U.S. institutions are being sought to host scholars/religious leaders for a 10-12 week program focused on interfaith cooperation and community action. Participants will come from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Overview

The Fulbright Interfaith Dialogue and Community Action Program will provide a group of 10 scholars/religious leaders from diverse religious communities in countries with significant Muslim populations with the opportunity for discussion, debate and collaborative learning centered on interfaith dialogue and community action. Drawing on the knowledge and experience gained through this program, participants will promote tolerance and build communities of people of different faiths working together to seek solutions to social and cultural problems, and to cultivate harmonious societies.

Program Activities

	Intensive summer seminar on “Interfaith Dialogue and Community Action” at the Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life, University of California—Santa Barbara
	10-12 week scholar-in-residence experience at a U.S. host institution in a metropolitan area

Role of the U.S. Host Institution

Institutions are invited to host one participant for a 10-12 week period beginning mid-September 2007—following the Santa Barbara summer seminar. Prospective host institutions will be located in a major American city with a tradition of positive interfaith action and will have close ties to the surrounding local community. Institutions should offer a scholar-in-residence experience that includes professional, personal and community opportunities for participants to enhance their knowledge of and experience with religious diversity and interfaith cooperation from an American perspective. Participants will take part in the life of the host university as well as interact with religious scholars and local community leaders to share experiences of interfaith action within their respective communities.

Programming should emphasize the unique experiences that the scholar will gain from working with university faculty, students and community leaders on issues involving interfaith dialogue and action. To achieve program goals, the host institution should be prepared to develop an appropriate program within the university as well as identify local interfaith community sponsors that are willing and able to arrange meaningful programs for the visiting scholar. Successful programs will not only respond to, but take advantage of the scholar’s specific interests to ensure a mutually beneficial experience.

Participant Profile

Fulbright Commissions and U.S. Public Affairs Offices abroad will identify suitable participants for the program. Individuals selected to participate in the program will meet the following criteria:

	affiliation with an academic institution and/or engaged with an organization committed to encouraging interfaith cooperation (can include NGOs, the media and government agencies)
	demonstration of a level of education in the field of religious studies or a related discipline of the social sciences or humanities commensurate with participation in scholarly discussion and thinking at the university level
	engagement in a project or activity which will benefit from interaction with faculty and programs at the U.S. host institution as well as with interfaith community groups
	evidence of high level of commitment to fostering religious pluralism and the goals of interfaith cooperation
	fluency in English

Award Benefits

The program covers all expenses including airfare and provides a complete benefit package to the scholars during the host institution experience. Additionally, a $1,500 allowance will be provided to the U.S. institutions for assistance with hosting the participant and programming the scholar-in-residence activities within the university and community.

For further information and details, please contact:

Stacey Bustillos
Program Officer
sbustillos@cies.iie.org
Tel: 202.686.6252

Hajra Zahid
Senior Program Associate
hzahid@cies.iie.org
Tel: 202.686.6250