Kabul, Afghanistan—Islamic scholars, religious leaders and civil society leaders will meet June 19-21 in Kabul, Afghanistan, to participate in the second Islamic Cooperation for a Peaceful Future in Afghanistan conference.
Organized by George Mason University’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC), the conference serves as a nongovernmental forum to provide opportunities to help generate local, regional and international Islamic cooperation in support of peace in Afghanistan.
“This second conference is a vital contribution to peace in Afghanistan,” said Marc Gopin, director of CRDC and professor in the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. “This gathering further solidifies the social network of Afghan imams and civil society leaders that CRDC has been establishing in Afghanistan. The conference participants are committed to common goals of peace that can be expressed effectively through deep Afghan cultural and religious traditions, and CRDC and George Mason University are proud to play a foundational role in this process.”
Additional organizers include Marmara University and the Afghanistan Advisory Board of The Project for Islamic Cooperation for a Peaceful Future in Afghanistan.
Conference speakers include Yusuf Niazi, Afghan Minister of Hajj, and Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, Afghan Minister of Culture. The conference will build upon the work of the first conference (held in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2011) where 120 imams and scholars from all regions of Afghanistan met with distinguished Islamic scholars from around the world.
Participants in the first conference shared deep concerns about the use of religious interpretations—often misinterpretations— in justifying violence, particularly against civilians, religious leaders, places of worship and the cultural heritage in Afghanistan and beyond. The conference attendees also committed to active, responsible participation in peacemaking and peacebuilding through dialogue and nonviolence.
As part of the ongoing project, conference organizers and participants will produce media and written materials that will assist religious leaders in their efforts to create a more peaceful Afghanistan.
More information about “Islamic Cooperation for a Peaceful Future in Afghanistan” can be found here.
About George Mason University
George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university. George Mason University-Where Innovation Is Tradition.
About the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution
The mission of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) is to engage emerging indigenous and global conflict resolvers, partner with them in innovative entrepreneurial growth, mobilize support for them, and create linkages between peacebuilders, citizen diplomats, students, business people and policy makers. CRDC specializes in: innovative international practice of conflict resolution and citizen diplomacy, international education seminars and field experience, conflict resolution analysis of current events, and business/organizational consultancies. CRDC is housed within Mason’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
Write to James Greif at [email protected]