Religion and Peacemaking

Subtitle:

Supporting Religious Communities in the Work of Peacemaking

Short Description:

The Religion and Peacemaking program conducts research, identifies best practices, and develops new peacebuilding tools for religious leaders and organizations; helps define and shape the field of religious peacebuilding; and in cooperation with USIP's other Centers, develops and implements integrated strategies for the Institute's conflict-specific work, including projects with religious communities in zones of conflict.

Introduction:

Work in Zones of Conflict

Pakistan [1] - USIP is working with ulama and madrassa administrators in Pakistan to prepare teaching modules for madrassas on subjects relating to peace, tolerance, and pluralism.
Afghanistan [2] - Working with a local partner, USIP is building the conflict management skills of religious scholars in the Islamic tradition.
Iran [3] - As a means of promoting peace between our two countries and enhancing peacemaking skills, USIP is helping to organize exchanges between American Muslims and their Iranian counterparts.
Iraq [4] - USIP is working with the Council of Representatives' Religious Affairs Committee to support religious reconciliation and pluralism throughout Iraq.
Colombia [5] - To encourage ecumenical collaboration to broaden and strengthen religious peacemaking, we are working with Catholic and Protestant organizations to support the peace work of women.
Sri Lanka [6] - USIP is supporting efforts to train religious leadership from each of Sri Lanka's four main religious communities in conflict transformation theory, and to support their efforts in implementing local peace projects.
Northern Uganda [7] - USIP has commissioned an Ethiopian expert on post-conflict reconciliation to advise Acholi religious leaders on how they can promote reconciliation in northern Uganda now that the war is winding down.

Parent Center:

Centers of Innovation [8]

Leadership:

David R. Smock [9]

Image:

Muslim women at the market, Zanzibar (Credit: World Bank/Scott Wallace)

Featured (HTML):

Online Course on Interfaith Conflict Resolution
[10]

USDLA 2009 Awards Logo USIP's Religion and Peacemaking and the Education and Training Center International division worked cooperatively to produce this online introductory course, which is available free of charge. This course is designed to enhance the peacemaking capacities of individuals and faith-based organizations by focusing on objectives, methods, and best practices of interfaith dialogue. The course applies these general principles to two case studies, highlighting interfaith peacemaking efforts between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, as well as the role that various faith communities played in helping to bring and end to the 36-year internal armed conflict in Guatemala.

USIP won The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) "Best Practices Silver Award" for 2009, following the release of the online course, "Interfaith Conflict Resolution." The "Best Practices in Distance Learning Programming" award is given to organizations that have designed and delivered outstanding and comprehensive best practices distance learning programming for an individual program or a series of programs.

Curricular Material for Madrassas
In Indonesia, USIP is working with local Islamic scholars and clergy to develop curricular materials that provide contemporary interpretations of Islamic texts on peace, violence, interfaith relations, human rights, the status of women, and the environment. Materials developed in Aceh have been piloted and embraced by local ulama. The materials are currently being translated into English and Arabic for dissemination to other countries.

Islamic Peacemaking
In August 2006, USIP brought together Muslim scholars to discuss critical issues related to reform, conflict, peacemaking, and human rights. Papers written by the international group of Muslim scholars who participated in the conference are currently being turned into a book. The work reflects serious thinking and reflection on obstacles and opportunities in reforming Muslim attitudes in peace and conflict management.

Religious Peacemaking in the Middle East
USIP press published a book entitled Unity in Diversity [11] in 2007 by prominent Muslim scholar Mohammed Abu-Nimer (formerly a JR Senior Fellow). This book gives an overview on interfaith dialogue and religious peacemaking efforts in several Middle Eastern countries.

Religious Peacemaking in Africa: Film and Workshops
In collaboration with long-time partners at the Interfaith Mediation Centre in Nigeria, USIP supported the production of a documentary that highlights the religious peacemaking methodology of Pastor Wuye and Imam Ashafa. This documentary has formed the basis for workshops in countries throughout Africa to help develop strategic inter-religious peacemaking capacity.

Special Projects in Religion and Peacemaking

Featured Initiatives:

Religion, Conflict, and Education [12]

Featured Resources:

The Current Status of Religious Coexistence and Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina [13]