New global Unitarian and Universalist community launches with open membership

The International Community of Unitarians and Universalists has launched as a democratically governed nonprofit after five years without a global coordinating body. The new group says it will welcome individual, congregational and organizational members across six continents and expand support for liberal faith communities worldwide.

Why it matters: - The launch fills a five-year gap in global coordination for Unitarian and Universalist communities after the former international council dissolved in 2021. - The new model opens direct membership to individuals, not just institutions, which could broaden participation for diaspora communities, emerging fellowships and isolated seekers. - The organization is aiming to support progressive religious communities through leadership development, worship exchange, justice work and community building.

What happened: - The International Community of Unitarians and Universalists launched July 8, 2026, in Hartford, Connecticut, as an independent, globally governed nonprofit. - ICUU is now in its early launch phase, with membership open at icuu.org. - The group says it is built to strengthen Unitarian, Universalist and other progressive religious communities across six continents. - The new name distinguishes the organization from the former International Council of Unitarians and Universalists, which operated from 1995 until its dissolution in 2021.

The details: - Rev. Ary Nugroho, an ICUU Advisory Group member and president of the National Board of the Unitarian Christian Church of Indonesia, said the new ICUU is “not a restoration of the previous organization but a significant redesign for today’s world.” - Gabor Kiss, an Advisory Board member, said the former council functioned as an “institution of institutions,” while the new Community is intended to be broader and more inclusive. - Kiss said the organization will welcome established congregations, emerging fellowships, diaspora UUs and isolated seekers. - The Advisory Group includes Unitarians and UUs from North America, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. - Raquel Guillen, a human rights and social justice advocate who lives between Lima, Peru and the Peruvian countryside, said she values the new ICUU’s willingness to engage in social justice issues in Latin America. - Bruce Knotts, a former head of the Unitarian Universalist-United Nations Office, said the new ICUU has already drawn support from former leaders of the UUA, the former ICUU and groups including ICUU-W and UUWYN, or Unitarian Universalist Worldwide Youth Network. - Heidi vom Hagen, co-president of the URfG, said the group looks forward to working with the new ICUU in international Unitarian matters.

Between the lines: - The shift from “Council” to “Community” signals a move away from a delegate-heavy institutional structure toward a looser global network. - The emphasis on individual membership suggests ICUU is trying to reach people who may not fit inside traditional congregational systems. - Early endorsements from leaders tied to earlier Unitarian and Universalist institutions could help the new group establish legitimacy quickly.

What's next: - ICUU’s next step is likely to turn early launch momentum into active membership and programming. - The group will need to prove that its broader, more inclusive model can sustain international coordination and concrete justice and worship initiatives. - The organization says people can join now through its website.

The bottom line: - ICUU is trying to rebuild global Unitarian and Universalist cooperation with a more open, modern structure than its predecessor.