Free To Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty In America
2019-11-14 12:00 - 13:30 UTC | Rumi Forum, 2000 P Street NW Suite #503, Washington, DC, 20036, United States
A Fresh Perspective on Religious Freedom from One of the Nation’s Top Attorneys.
Many Americans feel like their religious freedoms are under attack and their beliefs will soon be punished as a form of bigotry. Others say these fears are overblown and Christians should stop complaining about imaginary persecution.
In Free to Believe, leading religious freedom attorney Luke Goodrich challenges both sides of this debate, offering surprising insights on the most controversial religious freedom conflicts today—including gay rights, abortion rights, Islam, and the public square. Goodrich shows that threats to religious freedom are real—but they might not be what you think.
As a lawyer at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Goodrich has won several historic Supreme Court victories for clients like the Little Sisters of the Poor and Hobby Lobby. Combining frontline experience with faithful attention to Scripture, Goodrich offers a groundbreaking book—full of clear insight, practical wisdom, and refreshing hope for all people of faith.
“Free to Believe” Book Trailer
REGISTER HERE

Thursday, November 14, 2019
12:30-1:30 pm

Rumi Forum
2000 P St NW, Suite 503,
Washington, DC 20036
Free and Open to the Public – Registration Required

Comparative Reading On Two Masters Of Spirituality: Rumi And Emanuel Swedenborg
2019-11-18 18:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Karachi) | Church of the Holy City, 1611 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
Join us for a comparative reading on the prominent 13th-century Sufi mystic Jelalludin Rumi and renowned 18th-century Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. With Ori Z. Soltes from Georgetown University and Richard Tafel from the Church of the Holy City as speakers, we will discuss personal philosophy, legacy, and impact of these two prominent luminaries.
REGISTER HERE
Monday, November 18, 2019
6:30 pm – 6:50 pm Gathering
6:50 pm – 7:50 pm Discussion
7:50 pm – 8:30 pm Q & A

Church of the Holy City
1611 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009
Free and Open to the Public – Registration Required
Light refreshments will be provided

Religious Literacy Series: Sikh Foundation of Virginia
2020-01-17 | VA
On Friday, January 17, 2020, Rumi Forum visited the Sikh Foundation of Virginia as it’s the first destination of the “Religious Literacy Series”.
We are living in an era where knowledge is power. Considering how transnational and diverse our globe has become, simplistic and inaccurate representation of religion have always found its place among human agencies and understanding. Critical to this matter, we believe there is a need to expand the ability to dispel misinformation and unpleasantness of personal biases. In the meantime, today’s globalized world invites all of us to discern basic tenets of religious traditions in order to enhance social cohesion. Inspired by this understanding, we are honored to launch our Religious Literacy visit series.
Throughout this series, we aim to adapt the fundamental but basic understanding of religions through numerous lenses. As participants gain an informed understanding of belief systems and other worldviews different from their own, religious literacy series will enable them to hear first hand. It should be noted that this series does not intend to educate the participants but designed to assist the progress of recognition of history, central texts (where applicable), beliefs, practices, and manifestations of several world traditions.
Our first destination was the Sikh Foundation of Virginia. The evening featured a great presentation by Mr. Surinder Singh about the Sikh faith, a tour of the Gurdwara, a lively Q&A session, and great food by the hosts.

Celebrating the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week with "Living Harmoniously in an Interfaith World: A Muslim Contribution"
2020-02-04 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Churchill Center GWU-Gelman Library, 2130 H St NW, Washington, DC, 20052, United States
Celebrating the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week with “Living Harmoniously in an Interfaith World: A Muslim Contribution”
A world of interfaith harmony will not be achieved by religious organizations agreeing on theology. Each faith tradition has its own unique teachings and traditions, and each individual is unique in their own personal understanding of the truth. A durable peace among the diverse peoples of the world will be achieved when individuals become mature in their faith and learn to embrace those from other traditions as fellows of the human family.
The purpose of this program, then, is to raise awareness of the theological and spiritual resources that empower a life of faith in harmony with a world of diverse beliefs and practices and to encourage the development and dissemination of these resources within each faith tradition as a way to elevate the minds, hearts, and actions of people everywhere.
In this program, we invite a Muslim scholar, Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan, to present the basis for his faith`s contribution to the creation of a peaceful world of interfaith harmony.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020
5:30-7:00 pm
Churchill Center
GWU-Gelman Library
2130 H St NW (1st level)
Washington, DC 20052
Free and Open to the Public – Registration Required
Tickets must be presented at the library entrance.
Light refreshments will be provided.

PROGRAM

5:30 – Registration and Refreshments
5:45 – Welcome by Jaiya Jalla, President, GW Interfaith Council

Greetings by Paula Boland, Executive Director, UNA-NCA

5:55 – Introduction to Twelve Gates Foundation by Thomas Cromwell, Director
6:05 – Introduction to Rumi Forum and presenter by Ibrahim Anli, Executive Director

Presentation by Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan

6:30 – Q&A

Speaker:

Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Shared Values. Prior to his current position, Dr. Aslandogan served as the board president of the Institute of Interfaith Dialog in Houston, Texas. In that role, he oversaw the organization of academic as well as grassroots activities of the Institute around topics such as shared values of humanity, social cognition and conflicts, the art of living together, foundations and methodology of interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and the role of faithful citizens in a democracy. He recently co-authored a book entitled “The Messenger: Prophet Muhammad and His Life of Compassion” and co-edited a book entitled “Muslim Citizens of the Globalized World”.
Dr. Aslandogan is an author and an editor of the Fountain magazine, and a board member of the Journal of Interreligious Dialogue. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and served as a faculty member at the University of Texas at Arlington, and Prairie View A&M University.

Religious Literacy Series: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2020-03-18 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4911 Ox Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030, United States
Rumi Forum is honored to launch the Religious Literacy Series. Our second destination will be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We are living in an era where knowledge is power. Considering how transnational and diverse our globe has become, simplistic and inaccurate representation of religion has always found its place among human agencies and understanding. Critical to this matter, we believe there is a need to expand the ability to dispel misinformation and unpleasantness of personal biases. In the meantime, today’s globalized world invites all of us to discern basic tenets of religious traditions in order to enhance social cohesion. Inspired by this understanding, we are honored to launch our Religious Literacy visit series.
Throughout this series, we aim to adapt the fundamental but basic understanding of religions through numerous lenses. As participants gain an informed understanding of belief systems and other world-views different from their own, religious literacy series will enable them to hear first hand. It should be noted that this series does not intend to educate the participants but designed to assist the progress of recognition of history, central texts (where applicable), beliefs, practices, and manifestations of several world traditions.
Please feel free to reach out to k.unver@rumiforum.org or info@rumiforum.org with any additional questions or accessibility needs.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Facing the COVID-19 Challenge with Empathy and Compassion
2020-04-10 | VA
On Friday, Aril 10, Rumi Forum launched the first Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Dr. Peter Cohen talked about ways to project empathy and compassion during these testing times.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

SPEAKER:

Dr. Peter Cohen received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in Humanities and Religion, his M.A. from Florida State University in Biblical Studies and his B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Springfield College. His dissertation was entitled “A Motif Index of the Angel of Death in Early Rabbinic Literature.” Dr. Cohen came to Clemson in 1995 after teaching at Appalachian State University, Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College. His teaching interests revolve around looking at the common traits shared by the religious traditions of the world, rather than looking for their differences. Dr. Cohen can often be found teaching adult education in area churches on Sunday mornings or as an instructor in the University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute for retired people from the community. Presently, he is teaching the general education courses in Religion for the department.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Facing the COVID-19 Challenge with Empathy and Compassion
2020-04-10 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi Forum is proud to launch the Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. Most of us maintain a strong habit of starting the day with it. Some use it anytime, anywhere to boost energy and for many, the popularity of coffee is given. However, what coffee introduces into our lives is not limited to keeping us awake and serving the purpose of a caffeine boost, but also it also characterizes an integral part of social culture.
We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. Coffee facilitates many fruitful exchanges, giving it an invaluable place regardless of the context. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.
Friday, April 10, 2020
6:00 – 7:00 pm
ONLINE WEBINAR: Link will be provided as you register.
Free and Open to the Public –
SPEAKER:

Dr. Peter Cohen received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in Humanities and Religion, his M.A. from Florida State University in Biblical Studies and his B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Springfield College. His dissertation was entitled “A Motif Index of the Angel of Death in Early Rabbinic Literature.” Dr. Cohen came to Clemson in 1995 after teaching at Appalachian State University, Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College. His teaching interests revolve around looking at the common traits shared by the religious traditions of the world, rather than looking for their differences. Dr. Cohen can often be found teaching adult education in area churches on Sunday mornings or as an instructor in the University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute for retired people from the community. Presently, he is teaching the general education courses in Religion for the department.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Americans Immersed in COVID-19 News
2020-04-13 | VA
On Monday, April 13, Rumi Forum featured Baxter Oliphant from Pew Research Center to talk about up to date Pew Research findings of how American public opinion responds to COVID-19 news in the media for the second Virtual Coffee Night speaker series.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

About the Speaker:

Baxter Oliphant is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center, where he focuses on U.S. politics and policy research including partisan polarization, trust in government, gun policy and U.S. foreign policy. He received doctoral and master’s degrees in politics from Princeton University and holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. His dissertation explored the impact of moments on U.S. presidential elections. Before graduate school, he worked in political polling for campaigns and industry groups. Oliphant is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Political Science Association.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Americans Immersed in COVID-19 News
2020-04-13 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi Forum is proud to launch the Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.
Monday, April 13, 2020
6:00 – 7:00 pm
ONLINE WEBINAR: Link will be provided as you register.
Free and Open to the Public –
About the Speaker:

Baxter Oliphant is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center, where he focuses on U.S. politics and policy research including partisan polarization, trust in government, gun policy and U.S. foreign policy. He received doctoral and master’s degrees in politics from Princeton University and holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. His dissertation explored the impact of moments on U.S. presidential elections. Before graduate school, he worked in political polling for campaigns and industry groups. Oliphant is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Political Science Association.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Faith in American Public Life: Confronting Controversies, Cultivating Common Ground
2020-04-15 | VA
On Wednesday, April 15, for the third Virtual Coffee Night speaker series, Melissa Rogers, a leading expert and scholar on religion in American public life, gave a fascinating talk on how the First Amendment encompasses common ground, and for sharing insights on controversies about religion in public life.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

About the Speaker:

Melissa Rogers is a nationally known expert on religion in American public life. Her areas of expertise include the United States Constitution’s religious liberty guarantees and the interplay of religion, law, policy, and politics. Rogers currently serves as Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Rogers previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2013-2017), Chair of President Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2009-2010), Director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity (2003 – 2013), Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2000 – 2003), and Associate Counsel/General Counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (1994 – 2000).

Rogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (2019) and co-author of Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court (2008). She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from both Wake Forest University and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Rogers holds a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. from Baylor University. In 2017, President Barack Obama appointed Rogers to serve as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Baylor University awarded her its Pro Texana Medal of Service and the First Freedom Center gave Rogers its Virginia First Freedom Award. National Journal has recognized Rogers as one of the church-state experts “politicians will call on when they get serious about addressing an important public policy issue.”

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Faith in American Public Life: Confronting Controversies, Cultivating Common Ground
2020-04-15 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi Forum is proud to launch the Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
6:00 – 7:00 pm
ONLINE WEBINAR: Link will be provided as you register.
Free and Open to the Public –
About the Speaker:

Melissa Rogers is a nationally known expert on religion in American public life. Her areas of expertise include the United States Constitution’s religious liberty guarantees and the interplay of religion, law, policy, and politics. Rogers currently serves as Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Rogers previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2013-2017), Chair of President Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2009-2010), Director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity (2003 – 2013), Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2000 – 2003), and Associate Counsel/General Counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (1994 – 2000).
Rogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (2019) and co-author of Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court (2008). She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from both Wake Forest University and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Rogers holds a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. from Baylor University. In 2017, President Barack Obama appointed Rogers to serve as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Baylor University awarded her its Pro Texana Medal of Service and the First Freedom Center gave Rogers its Virginia First Freedom Award. National Journal has recognized Rogers as one of the church-state experts “politicians will call on when they get serious about addressing an important public policy issue.”

Virtual Coffee Night Series: The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View
2020-04-17 | VA
On Friday, April 17, Dr. Craig Considine from Rice University was with us to talk about the humanity of Muhammad from a Christian view with an emphasis on the Identification with All Humanity (IWAH) as a moral concept. It was the fourth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

About the Speaker

Dr. Craig Considine is a scholar, professor, global speaker, media contributor, & public intellectual based at the Department of Sociology at Rice University. He is the author of many books & articles. Dr. Considine’s opinions have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, BBC, CBS News, Fox News, MSNBC, Newsweek, & Al Jazeera. He has been invited to speak at some of the leading international organizations & universities in the world. Dr. Considine is visible on social media. He holds a PhD from Trinity College (University of Dublin), MSc from Royal Holloway (University of London), & BA from American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Considine is a U.S. Catholic of Irish and Italian descent.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View
2020-04-17 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi Forum is proud to launch the Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.
Friday, April 17, 2020
6:00 – 7:00 pm
ONLINE WEBINAR: Link will be provided as you register.
Free and Open to the Public –
About the Speaker:
Dr. Craig Considine is a scholar, professor, global speaker, media contributor, & public intellectual based at the Department of Sociology at Rice University. He is the author of many books & articles. Dr. Considine’s opinions have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, BBC, CBS News, Fox News, MSNBC, Newsweek, & Al Jazeera. He has been invited to speak at some of the leading international organizations & universities in the world. Dr. Considine is visible on social media. He holds a PhD from Trinity College (University of Dublin), MSc from Royal Holloway (University of London), & BA from American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Considine is a U.S. Catholic of Irish and Italian descent.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Muslim Women Speak for Themselves
2020-04-20 | VA
On Monday, April 20, Rumi Forum hosted Petra Alsoofy, Outreach & Partnerships Manager at Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) for the fifth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Petra Alsoofy gave an illuminating data-based presentation about Muslim women the US in a variety of dimensions; including family, education, wellness, and institutional capacity.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

About the Speaker

Petra Alsoofy is the Outreach & Partnerships Manager at ISPU, where she strengthens our valued partnerships and forges new ones with organizations who share our goal of empowering American Muslims. She joins ISPU after serving more than four years as an educator at the Arab American National Museum, where she worked with educators, students, and professionals. In her role at the museum, Petra educated visitors about the history and the contributions of Arab Americans as well as stereotypes and challenges they face. She also serves as a board member on the Michigan Council for History Education. Petra is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where she earned a BA in political science.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Muslim Women Speak for Themselves
2020-04-20 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi Forum is proud to launch the Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.
Monday, April 20, 2020
6:00 – 7:00 pm
ONLINE WEBINAR: Link will be provided as you register.
Free and Open to the Public –

Petra Alsoofy is the Outreach & Partnerships Manager at ISPU, where she strengthens our valued partnerships and forges new ones with organizations who share our goal of empowering American Muslims. She joins ISPU after serving more than four years as an educator at the Arab American National Museum, where she worked with educators, students, and professionals. In her role at the museum, Petra educated visitors about the history and the contributions of Arab Americans as well as stereotypes and challenges they face. She also serves as a board member on the Michigan Council for History Education. Petra is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where she earned a BA in political science.

Multi-faith Supplication
2020-04-22 17:00 - 18:00 UTC | Youtube

Virtual Coffee Night Series: United in COVID-19: Rediscovering Pluralism in the Face of a Shared Threat
2020-04-23 | VA
On Thursday, April 23, Rumi Forum in collaboration with Atlantic Institue hosted Dr. John L. Esposito from Georgetown University, who gave a great talk about pluralism in the US, recent trends in the social landscape, and the particular impact of COVID19. This marked the sixth Virtual Coffee Night Series.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

About the Speaker

Dr. John L. Esposito is University Professor, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Bridge Initiative: Protecting Pluralism – Ending Islamophobia at Georgetown University.

In 2019, he was S. Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies, Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Past President of the American Academy of Religion and Middle East Studies Association, his more than 55 books include: Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Shariah, What Everyone Needs to Know, The Future of Islam, Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, Islamophobia and the Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century. Esposito’s writings are translated into more than 45 languages.

Esposito has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and other agencies, European and Asian governments, corporations, universities, and media worldwide and has been a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders and the E. C. European Network of Experts on De-Radicalisation

United in COVID-19: Rediscovering Pluralism in the Face of a Shared Threat
2020-04-23 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi Forum is proud to launch the Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.
Thursday, April 23, 2020 6:00 – 7:00 pm
ONLINE WEBINAR: Link will be provided as you register.
Free and Open to the Public –

About the Speaker

Dr. John L. Esposito is University Professor, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Bridge Initiative: Protecting Pluralism – Ending Islamophobia at Georgetown University.

In 2019, he was S. Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies, Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Past President of the American Academy of Religion and Middle East Studies Association, his more than 55 books include: Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Shariah, What Everyone Needs to Know, The Future of Islam, Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, Islamophobia and the Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century. Esposito’s writings are translated into more than 45 languages.
Esposito has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and other agencies, European and Asian governments, corporations, universities, and media worldwide and has been a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders and the E. C. European Network of Experts on De-Radicalisation

Healing with Rumi
2020-05-03 17:00 - 18:30 UTC | ONLINE EVENT
Rumi; the great jurist, mystic, poet, and scholar was a pioneer of reconciliation and healing during the time he lived, and continues to inspire hearts and minds to this day. Rumi Forum is proud to announce its special Day of Unity event “Healing with Rumi” where we will reflect on and celebrate this legacy. Please join us for a stimulating journey into Rumi’s universe with three renowned speakers. This webinar is a great opportunity for those interested in religion, mysticism, and poetry to rediscover the healing potential of Rumi’s great example in challenging times.
The Day of Unity (DOU) is an annual, coordinated day of interfaith local, grassroots action and community building around the DC metro area. This year’s Day of Unity will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 emergency.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Interfaith Encounters: A model of building bridges in Israel and Palestine
2020-05-12 | VA
On Tuesday, May 12, Rumi Forum hosted Dr. Yehuda Stolov, the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (IEA), for a discussion about IEA’s outstanding story of building interfaith bridges in Israel and Palestine. He highlighted an inter-communal model where ongoing groups of interfaith encounters prevail the opportunity to meet the ‘other’.

Based in Jerusalem, IEA plants seeds of the desired long-lasting friendships coupled with respect for the unique identity of each. The IEA invites people from different traditional and cultural backgrounds and faiths to join its groups. Within the groups, participants have meaningful encounters which bring them closer to each other. Prejudice, hostility, and suspicion are transformed into a direct acquaintance, mutual respect and friendship. IEA groups are both a model for inter-communal relations of appreciation and care, and vehicles to promote them.

You can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.

About the Speaker

Yehuda Stolov is the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (www.interfaith-encounter.org), an organization that works since 2001 to build peaceful inter-communal relations in the Holy Land by fostering mutual respect and trust between people and communities through active interfaith dialogue.

Dr. Stolov has lectured on the role of religious dialogue in peace-building throughout the world, including Jordan, India, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, North America and Europe. He also published many papers on related issues.

In 2006, he was awarded the Immortal Chaplains Foundation Prize for Humanity, which honors those who “risked all to protect others of a different faith or ethnic origin”; and in 2015 he was awarded the IIE Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East.

Among other activities, Dr. Stolov was a member of the International Council of the International Association for Religious Freedom and a member of the steering committee for the United Nations Decade of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace.

He holds a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is married and father of three children, living in Jerusalem.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Interfaith Encounters: A model of building bridges in Israel and Palestine
2020-05-12 13:15 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Based in Jerusalem, IEA plants seeds of the desired long-lasting friendships coupled with respect for the unique identity of each. The IEA invites people from different traditional and cultural backgrounds and faiths to join its groups

Within the groups, participants have meaningful encounters which bring them closer to each other. Prejudice, hostility, and suspicion are transformed into a direct acquaintance, mutual respect and friendship. IEA groups are both a model for inter-communal relations of appreciation and care, and vehicles to promote them.

About the Speaker

Yehuda Stolov is the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (www.interfaith-encounter.org), an organization that works since 2001 to build peaceful inter-communal relations in the Holy Land by fostering mutual respect and trust between people and communities through active interfaith dialogue.

Dr. Stolov has lectured on the role of religious dialogue in peace-building throughout the world, including Jordan, India, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, North America and Europe. He also published many papers on related issues.

In 2006, he was awarded the Immortal Chaplains Foundation Prize for Humanity, which honors those who “risked all to protect others of a different faith or ethnic origin”; and in 2015 he was awarded the IIE Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East.

Among other activities, Dr. Stolov was a member of the International Council of the International Association for Religious Freedom and a member of the steering committee for the United Nations Decade of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace.

He holds a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is married and father of three children, living in Jerusalem.

We Refuse to be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews can make Peace, One Friendship at a Time
2020-07-07 | VA
On Tuesday, July 7, Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby shared the wonderful story of their upcoming book, “We Refuse to be Enemies”, about how the paths of a Muslim woman and a Jewish man crossed and led to a joint endeavour for a meaningful purpose.

Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby, a Muslim-American woman of Pakistani origin and a Jewish-American man who spent his formative years in Israel, will share their story of how they connected and embarked on a mission to bring their respective communities together in their common homeland, America.

Growing up in Pakistan, Sabeeha never met a Jew, her view colored by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his youth, Walter never met a Muslim, his opinion shaped by Leon Uris’s Exodus. What changed their perceptions? How did they fare in nurturing Muslim-Jewish communication and cooperation? Sabeeha and Walter will share their experiences of facing pushback from their communities, overcoming obstacles and bringing together Muslims and Jews to explore unexpected commonalities between their faiths; to work together to help people in need and stand together against bigotry. Finally, they will offer their vision for reconciliation.

Sabeeha and Walter have co-authored a book, We Refuse to be Enemies. How Muslims and Jews can make Peace, One Friendship at a Time, due for publication in Spring 2021. It is their hope that this book will inspire people of all faiths and ethnicities to reach out to each other and heal our nation.

Speakers of the Event

SABEEHA REHMAN is the author of the 2016 memoir, “Threading My Prayer Rug. One Woman’s Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim,” Short-Listed for the 2018 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, the book also received several other nominations and awards. She is also an op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal and New York Daily News. In the early 1980s, concerned about raising her sons as Muslims in the absence of a Muslim community, she set to work, and her commitment culminated in the building of a mosque on Staten Island where her family lived. Sabeeha, who holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration, served as a hospital executive for 25 years. Thereafter, responding to her grandson’s autism diagnosis, she co-founded the NY Chapter of the National Autism Association and served as its President from 2008-11. As a public speaker, she has spent several decades engaging in interfaith dialogue and now serves as a board member of the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee as well as the NY Chapter of the National Autism Association. She blogs on topics related to American Muslim experience at www.sabeeharehman.com/blog. She lives in New York City with her husband Khalid, a retired Hematologist/Oncologist.

WALTER RUBY is a veteran activist in Muslim-Jewish relations. From 2008-2017, in the position of Muslim-Jewish Relations Director at the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, he organized hundreds of twinning events; bringing together thousands of Jews and Muslims in over 30 countries on five continents, including members of mosques and synagogues and Muslim and Jewish organizations. Ruby presently serves as executive director of Jews, Muslims and Allies Acting Together (JAMAAT), a grassroots community of Muslim, Jewish and Interfaith activists in Greater Washington; and as Coordinator of the Washington Area Chapter of Project Rozana, which works to strengthen ties between Israelis and Palestinians through health care. Ruby is currently co-authoring a book with Muslim-American author Sabeeha Rehman entitled We Refuse To Be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace, One Friendship at a Time. Ruby has worked as a reporter and commentator for more than 40 years, mainly for American Jewish and Israeli publications. His articles and op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and other media. Walter lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Tatayna.

We Refuse to be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews can make Peace, One Friendship at a Time
2020-07-07 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby, a Muslim-American woman of Pakistani origin and a Jewish-American man who spent his formative years in Israel, will share their story of how they connected and embarked on a mission to bring their respective communities together in their common homeland, America.
Growing up in Pakistan, Sabeeha never met a Jew, her view colored by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his youth, Walter never met a Muslim, his opinion shaped by Leon Uris’s Exodus. What changed their perceptions? How did they fare in nurturing Muslim-Jewish communication and cooperation? Sabeeha and Walter will share their experiences of facing pushback from their communities, overcoming obstacles and bringing together Muslims and Jews to explore unexpected commonalities between their faiths; to work together to help people in need and stand together against bigotry. Finally, they will offer their vision for reconciliation.
Sabeeha and Walter have co-authored a book, We Refuse to be Enemies. How Muslims and Jews can make Peace, One Friendship at a Time, due for publication in Spring 2021. It is their hope that this book will inspire people of all faiths and ethnicities to reach out to each other and heal our nation.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

6:00 – 7:30 pmONLINE WEBINAR: Links will be provided as you register.

Free and Open to the Public – Consider supporting our work!

Speakers of the Event

SABEEHA REHMAN is the author of the 2016 memoir, “Threading My Prayer Rug. One Woman’s Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim,” Short-Listed for the 2018 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, the book also received several other nominations and awards. She is also an op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal and New York Daily News. In the early 1980s, concerned about raising her sons as Muslims in the absence of a Muslim community, she set to work, and her commitment culminated in the building of a mosque on Staten Island where her family lived.
Sabeeha, who holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration, served as a hospital executive for 25 years. Thereafter, responding to her grandson’s autism diagnosis, she co-founded the NY Chapter of the National Autism Association and served as its President from 2008-11. As a public speaker, she has spent several decades engaging in interfaith dialogue and now serves as a board member of the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee as well as the NY Chapter of the National Autism Association. She blogs on topics related to American Muslim experience at www.sabeeharehman.com/blog
She lives in New York City with her husband Khalid, a retired Hematologist/Oncologist.

WALTER RUBY is a veteran activist in Muslim-Jewish relations. From 2008-2017, in the position of Muslim-Jewish Relations Director at the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, he organized hundreds of twinning events; bringing together thousands of Jews and Muslims in over 30 countries on five continents, including members of mosques and synagogues and Muslim and Jewish organizations. Ruby presently serves as executive director of Jews, Muslims and Allies Acting Together (JAMAAT), a grassroots community of Muslim, Jewish and Interfaith activists in Greater Washington; and as Coordinator of the Washington Area Chapter of Project Rozana, which works to strengthen ties between Israelis and Palestinians through health care.
Ruby is currently co-authoring a book with Muslim-American author Sabeeha Rehman entitled We Refuse To Be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace, One Friendship at a Time. Ruby has worked as a reporter and commentator for more than 40 years, mainly for American Jewish and Israeli publications. His articles and op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and other media.
Walter lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Tatayna.

Virtual Coffee Night Series: Trees and Sheep and God, Oh My! A Woman’s Spiritual Journey Among the Sufis of Scotland
2020-08-06 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
When Sarah Snyder left her home in Montana to volunteer to plant trees at a private estate in Scotland, she expected a pleasurable six-month break from her humdrum life. When she arrived, however, she learned she would also be caring for a menagerie of poultry, doing rigorous household chores, and shepherding a flock of truant sheep. Her experience turned out to be a soul-forging adventure that changed her entire relationship with life—and with God—forever.
Six months turned into two years and resulted in her memoir Plant Trees, Carry Sheep: A Woman’s Spiritual Journey Among the Sufis of Scotland. With self-deprecating humor, Sarah chronicles her time at the spiritual retreat, where people from all over the world came to study Ibn Arabi and Rumi. Her exposure to Islam helped her better understand the religion and see God, as well as herself, in a different light.
Sarah will discuss the retreat, tell a few stories, and answer questions.

Thursday, August 6, 2020

7:00 – 8:00 pm

ONLINE WEBINAR: Links will be provided as you register.

Free and Open to the Public – Consider supporting our work!

Speaker of the Event

Sarah Snyder has been a professional writer and editor since 1991 and is currently a technical writer for a global company. She also blogs at www.lunarivervoices.com and participates in oral storytelling. Her next book, a spinoff of her memoir titled The Value of Your Soul: Rumi Verse for Life’s Annoying Moments, will be published this autumn. She lives in Herndon, VA, with her husband.

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Religious Freedom for All: Remembering the Victims of Acts of Violence
2020-08-20 18:00 - 19:15 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is the protection of the conscience and the free exercise of people’s understanding of the ultimate truth. It is not only a fundamental right but also an individual, institutional, private and public right as well. As enshrined in the First Amendment, the Articles 18,19, and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also protect the rights to freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful assembly and association. However, not every region is always a stronghold of allowing people to live by their core values and beliefs. The rate of ill-treatment against religious institutions, people, objects, or events is increasing significantly.
On August 22, 2019, UN General Assembly recognized this by adopting a resolution declaring “International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief”.
Upholding these rights and responding to the alarming increase in persecutions of religious people and communities around the world, we believe within the scope of open, constructive, and respectful exchanges at various platforms across local, national, and international levels will be invaluable assets in confronting these ongoing acts of intolerance. To that end, Rumi Forum has invited distinguished speakers to address various dimensions of the topic.
On August 20th, our moderator Sabrina Dent and speakers Richard T. Foltin, Kirsten Lavery, and Rev. William H. Lamar IV, will share their insights on highlight mechanisms to prevent unfair treatments towards individuals, communities, and minorities.

Thursday, August 20, 2020

6:00 – 7:15 pm

ONLINE WEBINAR: Links will be provided as you register.

Free and Open to the Public – Consider supporting our work!

Moderator:
Sabrina Dent, Senior Faith Adviser, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Sabrina is a life-long advocate for human rights and social justice. Throughout her career, she has worked with vulnerable populations including women and children impacted by domestic violence and abuse, youth with mental health and behavioral challenges, and racial and religious minorities. However, she developed a passion as a religious freedom advocate in 2015 when she became a Fellow with the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Freedom. Before joining the AU team, Sabrina worked as director of recruitment and admissions at the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum. Prior to her time at the Religious Freedom Center, Sabrina served as program coordinator for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University (STVU). Sabrina is the past president of the Interfaith Community of Greater Richmond. Sabrina earned her master of divinity degree and doctor of ministry degree from STVU. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech.

Speakers:
Richard T. Foltin, Fellow, Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum

Richard T. Foltin is a fellow at the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum. He served in a number of positions at the American Jewish Committee, most recently as director of national and legislative affairs in the AJC’s Office of Government and International Affairs in Washington, D.C., from 2009 to 2018. Prior to coming to AJC, he was an associate with the litigation department of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, a New York law firm. Mr. Foltin serves on the governing council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice and as co-chair of the section’s Religious Freedom Committee; he previously served as chair and co-chair of the section’s First Amendment Rights Committee. Mr. Foltin is a member of the Committee on Religious Liberty, founded by the National Council of Churches and today convened by the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum. Mr. Foltin received his B.A. in Political Science from New York University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is a member of the bars of New York State, Washington DC, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Kirsten Lavery, Supervisory Policy Analyst, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom

Kirsten Lavery is Supervisory Policy Analyst and Team Lead for International Law, Africa, and Latin America for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Prior to joining USCIRF, Ms. Lavery worked at the Public International Law & Policy Group and provided legal and policy assistance to civil society representatives in conflict and post-conflict states. Her work focused on transitional justice and human rights documentation, as well as legal and policy reforms to advance human rights protections. Ms. Lavery has also worked on a range of international legal issues at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the UN Office of Legal Affairs, the UN Office of Human Resources Management, and the International Narcotics Control Board. Ms. Lavery previously practiced law in the New York office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, where she focused on international criminal investigations. Through her pro bono practice and prior clinic work, she has experience representing clients in immigration proceedings, including in asylum cases based on religious persecution. She holds a B.A. in Government and Spanish from Franklin & Marshall College and a J.D. with a specialization in International & Comparative Law from Tulane University Law School.

Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Pastor, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church

The Rev. William H. Lamar IV is pastor of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. He previously served Turner Memorial AME Church in Maryland and three churches in Florida: Monticello, Orlando and Jacksonville. He is a former managing director at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity. While he continues to advocate for his community of Washington, D.C., you can find Rev. Lamar fueling his faith by proudly supporting the Poor People’s Campaign, the Washington Interfaith Network or every Sunday at pulpit of AME Church. Lamar is a graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Duke Divinity School. He is the co-host of “Can These Bones,” the Faith & Leadership podcast.

Panel Discussion: "Charity In the Age of a Pandemic"
2020-09-09 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
On September 9, 2020, with our partner UNA-NCA, speakers Katherine Marshall, Kim R. Ford, Jerome Tennille, and moderator Stephen Moseley had a great discussion about how community solidarity has displayed itself in ways that we haven’t seen before to eradicate poverty in the age of pandemic.

At a time when everyone around the world is grappling with unprecedented changes and challenges in their lives, one of the most fundamental values that continue to make positive changes in our lives is generosity. The inevitable quality of giving continues bringing individuals of all backgrounds regardless of their languages, ethnicities, races, faiths, opinions together across the globe. We have witnessed various shades of generosity as they are implemented as a means of standing together in unity. Whether that’s through educating ourselves on social issues, raising awareness about humanitarian causes, supporting communities through monetary contributions, or reaching out to a neighbor next door or across the continents, every act of goodwill has touched people’s lives. In this time of uncertainty, there’s a fundamental truth that gives us hope – that together we can do extraordinary things. Together.
In 2012, September 5th was designated the “International Day of Charity” by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”
In this spirit, on September 9, 2020, Rumi Forum and UNA-NCA invited participants to a panel highlighting how individual and/or collective initiatives keep us connected.

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Say YES (Youth Empowered Solutions) to Human Rights - Essay Contest
2020-09-11 08:00 - 2020-11-23 23:59 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Share your perspective on the unique contributions of youth to the discourse and action on human rights. The essays are expected to address contemporary issues that connect youth and human rights.
Questions you may want to consider may include but are not limited to;
– What are your reflections regarding the discussion on “standing by versus bystanding” in response to human rights violations?
– What are the ways the youth community can get involved in education, activism and engagement?
– In the age of a pandemic, with its challenges and opportunities, where do you see yourself making a difference in the human rights movement?
Formatting:
Please include your First Name, Last Name, College, and School Year
Length Word count:
750-1000
Font size/spacing:
Times New Roman
12 font
1.5 space
Write an original essay. Op-Ed style.
Eligibility and Criteria:
All undergraduate students nationwide are eligible to apply.
*This is not an academic paper.
DEADLINE
Sept. 11 through Nov. 13
Winners will be announced on Nov. 23
PRIZES
1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners will have the opportunity to join one of the sessions as a guest on Dec. 11th.
1st: $450
2nd:$300
3rd: $150
For essay submissions, questions, and more email to info@rumiforum.org

UNGA Conference 2020
2020-09-23 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Celebrate UN’s 75th Year with Rumi Forum as a Global Partner of UNGA Conference 2020

The UNGA Conference 2020 will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 in the margins of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly. The UNGA Conference 2020 is organized by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF) in partnership with the JWF’s Global Partners, Member States of the United Nations, UN organs and agencies, and civil society organizations from around the world.

The UNGA Conference is the flagship event of the JWF creating a platform for diverse stakeholders to discuss the Global Agenda 2030 and offer innovative solutions, strategies, and policy recommendations, with the view of further advancing the culture of peace, human rights and sustainable development. The conference gathers together a group of panelists and high-level speakers in 3 Panel Sessions to discuss a particular agenda and propose a framework of action.

Since 2014, the JWF has proudly provided a platform for discussion for hundreds of high-level dignitaries and experts from all over the world, including Heads of States and Delegates to the UN General Assembly, UN High-Level Dignitaries (ASG, USG, PGA), UN accredited diplomats, experts, and prominent civil society actors. Last year, the UNGA Conference 2019 contributed to the SDG #17 in the revitalization of Global Partnerships by mobilizing 36 CSOs and NGOs from 24 countries.

Background

Five Years of Action Towards the SDGs: The successful implementation of SDG #17 (Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development) remains at the focus of the UNGA Conference 2020. The JWF contributes to this mandate by mobilizing its Global Partners to share best-practices and policy suggestions on the achievement of the UN Development Agenda 2030.

In 2015, the Member States committed to a new path of inclusive, transformative and achievable development strategy for humanity and the planet with a mission of “Leaving No One Behind”. The action-oriented 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages all stakeholders including UN Agencies, Member States, private sector, civil society actors and experts to bridge the gap between policy and knowledge, create interlinkages between the goals and accelerate the implementation progress of the SDGs.

This year is a strategic turning point for our global community, as we all fight the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented global threat is however expected to strengthen the international communication and facilitate collaboration between the Member States of the United Nations, intergovernmental organizations, and civil society organizations, towards a common objective of creating peaceful and inclusive societies, where everyone is equally entitled to human rights, without discrimination.

Following a diligent consideration of policy outcomes from relevant sessions of UN WOMEN, ECOSOC, UN DESA, the Commission for Social Development and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the UNGA Conference 2020 includes the below topics.

UNGA Conference 2020: Five Years of Action towards the SDGs will include a comprehensive debate taking stock of the past 5-years of actions towards the SDGs in three areas: (1) Women Empowerment and Gender Equality, (2) SDG #16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and (3) Lessons learned from COVID-19 Pandemic: Evolving Social and Economic Development for Sustainability. Finally, the UNGA Conference will also provide a civil society perspective and assessment of major United Nations Conferences and Summits’ progress since 2015.
Click this link to share the #UN75 on Twitter! And join the conversation anywhere on social media using #UN75 and tagging the JWF:
· Twitter: @JWFoundation_
· Facebook: @JWFglobal
· LinkedIn: @journalists-and-writers-foundation-jwf

Schedule

10:00AM–10:30AM · Stage
UNGA Conference 2020 – Opening Session

10:30AM–12:00PM · Stage
Panel Session 1 – Women Empowerment and Gender Equality: 25 Years After the Beijing Declaration

12:15PM–1:45PM · Stage
Panel Session 2 – Implementing SDG #16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Sep 23 2:00PM–3:30PM · Stage
Panel Session 3 – Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Pandemic: Evolving Social and Economic Development for Sustainability

A Baptist Army Veteran's Journey with Islam
2020-09-24 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Join our next Coffee Night speaker program featuring podcast host, award-winning author, and university lecturer Jason Howk. An army veteran of Baptist confession, Howk will share with us his stimulating story that connected his first career as a military officer to a second and no less interesting one as an interfaith speaker and lecturer on Islam.
“…Howk believes in a different approach to interfaith work. Typically, a Christian explains Christianity, a Jew explains Judaism, a Muslim explains Islam and so on. He’s flipped that formula on its head – and it’s worked.” Stephen Lanzi, Auburn Magazine.
Thursday, September 24, 2020
7:00 – 8:00 pm

ONLINE WEBINAR: Links will be provided as you register.

Free and Open to the Public – Consider supporting our work!

Moderator:

Joel O. Rainey, Ph.D.

Joel O. Rainey is currently Lead Pastor at Covenant Church in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He is a sought-after speaker, and in addition to his pastoral duties, serves on the adjunct faculty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina. Dr. Rainey has been involved in planting more than 100 new churches in North America, has trained pastors and church planters nationally, and internationally, and has intercultural experience on five continents.

In addition to the following books, The Story: God’s Grand Narrative; Our Great Hope (CreateSpace, 2017), Speaking from a Firm Foundation (CreateSpace, 2013), Planting Churches in the Real World (Missional Press, 2012), Side-Stepping Landmines: Five Principles for Pastor Search Teams (CreateSpace, 2012), he was also a contributing author to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Broadman & Holman, 2003), and has written numerous articles for publication related to the church and its global mission. His writing has appeared in the Great Commission Research Journal, SBC Voices, The Gospel Coalition, Evangelical Missions Quarterly, churchleaders.com, The Christian Post, and the Washington Post, and he has represented the evangelical perspective to news outlets such as Al Jazeera America, and the Baltimore Sun.

Speaker:
Jason Criss Howk, Retired U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer

Jason spent over twenty years focused on the Broader Middle East and Islam in the Department of Defense. He is currently the host of “We’re Just Talking About It,” a podcast that explains Islam to non-Muslims in plain English.
For over 5 years he has led religious dialogue discussions about Islam across the United States to dispel myths and stereotypes about Muslim cultures. He is the award winning author of The Qur’an: A Modern-English Chronological Interpretation and numerous other works. Jason is an Islamic studies professor at the USAF Special Operations School.
For over 29 years he has conducted defense, diplomacy, education, and intelligence missions globally. Jason holds a MA in Middle East and South Asia Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School. Jason studied Dari (Afghan Farsi) and Arabic at the Defense LanguageInstitute and is a Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies.
Jason was a term-member in the Council on Foreign Relations and is sought by various journalists for his insights. For his work on Afghanistan over a 12 year period Major Howk was awarded two Bronze Star Medals and the Legion of Merit from the U.S. Department of Defense. For his direct work with Afghan officials he was awarded the Afghanistan Governmental Success Medal from the President of Afghanistan.

Nonviolence: A strategic and moral compass in extraordinary times
2020-10-02 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Halifax) | ONLINE EVENT
Grievance and deprivation, perceived or real, tempt groups into violent behavior. Rapid change, social upheaval, and uncertainty make violent expressions of social discontent even more likely. It is in those moments that we are called to demonstrate a heightened sense of restraint and sound judgment. It is in those moments that nonviolence presents as a timely and timeless concept for contemporary societies. And yet, while few would disagree about the virtue of nonviolence, a similarly firm belief and understanding about its power, strategy, and discipline is much harder to locate.
The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and Rumi Forum, proudly inspired by two masters of nonviolent action, are co-hosting this event on Gandhi’s birthday, the International Day of Nonviolence. The program features a panel from scholarly as well as practitioner backgrounds. Our speakers will guide an exploration of the current state of nonviolent action around the globe, its growing relevance amid social unrest, and efforts to make it an inherent element of individual and collective behavior.

Friday, October 2, 2020

12:00 – 1:30 pm

ONLINE WEBINAR: Links will be provided as you register.

Free and Open to the Public – Consider supporting our work!

Moderator:
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr.
Canon Missioner, Washington National Cathedral

The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. began his tenure at the Washington National Cathedral in April 2018. In his role as Canon Missioner, Dr. Hamlin oversees the Cathedral’s outreach and social justice initiatives, including gun violence prevention and racial justice and reconciliation. In particular, Dr. Hamlin assists in the building of partnerships and the equipping of the Cathedral community and the congregation to serve as the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
Prior to his arrival at the Cathedral, Dr. Hamlin served as the Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington, Va. for 22 years. Under his leadership, the congregation was strengthened numerically and spiritually while numerous ministries, discipleship classes and mission efforts were organized to meet the needs of the congregation and the community locally, regionally and nationally. Dr. Hamlin received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree (1983) from the Howard University School of Business, Master of Divinity Degree (1994), and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Howard University School of Divinity (1996). He has served and been appointed to numerous community, faith based and governmental boards, commissions, agencies.
Dr. Hamlin is married to Machell Nicholson Hamlin, Esquire, assistant vice president of staff counsel for the GEICO Corporation, and they are the proud parents of one son, Leonard L. Hamlin, Jr.
Speakers
Hardy Merriman
President and CEO, International Center on Nonviolent Conflict

He has worked in the field of civil resistance for over 18 years, presenting at workshops for activists and organizers around the world; speaking widely about civil resistance movements with scholars, journalists, and members of international organizations; and developing resources for practitioners and scholars. His writings have been translated into numerous languages. From 2016-2018 he was also an adjunct lecturer at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University).
Title of presentation:
“Civil Resistance: Powerful, Underrecognized, and Crucial in this Moment”

Dr. Mary Elizabeth King

Director, James Lawson Institute

Mary Elizabeth King is a political scientist and author of acclaimed books on civil resistance, most recently “Gandhian Nonviolent Struggle and Untouchability in South India: The 1924–25 Vykom Satyagraha and the Mechanisms of Change.” She is professor of peace and conflict studies at the UN-affiliated University for Peace; Distinguished Rothermere American Institute Fellow at the University of Oxford, Britain; and director of the James Lawson Institute. Her academic specialty in the study of nonviolent action dates to four years working in Atlanta and Mississippi for the 1960s U.S. civil rights movement on staff of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC. There she learned the basics of nonviolent struggle from the Reverend James M. Lawson in this profound experience that would define her life. Her website is
maryking.info.
Title of presentation:
“Rediscovering How Gandhi Put Nonviolent Methods on the World Political Map”

Rivera Sun
Editor, Nonviolence News

Author/Activist Rivera Sun is the editor of Nonviolence News and a nationwide trainer in strategy for nonviolent change. She has written numerous books and novels, including The Dandelion Insurrection and The Way Between. She serves on the Advisory Boards of World Beyond War and Backbone Campaign. Her writings on nonviolence as syndicated by Peace Voice and have appeared in over 100 journals. www.riverasun.com.
Title of presentation:
“Challenges – And Possibilities – Of Teaching Nonviolence As A Way Of Making Change”
