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Update #64
March 27, 2008
Coming of Age
The last several months have seen a widening appreciation for our Center's work. In January and February alone, we were able to capitalize on no fewer than 11 opportunities for major outreach, ranging from presentations to corporate CEOs in Boston, university faculty in California, civic organizations in Maine and Washington, three local religious audiences, and three radio interviews in Colorado, California, and Massachusetts (in addition to the nationwide rebroadcast of last year's NPR interview).  Perhaps of even greater consequence is a more recent invitation to address National Defense University students and faculty. The invitation itself does a masterful job of capturing the strategic significance of all that we are doing (link here). To quote the author, "The innovative type of religious diplomacy that ICRD advances is a topic that all of our students and faculty should know about to expand their thinking about cross-cultural diplomacy and conflict resolution...Your presentation to us would be a great capstone for our Master's degree in strategy and global leadership." Because this audience will include about 600 up-and-coming Colonels and Captains from all four military services, it will be a unique opportunity to make some of America's finest aware of the potential impact that faith-based diplomacy can have in parts of the world important to them.
In the Valley of the Dragon 
One of our recent one-day workshops took place in a madrasa that is widely known to be a major feeder for al-Qaeda. The audience included a number of madrasa leaders from the surrounding area in addition to those from that particular madrasa. Because of their location, these madrasas have been playing a significant role in supporting the Islamic militancy in Kashmir. During the discussion period, one questioner asked if waging jihad in Kashmir is sanctioned by Islam. The discussion moderator answered that it is not. He indicated that jihad was never justified to acquire territory, but only to defend the faith against external attack. This led to a major debate among the madrasa leaders and a consensus conclusion that fighting in Kashmir is politically motivated, but not religiously sanctioned. Subsequent to that debate, extensive thought is being given by the madrasa leaders to how they can start toning down the militancy of their graduates. This is but the most recent example of ICRD's commitment to dealing with the ideas behind the guns.
ICRD to Honor Cardinal McCarrick 
Please plan to join us for a dinner at Evermay on June 5th at which we will honor Cardinal Emeritus Theodore McCarrick, former Archbishop of Washington, as this year's recipient of our Faith-in-Action Award. A champion of human rights and religious reconciliation around the world, Cardinal McCarrick is widely recognized as one of the most inspiring spiritual leaders in the country. Evermay is the same estate in Georgetown where we held last year's dinner. More details to follow.
With best wishes,
Doug Johnston
President
International Center for Religion & Diplomacy
1156 Fifteenth Street, N. W., Suite 910
Washington, D. C. 20005
http://www.icrd.org
202-331-9401 (phone)
202-872-9137 (fax)
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