▪ May 16-18, 2000
First Forum of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) held at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo, Japan, with the participation of 294 people of faith from 7 religions and 33 countries and regions.

♦ May 18, 2000
GNRC Statement issued at the First Forum with four Group Reports.

♣ May 28 - June 3, 2000
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto visits the United Nations in New York to attend the 1st Substantive Meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session on Children of the United Nations General Assembly.

♥ June 30 - July 6, 2000
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto visits Switzerland and Italy to report on the First Forum of the GNRC, hold follow-up meetings, and express appreciation to The Holy See for its active participation in the Forum.

▪ July 1, 2000
1st GNRC Meeting held in Geneva.

♣ July 17, 2000
Appeal submitted to the leaders gathered for the G-8 Summit in Okinawa, including the GNRC Statement and four Group Reports adopted by the First Forum and the Prospectus and Outline of the GNRC.

▪ July 25-28, 2000
Conference of Children for the Coming Generation (CCG) held in Chiba, Japan, bringing together 213 youth from 40 countries and regions to discuss their own future. The CCG Message is created and sent to world leaders of every nation.

▪ August 27, 2000
2nd GNRC Meeting held in New York.

▪ October 13, 2000
3rd GNRC Meeting held in Tokyo, with 16 overseas participants.

♦ November 12, 2000
Following-up on the First Forum, the GNRC issues the position paper "Toward a Global Movement for Children in the 21st Century."

▪ December 21, 2000
First GNRC First Forum follow-up meeting held in New Delhi, India.

♣ January 14-17, 2001
Rev. Miyamoto visits New York for meetings with key GNRC members to prepare for the UN Special Session on Children.

♦ January 16, 2001
GNRC issues the position paper, "The Role of Religious People in the Global Movement for Children."

♣ January 26 - February 5, 2001
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto visits the United Nations in New York to attend the 2nd Substantive Meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session on Children of the United Nations General Assembly.

♦ January 26, 2001
GNRC issues the position paper, "The Approach of Religious People to the Eradication of Poverty."

♦ January 31, 2001
On behalf of the GNRC, the Arigatou Foundation makes a statement, "The Approach of Religious People to the Eradication of Poverty," at the 2nd Substantive Meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session for Children.

▪ February 3, 2001
4th GNRC Meeting held in New York.

▪ February 26 - March 3, 2001
GNRC Workshop for the South Asian Region on Children at Risk from Poverty and Other Deprivation held at Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement headquarters in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, with 43 participants from 7 countries. South Asian region GNRC network formed, and Statement issued.

♥ April 2001
Africa becomes the first world region to establish a regional GNRC Secretariat.

▪ April 17-22, 2001
GNRC First Forum follow-up meeting held in Central Asia in Baku, Azerbaijan.

♣ April 24-26, 2001
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Miyamoto attends the UNICEF-WCRP Interreligious Consultation in New York.

▪ April 27-28, 2001
Preparatory Meeting for GNRC initiatives in Latin America held in Lima, Peru.

♠ May 12, 2001
Rev. Takeyasu Miyamoto, President of the Arigatou Foundation and inaugurator of the GNRC, receives a "Certificate of Appreciation" for his many years of dedicated cooperation with UNICEF from Ms. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF.

▪ May 20-21, 2001
2nd GNRC First Forum follow-up meeting held in New Delhi, India, bringing together 40 participants to assess the situation of children from the standpoint of universal values and the principles of justice and equality.

♣ June 8-18, 2001
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto, with other GNRC members, visits the United Nations in New York to attend the 3rd Substantive Session of the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session on Children of the United Nations General Assembly.

♣ June 13, 2001
GNRC Panel Discussion on Best Practices among Religious NGOs Serving Children held as a side event during the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session on Children, featuring four GNRC members (more information available here).

▪ June 16, 2001
5th GNRC Meeting held in New York.

▪ June 15-18, 2001
East and Southern African Network of Religions for Children (ESANRC) inaugurated at a regional conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with 49 participants from 15 countries. ESANRC Statement issued.

▪ June 29-30, 2001
2nd GNRC Meeting in Central Asia held in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together 50 participants including religious people, scholars and children.

♣ July 4 - 10, 2001
Rev. Miyamoto visits Italy and The Holy See to request the participation of religious people in the GNRC Conference in New York scheduled for September 2001.

♣ July 30-31, 2001
GNRC participates in the UNICEF Workshop on the Global Movement for Children in London.

▪ October 11-13, 2001
GNRC Meeting on regional initiatives held in Tokyo.

♥ October 23-24, 2001
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Miyamoto attends the International Symposium of Leaders of the World's Religions in New York under the theme of "Rejecting Terrorism, Promoting Peace with Justice: Religious Respond."

♣ November 7-8, 2001
Rev. Miyamoto visits the Office of the President as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea to request assistance and cooperation with the GNRC regarding the UN Special Session on Children.

▪ December 14, 2001
GNRC Meeting held at the World Council of Churches in Geneva to discuss launch of initiatives in Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus, and the Middle East.

♥ December 18-20, 2001
GNRC members participate in the 2nd World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Yokohama, Japan.

▪ January 21, 2002
GNRC - India National Meeting held in Hyderabad, with 35 participants, forming the first national-level GNRC network.

♥ January 23-25, 2002
Rev. Miyamoto attends the Forum on the Contribution of Religions to Peace, where he offers remarks from the GNRC perspective on Jan. 23. He also attends the Day of the Prayer for Peace in the World in Assisi, at the invitation of His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

▪ February 1-3, 2002
GNRC Training Workshop on the Convention on the Rights of the Child held in Beirut, Lebanon, with 32 participants from Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan.

♣ May 8-10, 2002
Rev. Takeyasu Miyamoto, President of Arigatou Foundation, makes a statement on behalf of the GNRC to the United Nations General Assembly in New York during the general debate on the last day of the Special Session on Children (video available here).

♦ May 8, 2002
GNRC issues the "GNRC Statement on the Occasion of the Special Session on Children of the United Nations General Assembly."

▪ May 10, 2002
Children's Conference held as an official side event during the UN Special Session on Children under the theme of "For our Future," with 44 children from 17 countries in major world regions such as Europe, Africa and Latin America. The children presented 50,000 signatures to the CCG Message (out of a total number collected of 320,000) to UNICEF, and drew up a "List of actions," pledging to be active in building a better world.

▪ May 12-14, 2002
GNRC Conference held at Maryknoll facilities in New York, with 95 participants including 11 children from 33 of the world's countries and regions. Participants held discussions in small group sessions, by world region as well as by the theme (Healthy Lives & HIV/AIDS, Child Abuse and Violence, and Basic Education). Speakers from different religious traditions as well as secular experts on poverty contributed their insights in four keynote addresses.

♠ May 28, 2002
Rev. Takeyasu Miyamoto, President of the Arigatou Foundation and inaugurator of the GNRC, receives an award for his work in favor of children and the development of a culture of peace from the City of Florence.

♥ June 24-28, 2002
GNRC participates in the 6th Assembly of the Asian Conference on Religion and Peace in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

♣ July 25-26, 2002
Rev. Miyamoto attends the consultative meeting of senior NGO representatives held at UNICEF headquarters in New York in follow-up to the United Nations Special Session on Children.

▪ August 7-11, 2002
European Meeting of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) held in Lisbon, Portugal, with 47 people of faith, including 11 children, from 10 European countries. After four days of intensive discussions, a statement is adopted, proposing the formation of a GNRC - Europe regional network.

▪ September 4-7, 2002
Rev. Miyamoto visits Geneva, Switzerland in preparation for the Second Forum of the GNRC, to be held in 2004.

♥ September 24, 2002
In Sri Lanka, GNRC - South Asia Secretariat established.

▪ November 11-12, 2002
First Preparatory Meeting for the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held, with 30 participants, including eminent Japanese academics and political leaders, the GNRC regional coordinators, and representatives of international organizations.

▪ December 2-4, 2002
GNRC Latin America Conference held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 118 participants including 10 children from 23 countries throughout Latin America. Participants discussed the two problems, poverty and violence, which exert a profound influence on the children of Latin America. After three days of intensive discussions, a declaration was adopted.

♦ January 31, 2003
GNRC issues the "Statement on the Situation of Iraq."

▪ February 1, 2003
Arigatou Foundation Office in Geneva established to facilitate the work of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) and represent the Foundation in international affairs. Mrs. Agneta Ucko appointed Director.

♥ February 18, 2003
GNRC delivers "Children's Message to the World Calling for Peace in Iraq" created by children who participated in the Conference of Children for the Coming Generation in 2000 and the Children's Conference in New York in 2002 to the leaders of the United States and Iraq through their embassies in Japan.

▪ February 27 - March 1, 2003
Second Training Workshop on the Convention on the Rights of the Child held in Beirut, Lebanon, with 32 participants from 21 faith-based organizations.

▪ April 1-2, 2003
Regional Consultative Seminar on Spiritual and Ethical Values as Basic Principles of Child Education and Development held in Amman, Jordan, with 61 participants from Jordan, Palestine, the West Bank, and Lebanon. A statement by young people, entitled "The Fisher," was presented. After intensive discussions, a statement was adopted.

▪ April 11-12, 2003
GNRC - Europe Core Group Meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, with 9 participants from five European countries (plus Israel), representing four religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam).

♥ May 14, 2003
Dr. Han Seung-soo, member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, and Former President of the United Nations General Assembly, gives a lecture under the title "The Future of the United Nations: Where do we go from here?" at Myochikai headquarters in Tokyo.

♥ May 27-28, 2003
On behalf of the GNRC, Rev. Miyamoto attends the conference, "Rejecting Violence and Promoting Peace with Justice," organized by the International Executive Committee of the World Conference on Religion and Peace in Amman, Jordan.

▪ June 2003
GNRC Secretariat of the East and Southern African Network of Religions for Children (ESANRC) launches "Education for Peace Project" in Tanzania.

▪ June 5-7, 2003
Third GNRC Training Workshop on the Convention on the Rights of the Child held in Beirut, Lebanon, with 25 participants from the two different backgrounds of religious schools and NGOs.

▪ June 12-13, 2003
Second Preparatory Meeting for the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held in Geneva, Switzerland, with 25 participants including representatives of UNICEF and UNESCO, experts in the field of ethics and education, and the GNRC regional coordinators.

▪ July 12, 2003
First workshop of the Education for Peace project held in Tanzania, bringing together 35 young people, aged 16 to 23.

▪ July 15-23, 2003
GNRC Workshop for Children held in Lebanon, bringing together 38 youth participants between 15 and 18 years of age from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. After seven days of workshop activities and discussions, a children's statement was presented.

▪ August 26 - Sep 1, 2003
First GNRC Core Group Meeting for Central Asia and the Caucasus held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz, bringing together 19 people including representative of UNICEF and UNESCO and NGOs.

♣ November 20-21, 2003
Arigatou Foundation formally elected for membership in the NGO Group on the Convention on the Rights of the Child at the Group's General Assembly held in Geneva.

▪ December 16-17, 2003
Third Preparatory Meeting for the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held in Rome, Italy to refine the vision, mission, strategies, etc., of the Council, with 7 participants.

▪ February 2004
Myochikai (Arigatou Foundation) granted special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), partly in recognition of the global reach of GNRC initiatives.

▪ February 25-26, 2004
GNRC Conference on "Religion, Social Identity and Education Among Arabs and Jews in Israel" held at Neve Shalom / Wahat al-Salam in Israel, with 100 participants from Christianity, the Druze, Islam, and Judaism.

▪ February 28-29, 2004
GNRC Children's Core Group Meeting held in Florence, Italy, bringing together 10 participants from Tanzania, Argentina, Italy, Japan, and Jordan.

▪ April 27-30, 2004
GNRC Conference held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, under the theme of "Preventing and Overcoming Urban Juvenile Violence in Central America."

▪ May 17-19, 2004
Second Forum of the GNRC held in Geneva, Switzerland, with some 350 participants, including 38 young people, representing every major world religion and 68 countries. Interfaith Prayer for Peace was held on May 19.

▪ May 19, 2004
Establishment of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children formally announced.

▪ May 21-24, 2004
Yerevan Dialogue for the Children of Armenia held in Armenia.

▪ August 22-28, 2004
GNRC Regional Child Workshop on the Convention on the Rights of the Child held in Amman, Jordan, bringing together about 50 young people from Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq, under the theme of "My Right is to Live in Peace"

▪ November 22, 2004
GNRC South Asia Country Coordinator's Meeting held in Sri Lanka, with five national GNRC coordinators from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

▪ January 10-13, 2005
GNRC Conference held in El Salvador, under the theme of "Urban juvenile violence prevention and promotion of a culture of peace through the formation of the GNRC El Salvador."

▪ February 10-12, 2005
First Meeting of the Subcommittees of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held in Geneva, Switzerland.

▪ May 15-16, 2005
First Meeting of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held in Tokyo, Japan, followed by a Public Symposium on Ethics Education with the Council members.

▪ May 17, 2005
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan.

▪ July 18-21, 2005
Regional Training Workshop on Child Rights - Educational and Training Tools held in Amman, Jordan, with 60 children from Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon.

▪ September 7-12, 2005
GNRC Arab States regional members meet in Lebanon and Syria.

▪ November 18-20, 2005
Workshop on Ethics Education for Children for the Nordic Countries held in Stockholm, Sweden.

▪ November 21, 2005
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Stockholm, Sweden.

▪ December 4-8, 2005
GNRC 1st Regional Training Workshop on CRC for Monitors held in Amman, Jordan.

▪ December 5-8, 2005
Workshop on Ethics Education held in Bogota, Colombia.

▪ January 16-17, 2006
Second Meeting of the Committee of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held in Geneva, Switzerland.

▪ January 18, 2006
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland.

♥ February 14-23, 2006
GNRC and the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children hold a workshop on interfaith learning and ethics education to introduce the toolkit, on the occasion of the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

▪ April 21-23, 2006
Brazilian Congress of GNRC held in Curitiba, Brazil.

♥ May 9-11, 2006
GNRC and the Arigatou Foundation participate in global consultation on Mobilizing Religions to Address Violence against Children, organized by Religions for Peace and UNICEF together with University of Toledo and UNICEF Spain National Committee in Toledo, Spain.

▪ July 13-15, 2006
GNRC Youth Workshop held in Geneva, Switzerland.

▪ August 2-5, 2006
South Asia Workshop on Ethics Education for Children held in Coimbatore, India.

♥ August 26-29, 2006
GNRC Coordinators attend VIII World Assembly of the World Conference of Religions for Peace in Kyoto, Japan.

▪ August 27, 2006
Youth Workshop on Ethics Education held in Kyoto, Japan.

▪ August 29, 2006
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Kyoto, Japan.

▪ August 31 - September 2, 2006
Workshop on Ethics Education held in Salamanca, Spain.

▪ October 12, 2006
GNRC Europe interreligious meeting held in Brussels, Belgium.

▪ October 20, 2006
GNRC Europe, in cooperation with the Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, organizes a Multi-Faith Day Conference for Schools at the Solihull Civic Center in Birmingham, UK.

♥ October 21, 2006
Follow up meeting to the South Asia workshop on Ethics Education held in Coimbatore, India.

♥ November 4-8, 2006
Two youth representatives participate on behalf of GNRC and the Arigatou Foundation in the Interreligious Youth Meeting in Assisi, Italy organized by the Pontifical Council on Interreligious Dialogue to mark the 20th Anniversary of the 1986 meeting called by His Holiness John Paul II.

▪ November 16-18, 2006
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan.

▪ December 8-10, 2006
Toolkit testing workshop on Ethics Education for Children held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

▪ January 19-20, 2007
Jewish, Muslim and Christian Youth gather for the first Weekend Interfaith Learning Seminar in Israel.

♥ January 20-25, 2007
GNRC Africa youth participate in the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya.

▪ January 22-26, 2007
Training of Trainers Workshop on Ethics Education toolkit held in San Lorenzo, Ecuador.

▪ January 26-28, 2007
First Interfaith Colloquium for Young People on “Human Dignity” held in Brussels, Belgium.

▪ February 6-10, 2007
Training Workshop on Empowering Educators and Teachers to Promote Ethics Education through Interfaith Learning held in Amman, Jordan.

▪ February 16-20, 2007
Workshop on Ethics Education held and GNRC Venezuela launched in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

▪ February 23-27, 2007
Peace Building and Conflict Transformation Training Workshop for GNRC Africa youth held in Zanzibar.

▪ March 17-19, 2007
First meeting of the GNRC Third Forum Organizing Committee held in Tokyo, Japan.

▪ March 19-20, 2007
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan.

▪ April 23-27, 2007
Training Workshop to Empower Young Adults to Engage in Ethics Education and Interfaith Learning held in New Delhi, India.

▪ May 15, 2007
GNRC Coordinators Meeting and informal meeting of the GNRC Third Forum Organizing Committee held in Tokyo, Japan.

▪ May 15-17, 2007
The First Study Team Meeting of the GNRC-UNICEF Joint Study Project on Children in World Religions held in Tokyo, Japan.

▪ May 25-27, 2007
GNRC European Regional Meeting held in Paris, France.

▪ July 1-5, 2007
GNRC Africa conducts an animation training workshop for children, teachers and educators to promote ethics education and build peace.

▪ July 4-7, 2007
The Third GNRC Africa Peace Camp held in Zanzibar, on the occasion of the 10th Zanzibar International Film Festival.

▪ July 9-10, 2007
Third Meeting of the Committee of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children held in Versoix, Switzerland.

▪ July 11, 2007
GNRC Coordinators Meeting held in Versoix, Switzerland.

▪ July 12-13, 2007
Second Meeting of the GNRC Third Forum Organizing Committee held in Versoix, Switzerland.

▪ July 22-27, 2007
A Six-day Journey of Interfaith Learning and Peace Building for Jewish, Christian and Muslim youth held, visiting historical and religious sites of Israel and Palestine.

▪ July 5-10, 2007
GNRC Latin America holds meetings in Colombia and Panama.

▪ October 3 – 5, 2007
Rev. Miyamoto and a high-level GNRC delegation visit New York to meet with H.E. Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, Mme. Asha Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General, and other senior UN officials. H.E. Ban assures Rev. Miyamoto of his support for closer cooperation between the GNRC and the UN and its agencies.