Reflections from the Cultural Advisory Council

Printer-friendly version

Compiled by Urantia Foundation staff

The purpose of the Cultural Advisory Council is to facilitate the mission of the Urantia Foundation in seeding The Urantia Book and its teachings globally; enhance the cultural awareness, compassion, and wisdom of our dissemination efforts; provide for council members to acquaint themselves with Urantia Foundation—its mission, vision, and values; foster partnerships between council members and the Foundation to support readership within their respective cultures; and facilitate relationships and mutual understanding among members of the council.

For the first two-year term, the advisors represented Taiwan, Poland, Colombia, and Brazil. They attended quarterly meetings to learn about different aspects and programs of Urantia Foundation. In addition, they each made a presentation to the board describing the history, culture, and inroads the book is making into their country.

Everyone involved concurs how beneficial the experience has been. We have invited our current advisors to join the new members in the upcoming second term by attending our meetings. This way the council grows and maintains continuity.

Following is a list of the five most important things our advisors learned and gained by participating on the council.

Stephy (Yi-Hsuan) Hsu

Stephy (Yi-Hsuan) Hsu of Taiwan, currently living in New York

1. I gained an appreciation of the passion and dedication of readers of The Urantia Book.

2. Sharing Taiwanese culture and learning from other members of the council inspired me and fostered a mutual appreciation for cultural exchange.

3. I enjoyed connecting and networking with a global community of individuals who are enthusiastic about The Urantia Book.

4. Discussing and participating in the workshops provided me with a deeper understanding of the book’s teachings, leading to greater spiritual insight.

5. My experience with CAC gave me a deeper sense of purpose.

Krystyna Wardega-Piasecka

Krystyna Wardega-Piasecka of Poland, currently living and working in Norway

1. The people at Urantia Foundation are warm and friendly; it is not a cold institution.

2. None of us can have a full understanding of the nation or culture from which we come.

3. I learned some possible reasons for the lack of mutual trust of Poles and how this probably has led to a misconception of Poland in other countries.

4. Revising one's culturally entrenched views through conversation, observation, and exploration is an important step in one’s development.

5. Everyone should have the experience of acquainting themselves with other cultures and their perception of the content of The Urantia Book.

Jaime Eduardo Rey Albornoz

Jaime Eduardo Rey Albornoz of Colombia

1. I gained an understanding of the internal workings of the Foundation and its efforts to preserve and make the revelation known.

2. I developed a better grasp of the work of different Urantia related organizations.

3. I became more aware of the work that is done by Urantia readers within Colombia.

4. Working with the CAC confirmed the importance of Urantia study groups.

5. I became conscious of the efforts being made by different cultures to make the revelation known, and some common challenges that arise from those efforts.

Marcos Dalmolin

Marcos Dalmolin of Brazil

1. I learned more about not only the external work, but also the thinking that governs the Foundation's decisions and actions.

2. I gained an understanding of the complexity involved in the process of making the book available in different languages while maintaining fidelity to the original text.

3. My understanding grew through interactions with people from other countries and cultures, and I learned about the doubts and difficulties that can arise when working to acquire collaborators, financial resources, and in disseminating The Urantia Book.

4. I realized that as much as we have already achieved in terms of dissemination in Brazil, we are far from being finished with our work; there is much more to do.

5. Moving forward, I am curious to see how the Foundation will use the CAC initiative to deepen its relationship with local associations.