Vision

Our guiding image — our “one horizon” — is a society that works for everybody in it. We think of society as a vast commonwealth and each of us as equal participants in its risks and rewards. Working together as individuals and communities we can achieve a fair and sustainable human future.

We pursue our vision by:

• Supporting community building through shared action and networks of mutual interest.
• Providing resources to community-based non-profit organizations.
• Academic research in support of social and cultural transformation.

Working for Change

One Horizon resources the people we know who have a vision for their communities and who work hard to see them transformed. We’ve helped dozens of organizations meet their challenges while contributing to the quality of life of the people around them.

We believe that lasting change occurs through personal initiative, shared lives, commitment to local places, and support for institutions that serve the greater good. Such community building energy is the sign of healthy societies. It also provides the social underpinning for healthy political and economic development. This energetic part of our societies is often called civil society — and strengthening civil society is the focus of our attention.

One Horizon engages civil society through our own initiatives, through assistance to innovative organizations, and through cooperative networks and coalitions. We embrace shared interests, combined efforts and mutual concerns. And we work to overcome the excessively competitive partisan interests that divide us.

Values

Our world is made up of countless human communities. Many of these are religious, ethnic or political in nature. Most are concerned with local issues. Some are global in scope. All together these communities create a world of diversity that we respect and affirm.

Competing communities and their competing visions for the world often create conflict and hinder cooperation. We believe that by linking communities through shared action for the common good, instead of dividing our efforts along the lines of our competing beliefs, we can overcome conflict and find a way forward to a cooperative future.

In saying this, we want to be clear about our own values. Our work is enriched by the Christian tradition, a tradition that itself exists as a global community with a long history of humanitarian service and concern.

At its best, our tradition encourages common work for the common good, enhancing cooperation rather than diminishing it. We refer to this shared participation in the common good as “missional ecumenism” and practice it as faithfully as we can.

One Horizon is committed to a cooperative global future shared by Christians, other faith communities, and those communities defined by issues that have little to do with faith at all. We are happy to work with those who share very different perspectives as we all embrace our responsibilities for ethical and cooperative action