About Us

Purpose

Our purpose is to promote a consciousness shift toward our comprehensive interconnectedness as we affirm our identity in ethical culture. We celebrate the transcendent possibility in ethical culture through the practice of ethical behavior and joyful engagement in community life. We see ourselves as change agents who connect with the emerging collective determined to bring about the evolution of consciousness. We dedicate ourselves to promoting and enhancing the highest principles at the United Nations, the AEU Federation and the culture of peace worldwide. We support all humanitarian work that is based in reciprocity and mutuality. We understand humanitarian work as vital not only to the relief of suffering but as essential to building a peaceful world.

We see our role at the United Nations as advocates for emergent holistic systems such as peace building, universality in human and earth rights, pluralism based in transparency and accountability and the end of inequitable distribution of this world’s wealth. While, originally, the UN was founded upon the sovereignty of nation states, we now believe that nation states in order to assert their true sovereignty, must cooperate with one another more effectively. They can do more to promote economic and cultural diversity, to promote trust and alliances of civilization. We advocate for our country to adopt and implement those international instruments both binding and non‐binding necessary to promote world peace. It is time to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Criminal Court, Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and to adhere to the legal and spirit of all Resolutions.

You will find us speaking at local Societies and Circles as we support all ethical action projects that reflect this consciousness change. You will find us in the AEU on the Presidents’ Council, and on national Committees. We inaugurated the Rose L Walker Fund, which grows in the AEU restricted funds account. You will find us at the UN – on the Executive Council of the CONGO Committee Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, Chairing the Working Group on Climate Change with the Committee on Sustainable Development, on the sub‐committee against racism We are associated with the Department of Public Information, the Finance for Development Commission, and with those religious and non‐religious NGO’s who are peacebuilders. including the United Religions Initiative and the International Peace Day creators. Finally, you will find us in the world wide interspiritual movement especially through Interspirituality in Action.

Ms. Kay Dundorf, Riverdale, NES Treasurer, Dr. Sylvain Ehrenfeld, Bergen, NES Secretary, Ms. Martha Gallahue, Brooklyn, NES Leader/Secretary, Dr. Kurt Johnson, ESWOW, NES Vice‐President, Mrs. Lucile Kleiman, NYSEC, NES Vice‐President, Dr. Jackie Pope, NYSEC, NES President, and Rose L Walker, Sarasota, FL, NES President Emerita.

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History

The National Ethical Service, an organization affiliated with The American Ethical Union has been dedicated to the principles embodied in The United Nations from the time of its formal association with the Department of Public Information in l947.

Over the years, we have supported peace-building principles in collaboration with the Missions, UN agencies and other non-governmental organizations. We measure our success by our transforming educational initiatives, programs and actions in local societies that promote global citizenship and support for the highest ethical principles at the UN.

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Timeline

1911

Prior to the founding of the NSC, Felix Adler co-convenes with International Ethical Union an International Conference in London University called International Races Congress. W.E.B.Dubois joins with Adler to insure its success. Adler lays out a mission that NSC later adopts.

1929

The National Women’s Conference forms in order to participate in US Conference called The Committee on the Cause and Cure of War.

1947

The National Women’s Conference is affiliated with The United Nations. It continues to sponsor AEU Resolutions to promote peace, care of the environment, human rights, etc.

1968

The National Women’s Conference is affiliated with The American Ethical Union.

1983

The National Women’s Conference changes its name to The National Service Conference.

1997

The National Service Conference becomes official host of AEU Annual Assemblies. Our speakers of addressed such issues as the International Criminal Court, ethical approach to global engagement, plight of US refugees and their treatment, separation of Church and State, environmental issues, etc.

1998 and continuing

NSC members deliver Platform talks in local Societies.

l998

The NSC Representative is elected to The Council The Values Caucus at the UN. The VC offered several workshop at the NGO/DPI Conferences at The United Nations.

l999

The NSC is a founding member of The American Coalition for an International Criminal Court and shortly after The Faith and Ethics Based Caucus for the ICC at the UN.

2000

The National Service Conference joins The United Religious Initiative at The UN.

2001

The NSC is an accredited participant, represented by Lyndon Wilburg, at The World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, At the UN, he co-founded and Chaired the Sub-Committee Against Racism within the NGO Committee of Human Rights.

2001

Regular articles called From the UN are published in IHEU, Humanist Magazine, AEU, The Dialogue, CEBO, Council of Ethics-Based Organizations, and local Societies throughout the country by Sylvain and Phyllis Ehrenfeld.

2001

NSC passes AEU Resolution in support of the ICC.

2001

The NSC joins with other NGO’s at the UN to launch The Earth Values Caucus. NSC continues to co-sponsor workshops at NGO/DPI World Conferences through the Earth Values Caucus. NSC joined The Earth Charter Initiative.

2002

The NSC (Richard Hobbs) participates at both The Finance for Development Conference in Monterey, Mexico and The World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. Martha speaks on a panel at a side event. We are accredited to Commission Finance for Development and in process of forming an official Earth Values Committee at the UN.

2002

The NSC partners with InterSpiritual Dialogue, an international movement originating in The Brooklyn Society. Kurt Johnson inspirited this group to become The InterSpiritual Dialogue in Action and collaborated to form The Coalition for One Voice and other inter-spiritual global collectives.

2003

Richard Hobbs, ESQ, founds The Human Agenda Initiative after his NSC representation to the FfD Conference, in San Jose, CA. This initiative is now known as The Human Agenda Vision

2003

The NSC, (MG) along with other NGO’s witnesses against sex-trafficking in several areas in Russia with The Angel Coalition.

2003

NSC member, Paul Raynault launches Student World Assembly on east coast at UN Church Center. SWA was formerly accepted into the AEU’s ethical action agenda in 2006 and thrives on hundreds of college campuses in nearly 40 countries and boasts of over 13,000 members. Its office is at New York Society for Ethical Culture

2003

NSC is invited to present NSC workshops at AEU National Assemblies. Its annual meetings take place during the Assembly.

2004

NSC hosts its 75th anniversary celebration at New York Society for Ethical Culture honoring Rose Walker; Lucile Kleiman, chair of event, Jeffrey Huffines, Baha'i International, speaker.

2004

NSC, through InterSpiritual Dialogue, presents a program (KJ & MG) at The Parliament of the World's Religions, Barcelona, Spain.

2004

DPI/NGO Annual World Conference, Millennium Development Goals, Martha Gallahue launches first Networking sub-Committee.

2004

American Ethical Union passes Resolution in support of Millennium Development goals.

2004

UNA/USA in New Jersey: Phyllis and Sylvain Ehrenfeld co-found a UNA/USA Bergen Chapter. Phyllis is elected President. This Chapter is quickly becoming one of the liveliest in the country and joins with Bergen Ethical Society. Their programs have hosted UN officials and specialists of state and national prominence.

2004

New NGO Committee: Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns is launched at UN; Martha Gallahue forms working group, Universal Ethics and Global Concerns, and is elected to The Executive Council. www.csvgc-ny.org

2005

NSC hosts Barry Lynn, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, at The American Ethical Union National Assembly, Northern Virginia.

2006

NSC passes two AEU Resolutions, in Support of a US Department of Peace in the US Government, and on Declaring support for US withdrawal of all troops from the Iraq along with restitution to damage of Iraq’s infra-structure.

2007

NSC sponsors and secures passage of three National Ethical Action Proposals – implementation of the Millennium Development Goals in local Societies, support for The United Religious Initiative, and formal support for SWA.

2007

NSC joins NGO Committee on the Ageing at the UN.

2007

NSC, through Committee Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns launches a Week of Spirituality in honor of The Spirit of the UN in October.

2008

NSC opens The Rose L. Walker Global Fund at the AEU and launches its web site.

2008

Dr. Gerald North speaks at NSC Annual Assembly luncheon in Austin, Texas. Dr. North, trained meteorologist, has testified before the US Congress several times.

2010

The National Service Conference changes its name to National Ethical Service

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Visit the archives page for copies of Platform Talks on UN related issues delivered throughout the country.

Visit the links page for further information on the various coalitions mentioned in history.

Visit www.cebo.org for articles From the UN

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