Temple of Understanding

The Temple of Understanding is an interfaith organization founded in New York City in 1960 by Juliet Hollister. It was established around the idea that religious and spiritual traditions could contribute to peace when their representatives met in a setting based on mutual respect, education, and freedom of conscience. Rather than functioning as a religious denomination or a conventional membership association, the Temple has operated as a platform for interfaith dialogue, public education, youth development, international convening, and social action. The organization’s early work was shaped by a broad network of religious, political, and civic supporters. Among the figures associated with its founding network were Eleanor Roosevelt, U Thant, Pope John XXIII, and the 14th Dalai Lama. The Temple’s early international profile was built through Spiritual Summits, including gatherings in Calcutta in 1968 and Geneva in 1970. These meetings brought together religious and spiritual leaders from different traditions to discuss intolerance, injustice, religious persecution, and the role of spirituality in public life. Spiritual Summit V, held in 1975, was described as the first interfaith conference at the United Nations and included Mother Teresa as a representative of the Catholic Church. The United Nations has remained a central institutional setting for the Temple. The organization was encouraged in 1960 to become a nongovernmental organization and to connect its work with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. It has subsequently maintained a presence at United Nations events, where it has attended conferences, organized workshops and lectures, and incorporated international development and religious-freedom themes into its programming. The Temple is described as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a nongovernmental organization with consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its stated mission is to support peaceful coexistence among individuals, communities, and societies through interfaith education. The organization emphasizes experiential learning and sustained conversation across religious and cultural boundaries. Its programmatic goals include increasing appreciation of religious and cultural diversity, expanding public discussion of religion and spirituality, encouraging constructive social change, and advancing education for global citizenship. The Temple’s work therefore sits at the intersection of religion, human rights, peacebuilding, education, and civic participation. The organization has also used awards and public programming to extend its influence. The Juliet Hollister Awards, established in 1996, recognize religious and secular figures who bring interfaith values into worship, education, government, media, science, the arts, law, ecology, and social justice. The award’s recipients have included religious leaders, public officials, educators, artists, activists, and advocates for peace and human rights. Youth education became another important part of the Temple’s work through the Interfaith Dialogue, Education, and Action program, known as IDEA. Designed for students aged 14 to 19, the program seeks to build leadership and critical-thinking skills, foster friendships across ethnic, cultural, and religious communities, and help underserved young people develop tools for lifelong learning and civic participation. In 2007, the Temple launched The Interfaith Experience at New York’s Rubin Museum of Art. The series brought artists, thinkers, religious figures, and other public voices together to explore the relationship between faith, creativity, and intellectual life. By the late 2000s, the Temple was characterized as a leading organization in the interfaith movement. Its continuing identity is that of a convening and educational nonprofit rather than a consumer-facing commercial brand, with its reputation derived from interreligious dialogue, United Nations engagement, leadership development, awards, lectures, and public programs.

The Temple of Understanding emerged in New York City in 1960 through the initiative of Juliet Hollister. Its founding premise was that religious diversity should be treated as a resource for peace and social understanding rather than as a cause of division. The organization was conceived as an interfaith platform capable of bringing representatives of different traditions into sustained conversation about religious freedom, human rights, conflict, and social responsibility. From its earliest period, the Temple cultivated relationships with prominent figures in international affairs and religious life. Its network of “Founding Friends” included Eleanor Roosevelt, U Thant, Pope John XXIII, and the 14th Dalai Lama. Eleanor Roosevelt’s encouragement was particularly significant in the organization’s effort to operate as a nongovernmental organization connected to the principles of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That article protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, themes that became central to the Temple’s public identity. The Temple’s first major international initiatives were its Spiritual Summits. A gathering in Calcutta in 1968 and another in Geneva in 1970 convened religious and spiritual leaders from different communities. Their discussions addressed intolerance, injustice, persecution, and the possibility of cooperation across doctrinal boundaries. The summit model made the Temple a convener rather than an advocate for one particular faith. It also helped establish a durable relationship between interfaith exchange and international diplomacy. Spiritual Summit V, held in 1975, marked an important institutional milestone because it took place at the United Nations and was described as the first interfaith conference held there. The participation of Mother Teresa as a Catholic representative was also notable in the account of the event. The Temple continued its involvement with the United Nations through conferences, lectures, workshops, and other programs. Its work later incorporated the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals, linking interfaith education with global development, religious liberty, and the responsibilities of global citizenship. The organization’s public programming broadened over time. In 1995, it hosted a New York event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. In 1996, it established the Juliet Hollister Awards in honor of its founder. The awards recognize people who express interfaith principles in religious settings as well as in fields such as education, government, media, science, social justice, law, ecology, and the arts. The range of recipients reflects the Temple’s view that interfaith understanding has civic and cultural applications beyond formal religious institutions. Youth development became a further area of focus through the Interfaith Dialogue, Education, and Action program. IDEA serves students aged 14 to 19 from different cultural backgrounds and aims to develop leadership, critical thinking, cross-community friendship, and habits of lifelong learning. The program also presents interfaith education as a tool for underserved young people and as a way to challenge social exclusion and the cycle of poverty. In the fall of 2007, the Temple launched The Interfaith Experience at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York. The series explored how faith informs artistic and intellectual practice, using conversations with artists, religious leaders, and scholars to bring interfaith themes into a public cultural venue. Participants included figures from the arts, contemplative traditions, and different religious communities. By 2008, the Temple was described as a leading organization in the interfaith movement. It has continued to define itself through education, dialogue, awards, youth leadership, public events, and engagement with the United Nations. Available reference material does not establish a commercial product business, public-company structure, or corporate parent. The Temple is instead presented as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and nongovernmental organization with consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its principal institutional asset is its network and convening role: creating settings in which religious and cultural differences can be examined through education, shared experience, and cooperation on social and global concerns.

• 2008

  Recognized as a leading interfaith organization

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material characterized the Temple as a leading organization within the interfaith movement.

• 2007

  The Interfaith Experience launched

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  A public program at the Rubin Museum of Art explored the relationship between faith, creativity, and intellectual work.

• 1996

  Juliet Hollister Awards established

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  The organization created awards recognizing contributions to interfaith understanding and the application of spiritual values in public life.

• 1995

  United Nations 50th anniversary event hosted

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  The Temple hosted a major New York celebration marking five decades of the United Nations.

• 1975

  Spiritual Summit V held at the United Nations

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  The Temple organized an interfaith conference at the United Nations, with Mother Teresa representing the Catholic Church.

• 1970

  Spiritual Summit held in Geneva

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  A Geneva summit expanded the Temple’s international interfaith dialogue network.

• 1968

  Spiritual Summit held in Calcutta

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  The Temple convened an international gathering of religious and spiritual leaders to discuss intolerance, injustice, and religious persecution.

• 1960

  Temple of Understanding founded

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  Juliet Hollister founded the organization in New York City to advance interfaith dialogue, religious understanding, and peaceful coexistence.

• 1960

  United Nations-oriented NGO direction established

  [1]Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org

  The Temple was encouraged to become a nongovernmental organization and to connect its work with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, especially freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

A non-denominational interfaith education and peacebuilding organization that connects religious diversity, human rights, youth leadership, and United Nations engagement.

• Youth education and leadership

  Interfaith Dialogue, Education, and Action (IDEA)

  IDEA is an educational and leadership-development program for young people aged 14 to 19. It brings students from different cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds into shared learning environments. The program focuses on critical thinking, leadership skills, friendship across community boundaries, lifelong learning, and the development of civic confidence, with particular attention to underserved youth.

• Public cultural and educational programming · 2007

  The Interfaith Experience

  The Interfaith Experience was launched at the Rubin Museum of Art in 2007 as a public series examining how faith influences artistic and intellectual work. Its format brought together artists, religious figures, contemplative teachers, and other thinkers for conversations intended to make interfaith inquiry accessible beyond formal religious institutions.

• Awards and recognition · 1996

  Juliet Hollister Awards

  Established in 1996, the Juliet Hollister Awards honor religious and secular figures who advance interfaith values in settings such as worship, education, government, media, science, the arts, social justice, law, and ecology. The program extends the Temple’s mission by recognizing both spiritual leadership and practical contributions to more understanding communities.

• International interfaith conferences · 1968

  Spiritual Summits

  The Spiritual Summits were major convenings of religious and spiritual leaders from diverse traditions. Early gatherings in Calcutta, Geneva, and later at the United Nations addressed intolerance, religious persecution, injustice, and cooperation across faith communities. They helped establish the Temple’s identity as an international convener and dialogue organization.

• 2007

  Launch The Interfaith ExperienceProduct launch

  Background

  The Temple sought to bring questions of faith and religious understanding into a public cultural setting and to explore their relationship with creativity.

  Action taken

  It introduced a lecture and conversation series at the Rubin Museum of Art featuring artists, thinkers, and religious leaders.

  Aftermath

  The initiative extended the Temple’s educational mission into museum and cultural programming.

  Source

• 1996

  Create the Juliet Hollister AwardsOther

  Background

  The Temple sought to recognize people who expressed interfaith values not only in religious institutions but also in civic and professional life.

  Action taken

  It established an annual or recurring awards framework named for founder Juliet Hollister.

  Aftermath

  The awards broadened the organization’s public recognition work across religion, education, government, arts, science, social justice, and ecology.

  Source

• 1960

  Adopt an interfaith and United Nations-oriented nonprofit strategyStrategy

  Background

  The Temple was founded during a period of growing international attention to human rights, religious freedom, and dialogue among religious traditions.

  Action taken

  The organization pursued a nongovernmental and interfaith model connected to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and later developed a relationship with the United Nations.

  Aftermath

  This direction shaped the Temple’s subsequent emphasis on international conferences, religious freedom, education, and United Nations engagement.

  Source

1. 1Temple of Understandingen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Temple of Understanding official websitetempleofunderstanding.org