Planning Committee
Members of the
Planning Committee for the Day of Prayer and Action for Children

Dr. Kul Gautam, Convening Chair
Former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF

Rev. Dr. Hans Ucko, Vice Chair
President of Religions for Peace Europe, Fellow in Interfaith Relations at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut

Ms. Sarah Bernstein
Associate Director, Interreligious Coordinating Council, Israel

Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni 
Former Professor of Buddhism and Eastern Philosophy at Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand

Most Rev. Josiah Fearon
Bishop of Kaduna, Church of Nigeria

Ms. Meg Gardinier
Former Managing Director of Education and Community Partnerships, U.S. Fund for UNICEF

Dr. Heidi Hadsell
President, Hartford Seminary, USA

Rabbi Naamah Kelman
Dean, Hebrew Union College

Ms. Linda King
Director a.i., Division for the Promotion of Basic Education, UNESCO

Rev. Keiji Kunitomi
Deputy Director, General Affairs Bureau, Rissho Kosei-Kai, Japan

Ms. Junko Kunugi
Director, UNICEF Office in Tokyo

H.E. Felix Machado
Catholic Archbishop of Nasik, India

Prof. Anantanand Rambachan
Chair and Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies at St. Olaf College, Minnesota, USA

Ms. Mercedes Roman
GNRC Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, UN Representative, Defense for Children International

Dr. Mohammad Sammak
Advisor to the Mufti of Lebanon, Secretary-General of the Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue


Arigatou Foundation

Mr. Atsushi Iwasaki
GNRC Secretary General, Arigatou Foundation

Rev. Keishi Miyamoto
Representative, Arigatou Foundation, and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Myochikai

Ms. Agneta Ucko
Director, Arigatou International, and Secretary General, Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children