Human Rights Commission 

Committee for Inter-Group Understanding (CIGU)

an on-going committee of the Human Rights Commission

Our work:

Inspired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s lifelong work on reconciling communities, the Committee for Inter-Group Understanding works to build peace and understanding among groups that have had deeply rooted conflict and honors the need for healing around the historic and current harms of injustice and oppression.

The committee does not currently hold meetings.

Goals:

1. Reduce racial and inter-group tensions in Portland.

2. Work to bridge the historic divide between communities of color and police.

Current projects:

1. Facilitate the Human Right’s Commission’s response to inter-group conflict

    and human rights abuses through the development of protocols.

2. Highlight the work of partner organizations and groups.

3. Organize public events focusing on inter-group understanding. 

Accomplishments:

1. Establish the Inter-Group Dialogue Project within the Office of Human

    Relations to further understanding across difference.

2. Held "Touchstones of Hope" presentation by Terry Cross of National Indian Child Welfare Association. Click here to see photos of the event. 

Guiding Values:

Truth Telling

Gives voice to, and recognizes, past harm, obliges it to be heard, and sets the scene for restoration.

Acknowledging

Allows participants to adopt equality, fairness, and balance as essential guide lines to building a stronger community.

Restoring

An opportunity for those who have done past harm to work in a respectful and trustworthy way with those who have experienced the harm to design and implement earnest steps to redress past harms and set framework in place to prevent their recurrence.

Relating

Requires that everyone works jointly to implement a set of core values, a vision, and a structure for best practice.