: Disarmament Education as a Transformative Tool for Youth Empowerment

June 24, 2022

Concrete Movement Toward Unitive Justice and Global Security

June 21, 2022

IF20: European Policy Conversations of Religion and Sustainable Development

June 18, 2022

World Unity Week: Day One Opening Ceremony

June 7, 2022

FIDELA, The Second Interreligious Forum of the Americas

February 25, 2022

Mining in the Congo, Eco Justice for all Dialogue

February 22, 2022

The Gift of Aloha (Love) In Selfless Service

February 22, 2022

Lessons From My 7 and Half Years, Often 24/7 Work with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

February 19, 2022

The Gift of Aloha (Love) Pacific Islanders and Indigenous Peoples Share Their Sacred Values

January 25, 2022

Unity Earth Symposium - Coming Home Together

December 1, 2021

The Sacred Quality of Water in Religious Beliefs and Practices

August 17, 2021

Gender Equality Episode 3 - Made in the Image of God: The Role of Sacred Texts in Helping or Hindering Gender Equality

August 9, 2021

Reflections

July 6, 2021

VOICES for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons; "Deep Dive" with Audrey Kitagawa, J.D.

May 20, 2021

2021 World Unity Week - Ben Bowler & Audrey E. Kitagawa

May 6, 2021

Hans Küng, Thought Pioneer in Religious and Secular Spaces

May 5, 2021

Sexual Harassment in Interfaith Spaces

April 27, 2021

Power Dynamics In The Perpetuation of Gender Inequality

June 19, 2019

365 Pebbles a Year

May 1, 2010

100 Words, 200 Visionaries

January 1, 2006

Globalization as the Fuel of Religious and Ethnic Conflicts

November 1, 2002

Practical Spirituality

February 28, 1997

Pluralism and Self-Identity

January 7, 1997

Transcending Diversity

I Am but a Pencil in the Hand of God​

Crossing World Views: The Power of Perspective and ​the Hawai'i Japanese American Experience

The Role Of Identity In The Rise And Decline Of Buddhism In Hawaii, The 50th State Of The United States Of America

The Power of OM: Transformation of Consciousness

The 2nd Annual Nuclear Prayer Day – Audrey Kitagawa, J.D.