International Center for Religion & Diplomacy

The island nation of the Maldives, long known as a glorious tourist destination, has had more nationals per capita travel to fight with ISIS than many other countries. In partnership with the Government of the Maldives (GOM), ICRD played a pivotal role in supporting the establishment of the first-of-its-kind National Reintegration Center (NRC) for demobilized fighters and their families returning to the country, with support from the US Department of State. Running from 2021 to 2023, ICRD’s program support was grounded in a trauma-informed approach, expanding the GOM’s, its security agencies’ and civil society partners’ understanding of the important role of religious and psychosocial support for stable, safe, and durable reintegration. ICRD’s program, implemented between 2021 to 2023, led to measurable and durable impacts including:
📚 Collaboratively conducting and sharing the findings of a preliminary needs analysis leading to relationship building with the GOM and civil society organizations.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The adaptation of a trauma-informed theory of change to serve as the basis for policy prescriptions, training, and program implementation.

🛜 An active network of practitioners and stakeholders, including bridging divisions between the GOM and civil society, capable of supporting community-led rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.

🏛️ Advising the Maldivian Minister for Home Affairs and his cabinet on the future return of Maldivian families being held in secure centers in Syria.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 A National Committee for Reintegration and Rehabilitation in the Maldives, focused on information sharing, task oversight, and efficient implementation of programs, to ensure sustainability after the program ended.

🏋️ Multiple sets of capacity-building training sessions to inform and prepare local actors to understand the nuances of trauma-informed approaches, collaborative action, and risk analysis related to reintegration.

🎓 A final international conference that showcased the Maldivian NRC efforts, which provided a roadmap to inform promising rehabilitation and reintegration practices in the region.

Click the link below to learn more about our work to counter and prevent violent extremism around the globe. See you for another Program Tuesday soon!

https://icrd.org/programs/

📢 Calling Everyone in and Around DC 🗣️

We at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD) are honored to share news of an important upcoming event: the Interfaith Prayer Service in Support of Global Peace, dedicated to honoring survivors of violence and those on the frontlines of peacemaking. The event, facilitated by the Offices of Honourable Congressman David Valdeo and Congresswoman Mary Scanlon in support of the American Sikh Caucus, will take place tomorrow, Thursday, June 13, 2024, from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM at the US Capitol HVC 201.

The service will commence with key note addresses and readings from multi-faith scriptures by esteemed peace actors and faith leaders, including Alice Wairimu Nderitu (Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Atrocities and Genocide), Dr. Iqtidar Cheema (American Sihk Caucus and Member of the UN Global Steering Committee), and Martine Miller (ICRD’s Vice President). The goal of this interfaith prayer is to cultivate a spirit of harmony, foster peaceful relations among individuals of all faiths and beliefs, and unite us all in praying for and committing to world peace during these challenging times.

Following the key notes addresses and readings, the event will feature reflections from persecuted and marginalized religious minorities and survivors of violence. These representatives will share their perspectives on the conditions of religious freedom worldwide, increasing incidents of violence and effective means to advance inclusiveness and peace. Their reflections will include ways to mitigate crimes against humanity, the destruction of heritage, discriminatory laws, forced conversions, attacks on houses of worship, hate speech, and violence targeting religious minorities.

We are also pleased to announce that ICRD’s Vice President, Martine Miller, will participate as a coordinator and key note for this and future significant congressional events. Her involvement underscores ICRD’s commitment to advancing interfaith dialogue and supporting global peace efforts.

This event is a pivotal opportunity to stand in solidarity and support those affected by violence and to affirm our shared commitment to peace. We hope to see you there and trust that this service will inspire and unite all participants in the pursuit of a more harmonious and hopeful future.

✨ICRD Spotlight - Rebecca Cataldi✨

ICRD’s Senior Program Director, Rebecca Cataldi, who is a specialist and trainer in conflict resolution with experience in nearly 80 countries and a consultant on preventing violent extremism to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, recently took part in the Paulist Summit on Polarization, a national Catholic conference on addressing toxic polarization in the United States.

Rebecca was part of a panel discussing the topic, “Depolarizing Catholicism: What We Can Learn from National Movements and Organizations”. Representing both the Braver Angels Movement – a longstanding partner of ICRD – and ICRD itself, Rebecca highlighted the breadth of work ICRD has been doing to address toxic polarization and prevent extremism with religious communities in the US, including through collaboration with the Braver Angels Movement.

Rebecca emphasized her eagerness to apply her extensive work from across the world to the domestic front, as she is troubled by escalating tensions. She mentioned, for example, how Northern Ireland colleagues had “expressed their concern…because they are hearing the same type of dehumanizing language and hate speech being used against the political ‘other’ in America that they heard in Northern Ireland before violence broke out.” Rebecca also highlighted, as ICRD has done for many years, that “​​while each context is unique, there are many aspects of our international work that apply in the US, such as the importance of core conflict resolution and communication skills like active listening, the impact of perceived identity threats and the need to address them, and the critical role that religious leaders and communities can play in peacebuilding.”

Rebecca, the Braver Angels Movement, and the rest of ICRD are working toward building a repository of practical resources that can be used in communities to help reduce toxic polarization and to make them accessible to every parish in the country. Such materials have been applied in many contexts, not least of all in depolarization workshops that ICRD is conducting in several parts of the country and in Braver Angels workshops on bridging political divisions.

In the end, Rebecca stated that “every single one of us seeking to live out our Catholic faith should realize that we have a unique and important role to play in reducing toxic polarization – including by loving our neighbor whether they be a Republican, a Democrat, or anything else.”

🌟 DHS Program Tuesday: Strengthening Resilience in the Pacific NW 🌐

ICRD is collaborating with pastors and other ministry leaders to help identify community needs in the midst of social and political divisions that are straining houses of worship across the United States, and to support pastors in fostering constructive discipleship that guides individuals away from polarizing tendencies, tribalism, and even violence. Focused on the northwest, this mission is critical to restoring a sense of dialogue and community across differences in our deeply divided nation. In partnership with Moonshot, experts in online information manipulation and online-to-offline harm reduction strategies, and with financial support of the Department of Homeland Security through their Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant (2022-2024), ICRD has been able to:

🛡 Build Resilient Faith Communities
Under the DHS’s TVTP Grant, ICRD, in partnership with Moonshot and Portland-based faith leaders, is making impactful strides in equipping religious communities to resist information manipulation and toxic polarization. This includes working with anchor pastors to develop messaging that informs ICRD’s other programming reaching across the country.

🙌 Community Retreats
Recently, 50 Christian leaders from 8 different churches in the Portland’s tri-county area gathered for a transformative retreat themed, "Manifesting the Beloved Community." This retreat delved into strategies for enhancing resilience against information manipulation, responding effectively to toxic polarization (as individuals and as communities), and creating opportunities for collective healing processes within houses of worship.

💡 From Retreat to Action
​​The retreat marks the initial phase of empowering these faith communities. ICRD is actively engaged in co-creating projects with each represented community. These projects aim to apply the valuable insights gained during the retreat in practical and impactful ways.

🔄 Learning through Action
ICRD, Moonshot, and our faith community partners are committed to the journey of continuous learning. Through the implementation and monitoring of diverse projects, we aspire to understand what works and what doesn't in empowering Christian congregations to combat information manipulation and toxic polarization.

Learn more about our work in the United States and beyond through the link below, otherwise we will see you for another Program Tuesday soon! 👀

https://icrd.org/the-americas/

📘 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Teacher Training 🎓

Following a decade of supporting educational reforms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through assessments of intolerance in the public school curriculum, ICRD was invited by the Ministry of Education to train Saudi educators, curriculum designers, and teacher trainers. Initiated in 2019 with Department of State support, the program focused on critical thinking, human rights, religious literacy, and extremism prevention - all grounded in Islamic history and values. The program was highly sought after by Saudi educators, and resulted in:

*Empowering Female Educators:* ICRD pushed the Ministry to ensure gender balance, and women participants took the lead on contributing to the conversations.

*Virtual Triumph:* The original design planned for in-person trainings; ICRD successfully shifted to a virtual platform in late 2021, modeling adaptability to current challenges.

*Enthusiastic Participation:* Educators from across the Kingdom were eager to participate, with applications submitted from across the country; this allowed for the selection of highly talented and senior professionals.

*Sustainability:* Participation focused on those with influence, capacity, and interest in replicating the training content, including through educator training and curriculum design; the Ministry ensured that participants would train the simplified manual ICRD provided.

*🔮 Next Steps:* ICRD remains committed to fostering collaboration, maintaining communication with the U.S. Department of State, the Saudi Ministry of Education, and other key stakeholders. Program success sets the stage for expanded impact in Saudi education.

Read more about our extensive work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the link below and we’ll see you for another program Tuesday soon 👀
https://icrd.org/middle-east-north-africa/

Program Tuesday: Lebanon and Jordan

ICRD is committed to the idea that tolerance and conflict transformation begin with how young people are educated. Building on two decades of youth and education engagement from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, and from Uganda to Chad, the Center began a Life Skills and Civic Education Program in Lebanon and Jordan in January of 2022. Together with local partners INITIATE and Thaki, and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the program expands the reach of Big Bad Boo Productions’ “1001 Nights” animated series, which provides positive civic values and psychosocial support to the children of Lebanon who are suffering from the country’s ongoing crises.

The program has:
🎥 Aired the animations in both private and Catholic schools, and educational centers that serve children refugees;
🧑‍🏫 Taught 8-12 year old children life skills and civic values, including non-violence, inclusion, human rights, democracy, gender equality, and the rule of law.
📚 Produced over 44,000 teacher's guides and student activity books that have been printed and are now being distributed in CSNs, private schools, and educational centers that serve children refugees.
🎥 Thanks to our partnership with Thaki, acquired 180 laptops. These devices will bring the magic of 1001 Nights to schools and safe spaces across Lebanon, empowering countless children with access to quality education.

Click below to learn more about our work in Lebanon and Jordan. See you for another Program Tuesday soon! 👀

https://icrd.org/programs/

Program Tuesday: *Pakistan*

In remote areas of Pakistan, ICRD has been quietly convening conservative Imams and educators for nearly two decades to support reform in religious education - grounded in the history and heritage of the madrasas as centers of learning excellence during the Golden Age of Islam. Working to integrate critical thinking and multidisciplinary studies back into Islamic education, ICRD and local partners have engaged thousands of madrasas, linked formal and informal education, and elevated the role of women of faith in a comprehensive effort to foster tolerance and dismantle the roots of extremism. Join our journey of empowering minds and building sustainable peace, one madrasa at a time.

ICRD’s programming in Pakistan has had significant impact, including:
📚 Religious Education: Trained educators from over 6000 madrasas, including linking informal madrasa educators to university training in classroom education;

🤝 Countered Sectarian Divides: Created unity among diverse religious leaders, dispelling sectarian prejudices and promoting inter-sect harmony to measurably reduce sectarian violence;

💡 Integrated Religious Actors: Engaged conservative religious figures to explore their unique roles in countering violent movements and extremist recruitment;

👩‍🎓 Women in PVE: Empowered female civil society leaders and religious educators from girls’ madrasas to implement initiatives to prevent violence and recruitment by extremist organizations.

Click the link below to discover the impactful work behind each program in Pakistan and keep your eyes out for our next program Tuesday soon! 👀

https://icrd.org/asia/

*Changing others…by listening?*

Humans are opinionated. Please feel free to argue with me if you disagree! Most of us are brimming with passionate beliefs about what is right: which food is most tasty, which style of clothes look the best, who should have won that Grammy Award…or more serious topics like which religion is correct, what economic system is most fair, or what politician will help or harm our nation.

There are two ways to change other people: *through coercion or persuasion*

Coercion simply means “forcing folks” to change using the threat of punishment. Persuasion, on the other hand, seeks to transform the underlying conclusions that certain behaviors are the appropriate response to circumstances. Many parents face this challenge regularly, trying to convince children to do what is correct because it is good for them or those around them rather than because they are afraid of getting caught.

Coercion may be necessary to stop immediate dangers, such as restraining someone who is about to commit an act of violence. While coercion might imply enough risk of punishment to change external behaviors, however, it does not alter internal beliefs. It is a false transformation, rooted in fear.

Alternatively, *persuasion seeks to turn resistance into agreement*. If we can convince that same person that violence is not an appropriate response to their anger, grief, or fear, then we might help them prepare an alternative solution in the future. One of the most powerful aspects of this kind of transformation is that the person can become an ally in persuading others over whom they have influence. When working on violence prevention with gang members in South America, for example, it was older, former gang members, with the same life experiences and grievances, who were most able to convince younger, vulnerable people not to choose that life. They had credibility because they could speak to the same difficulties and temptations faced by those young people, but convince them to follow a different path based on their own transformation.

*“You’re an idiot!” versus “I understand why you are doing this.”*

Coercion is not limited to physical punishment. In arguments, we often see coercion manifest as attaching some kind of moral judgment to the views of the other, suggesting that holding a particular opinion isn’t just wrong, but rather makes the person who espouses it tainted, stupid, or evil. When used to shame people publicly, this is a kind of reputational punishment that hurts a perceived opponent without at all addressing the content of their views, the thoughts or values behind them, and the experiences that led them to take those views, which often include complex emotional content like hope or pain. Humans are excellent at minimizing those around them to make themselves look grander. However, we don’t persuade by shouting about how wrong someone is; we persuade by convincing them that their *legitimate concerns or needs are not being served* by their actions.

One of the great challenges of persuasion is that, in order for it to succeed, the one who seeks to convince others must *understand why the other person acts the way they do*. Is the person violent because they need resources, seek revenge, or have been taught hatred? Are they violent because they fear violence against themselves? Behind each behavior sits a genuine human emotion. If we do not acknowledge the reality of the emotional or experiential content behind disagreement, even if associated actions seem illogical, unacceptable, or dangerous, it will be impossible to help craft a different response.

There are practical techniques to employ during disagreements that emphasize active listening and a spirit of authentic inquiry in order to deepen understanding, acknowledge human dignity and motives, and best allow for constructively engaging difference, including:

✔️ Rather than reacting to *what someone is saying*, “reflect” back to them *what you are hearing* to confirm it is *what they mean* – for example, “I think you are saying ‘xyz’; is that accurate?”

✔️ Rather than react with an *oppositional statement* (“You’re Wrong!”) to a disagreement, dig deeper – for example, “you just said ‘xyz’ can you clarify what you mean about ‘x’?”

✔️ Be very careful to avoid attacks in which you *criticize a person rather than an idea* – for example, “that’s what you always do!” or “of course you can’t understand.”

✔️ Specify that differences in opinion emerge from *your own experience*, rather than “absolute truth” – for example, “In similar circumstances, I have felt/seen ‘abc’.”

*Peacebuilding and Rehumanizing*

The old adage states, *“you don’t make peace with your friends.”* True transformation, whether of violence between groups or unjust institutions, requires those sustaining broken relationships to be engaged and convinced to change. Persuasion only works if debates are grounded in authentic acknowledgment of the human emotions underneath the actions of our perceived adversary. When that happens, two things often follow. First, the parties to the conflict feel heard and seen – “rehumanized” – and are often more willing to hear an alternative experience or viewpoint in return. Second, as each party is encouraged to express their ideas more deeply, any incongruities, contradictions, and uncertainties that arise naturally will open opportunities for rigid forms of thinking to begin to soften. While blunt argument often causes people to solidify their position in defensiveness, the simple act of listening deeply to someone paradoxically allows them the space to listen deeply to themselves – and perhaps conclude that their views may have room to evolve.

This kind of engagement is a two-way street, however. The vulnerability required to relax an aggressive position in the face of an adversary only happens if the atmosphere of dialogue and transformation is mutual. Ideas and actions are grounded in values, experiences, and convictions – and therefore have deep meaning to people. However, remaining committed to one’s core values does not preclude questioning our conclusions about *how best to manifest those values in society*. If we are willing to reflect upon that with humility and compassion, then we are more likely to succeed in encouraging the same in others.

Please look here each month as we contemplate some of the Tough Questions in peacebuilding - and join us in putting *Faith in Peace* through the link below! 🌎

https://icrd.org/donation-page/

Program Tuesday: *Empowering Youth through Education in Uganda*

From 2020 to 2023, ICRD collaborated with Uganda’s primary Muslim organizations to enhance the traditional teachings within the country’s madrasa religious schools by introducing critical skills that promote tolerance and social cohesion, resilience against ideological violence, and community development through youth leadership. The program impact included:

🔬 Conducting a first-of-its-kind national study of formal and informal madrasa education, surveying more than 1600 madrasas across Uganda;
📝 Producing a groundbreaking report that was endorsed by Uganda’s Muslim leadership, celebrating existing strengths and shedding light on areas for growth;
📚 Supporting the enhancement of madrasa education in Uganda, including fostering interfaith relations, promoting critical thinking pedagogy, and developing leadership skills among students;
🎓Assisting local leaders in developing a “Roadmap for a Unified National Madrasa Curriculum”, combining international good practices with local expertise to provide a holistic educational experience, representative of local norms and values;
🤝 ICRD is currently seeking additional resources to support local Muslim partners to implement the Unified Curriculum to: strengthen madrasa educational standards; train teachers throughout the country; integrate material that Ugandan Muslim leaders deem helpful from global educational models; and promote broad social cohesion in Uganda.

Learn more about our work with local faith leaders to build a more understanding and inclusive future for Ugandan students through the link below!

https://icrd.org/sub-saharan-africa/

🌟 Come meet us at the International Conference on the Dialogue of Civilization & Tolerance in Abu Dhabi on the 20th and 21st of February, where our President and CEO, James Patton, will be one of the keynote speakers. Don’t miss this chance to connect and converse with global leaders who are shaping the future of cross-cultural understanding. 🌐

🗺️The conference is co-hosted by Emirates Scholar Research Center, the UAE Ministry of Tolerance & Coexistence, and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. Follow the event updates and join the dialogue through the hosts' social platforms:

👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emiratesscholar

*Program Tuesday*

Colombian women victims of violence gathered on the floor of the convent, wrapped in bed sheets. As Christians, they were turning to their sacred scriptures, reenacting a Biblical passage as a way of processing their pain and frustration with a strained dialogue with former women combatants, as part of an ICRD reconciliation seminar. In the midst of the longest running violent conflict in the Western Hemisphere, ICRD worked closely with a multi-religious group of Colombian women of faith to support the reintegration of former combatants, by building capacity to lead reconciliation dialogues. In a clear demonstration of how religion helps to transcend conflict, participants turned to their faith to explore concepts of pardon and restitution in order to overcome their challenges and build deeper connections across beliefs and collaboration across communities.

From 2013 to 2017 ICRD worked with women from eight conflict-impacted regions, the Colombian government’s reintegration agency, and military and academic institutions. Our impact included:

🏋️ Multiple trainings each year for over 60 Ecumenical Women Peacebuilders on reconciliation and conflict transformation practices, together with eight partner organizations co-facilitating, were later replicated to over 300 women in eight regions.
🧑‍🏫 Sharing best-practices with approximately 100 academic leaders, 80 military commanders, dozens of key journalists, and 1500 students and members of civil society.
👭 Engaging dozens of communities, including many former combatants and hundreds of spiritual and women leaders - from Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic traditions, preparing to receive former combatants.
🤲 Partnering with transitional justice experts, political actors, and business leaders to inform strategies and identify partners to sustain reintegration successes.
🍀 Informing government efforts, including several workshops on reintegration risks, restitution, and reconciliation for two dozen jailed former combatants preparing for reintegration.

Click below to learn more about our work in Colombia and elsewhere and we'll see you for another Program Tuesday soon!

https://icrd.org/programs/

The United States has just marked the annual celebration of the work and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the few peacebuilders elevated to a national day of recognition, which are often reserved for great battles or military heroes. While we generally equate security - both in the broadest sense of protecting the country and in the more parochial sense of protecting communities - with armed forces like the police or the military, the work of peacebuilding is grounded in helping to create security by changing the things that lead to instability and violence.

Peace is itself a term that leaves much to the imagination, and is frequently mistaken for a kind of dreamy and intangible wishfulness, but the art and practice of peacebuilding is a richly nuanced vocation that calls upon tools and methods steeped in a deep understanding of human nature, intergroup relationships, and community dynamics. It requires patience, empathy, and care, as it navigates around the worst of people’s pain and trauma, the depths of their fears and the hard edges of their anger.

Peacebuilding is committed to the idea that if people can work their way from broken relationships to less broken ones, the world will be safer for all of us, including generations that are yet to be born. While force may be deemed necessary at times to prevent immediate harm, coercion does not change minds, and only promises to sustain cycles of resentfulness and vengeance that lead to more violence. Peacebuilding seeks an alternative – to change the way that people understand one another, to increase mutual respect and a future built on institutions and collaborations that better serve all people, while acknowledging and moving forward from a past marred by injustice and bloodshed.

The challenges that form successful engagements in peacebuilding are complex and nuanced, which may be unsatisfying to those who seek swift retribution for harm they have suffered or witnessed. But the outcomes of peacebuilding are meant to be more permanent and sustainable than revenge or simple punishment. It is a more labor-intensive path with the promise of more durable rewards that are more widely shared. This is why peacebuilding has been uplifted and celebrated in many spiritual traditions.

While conflict and authoritarian coercion seem to be on the rise in both international affairs and intergroup dynamics, ICRD will use this space to explore some of the principles, challenges, and methods within peacebuilding practice. Our goal will be to unpack, demystify, and make them more accessible for everyday use by individuals and communities, so that our social norms might find a better grounding in resilience, tolerance, and compromise.

Please look here each month as we contemplate some of the Tough Questions in peacebuilding - and join us in putting *Faith in Peace* through the link below 🌎

https://icrd.org/donation-page/

Dear Friends,

From all of us at ICRD, we wish you a Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas🎄🎊

Calling everyone in or around DC/Virginia/Maryland region🗣️

We, the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy, are cohosting a screening and discussion of the Braver Angel’s documentary, “Braver Angels: Reuniting America,” together with representatives from Braver Angels, The Rumi Forum, and Focolare Forum for Dialog and Culture, to discuss ongoing efforts to combat political polarization.

The event will be hosted on Tuesday, December 5th from 6:30-8:30pm at Van Metre Hall, George Mason University Arlington Campus, Room 308. Light refreshments will be provided!

We look forward to welcoming, discussing, and taking steps to reunite!

Please register here: Braver Network and Carter School Presents: Reuniting America | Buy Tickets in Arlington | Ticketbud

Braver Network and Carter School Presents: Reuniting America | Get Tickets in Arlington | Ticketbud Braver Network and Carter School Presents: Reuniting America - Arlington - December 5, 2023 at 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, USA. Find event and ticket information on Ticketbud.