At a meeting in New York City on 28 April 2016, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies was approved as an NGO (Non-governmental organisation) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (UN DPI).
The approval was granted by UN DPI as the OCHS is engaged in activities aligned to the aims and objectives of the United Nations. This new status allows the OCHS to be a formal partner for sharing of news and information about UN activities. It also grants OCHS staff access to weekly NGO briefings at the UN Headquarters in New York City, the annual UN DPI/NGO conference (this year to be held in South Korea), and other UN meetings in New York.
The granting of UN DPI status for the OCHS is a reflection our increased work internationally, particularly through our Bhumi Project.
Last year the OCHS participated in the Bristol Faith Commitments, and earlier this year we attended the launch of the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development in Berlin. Through these opportunities, and others, the OCHS and Bhumi are increasingly being asked to offer Hindu perspectives on international development.
Gopal Patel, Director of Bhumi, commented, “This formal association with the UN will help our work. It will allow us to increase our networks, learn from others in the field, and provide a mature Hindu perspective on global matters.”
The OCHS would like to thank Kusumita P. Pederson, Martin Palmer of ARC, and our colleagues at the UN for their help and support in making this association possible.
