Interfaith Peacebuilding: Can Interfaith Cooperation Resolve Identity-based Conflicts?

mindanaoSave the date, March 19, 2:00-4:00 PM! This upcoming Global Peace Leadership Forum will address the topic of "Can Interfaith Cooperation Resolve Identity-based Conflicts?"

Although the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent War on Terror seem to have justified Samuel Huntington’s thesis of a “clash of civilizations,” there is no real split between the Judeo-Christian West and the Muslim world. Still, countless localized identity-based conflicts, often resulting in genocide, con-tinue to erupt around the world. Religion is rarely the primary cause of conflict, but it is often used to exacerbate and deepen existing divisions.

In this forum, we will examine the origin and nature of identity-based conflicts and explore the unique role of interfaith cooperation in peace-building efforts. We will highlight successful models of interfaith intervention in Mindanao, Philippines and other hotspots.

Read more...
 
GPF USA launches "American Youth Leadership Series"

Nate MullGlobal Peace Festival USA launched “The American Youth Leadership Series” on Friday, October 16, with an event in Washington, DC. The series explores contemporary issues of American public life in the context of America’s founding vision and principles. The first event featured a talk by Rebecca Cataldi, program manager at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD) and founder of the American-Islamic Friendship Project. The event focused on the principles that have united the American people and how those principles can serve as a basis for cooperation between America and the world.

 

Read more...
 
American Values and Interfaith Cooperation

Following is an address given by Rebecca Cataldi for the American Youth Leadership Series on October 16, 2009 in Washington, DC.

Rebecca CataldiGood evening and thank you for having me here.  I’m very happy to be part of the Call2Character movement, which is a movement to awaken the essence of America 's founding spirit and principles.  The beautiful thing about this movement is that it is not a “right-wing” movement or a “left-wing” movement.  It is not a Republican movement or a Democratic movement.  It’s not even a religious movement or based upon any one religious faith.  But it is a spiritual movement that seeks to revitalize the moral character of America and American values.

Now, American values can mean different things to different people, and this is perhaps fitting for a nation based on both diversity and the freedom to follow one’s own path.  But whether we always agree on how to put these values into practice or not, this movement seeks to begin a national conversation about the values that we as Americans want our nation to embody and how we can live up to these values, both as individuals and as a nation.  It seeks to reawaken these values in our national consciousness.

 

Read more...
 

Get Email Updates

Support the Cause

What is GPF?

The Global Peace Festival promotes and celebrates persons and programs that contribute to reconciliation, mutual respect, harmony and cooperation among the members of the whole human family, as "One Family Under God". In partnership with a variety of faith-based organizations, NGOs, government agencies, educational institutions, and members of the private sector, GPF encourages programs that strengthen God-centered marriages and families, facilitate intercultural and interreligious cooperation, and foster a culture of peace and service. Ongoing programs are carried out throughout the year, and culminate in a biennial Global Peace Festival that consists of an international leadership conference, a social impact program, and a public celebration.

How you can join us?

Partnerships
The Global Peace festival is all about partners supporting and learning from each other. You or your organisation can either make partnerships with the working groups or just simply because you want to support or endorse the GPF project.

Sponsorships
Monetary support is always appreciated, as well as sponsorship in kind e.g. facilitating a venue or materials for service projects.