Interreligious Dialogue Mapping of the Middle East

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Interreligious Dialogue Mapping of the Middle East PANTONE 2292 C PANTONE 416 C or similar or similar RGB 147 201 14 RGB 126 127 116 HEX 93C90E HEX 7E7F74 CMYK 48 0 92 0 CMYK 28 18 29 51 PANTONE P 104-16 U PANTONE P 179-14 U Interreligious Dialogue Mapping of the Middle East Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq 2020 Interreligious Dialogue Mapping of the Middle East: Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq Published by: Adyan Foundation Institute of Citizenship and Diversity Management and Rashad Center for Cultural Governance Lead Researcher: Michael Daniel Driessen, PhD Local Researchers: Anna Maria Daou (Lebanon) Dima Karadsheh (Jordan) Neira Omerovic (Turkey) Faris Ilyas Keti (Iraq) Under the direction of: Nayla Tabbara, PhD Director of the Institute of Citizenship and Diversity Management at the Adyan Foundation Ahmed Nagi Research Manager at the Institute of Citizenship and Diversity Management, Adyan Foundation © All Rights Reserved for Adyan Foundation Beirut, 2020 Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................ 1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 3 1. Theoretical Framework for Evaluating Interreligious Dialogue ........... 6 Preliminary Considerations: Defining and Naming Interreligious Dialogue ........................................ 6 Typologies of Interreligious Dialogue....................................................... 6 I. Type of Organization .................................................................................. 7 II. Goals and Theories of Change ................................................................. 8 III. Audiences and Participants ...................................................................11 IV. Strategies of Action .................................................................................11 Scope of the Study: Mapping and Evaluating Interreligious Dialogue Activities ............... 12 Descriptive Dimension ............................................................................. 12 Social Relevance Dimension .................................................................... 13 Organizational Success Dimension ........................................................ 13 2. Comparative Overview of the Results and Challenges ........................ 15 Type of Organization ................................................................................ 15 Evolution of the Dialogue Landscape over Time ................................... 15 Political Context and the Role of State-promoted Dialogue Organizations .................... 17 Civil Society and Religious Groups; Professional and Informal Organizations .............................................. 19 Goals of Organizations ............................................................................. 21 Audiences .................................................................................................. 23 Youth Participation and Outreach ......................................................... 24 Involvement of Women in Interreligious Dialogue Activities ............. 24 Religious Conservatives and Dialogue Activities .................................. 25 Interreligious Strategies .......................................................................... 26 3. LEBANON ................................................................................................... 28 Introduction .............................................................................................. 29 Mapping of Organisations, Personalities, and Initiatives.................... 33 Adyan Foundation for Diversity, Solidarity, and Human Dignity.............33 Dialogue for Life and Reconciliation (DLR) ................................................35 Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue (FDCD) ...........................36 Offre Joie ........................................................................................................37 The Middle Eastern Council of Churches (MECC) ......................................37 The National Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue .........................38 Arab Working Group for Christian-Muslim Dialogue ................................39 Academic Institutions ...................................................................................40 March 25th Annunciation Celebration ........................................................41 Darb Maryam .................................................................................................42 Holy Lebanon.................................................................................................43 Conclusions and Final Recommendations ......................................... 44 4. JORDAN ...................................................................................................... 45 Introduction .............................................................................................. 46 Mapping of Organisations, Personalities, and Initiatives.................... 50 The Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (RIIFS)........................................50 Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) .........................................51 East and West Center for Sustainable Development (WE Center) ..........52 The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought ..................................53 The Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center (JICRC) ...............54 Al-Khaima Ecumenical Community Center ................................................54 Interdependence of Religions .....................................................................55 Conclusions and Final Recommendations ......................................... 56 5.TURKEY ........................................................................................................ 57 Introduction .............................................................................................. 58 Mapping of Organizations, Personalities and Initiatives ..................... 62 Department for Social and Cultural Services Abroad at the Presidency of Religious Affairs ........................................................62 Alliance of Civilizations Institute (MEDIT) ..................................................64 Dominican Study Institute Istanbul (DoSt-I)...............................................65 Focolare Community in Istanbul .................................................................67 Cooperation Circle of United Religions Initiative in Turkey “Friendship among Cultures” .......................................................................67 Association for the Support of Greek Community Foundations (RUMVADER) ..................................................................................................68 Conclusions and Final Recommendations ......................................... 70 6. IRAQ ............................................................................................................ 72 Introduction .............................................................................................. 73 Mapping of Organizations, Personalities and Initiatives ..................... 77 Masarat Organization, Iraq Council for Interfaith Dialogue (IRAQCID) and National Center to Combat Hate Speech ...........................................77 Ministry of Endowment and Religious affairs – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ........................................................................................78 Babel College of Philosophy and Theology and Baghdad Academy of Human Sciences .......................................................................................79 UNESCO Chair for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue at Kufa University ..........................................................................................80 Al-Khoei Institute - Al–Balaghi Academy for Interreligious Dialogue .....81 Larsa Organization ........................................................................................82 Committee for Defending Religious and Ethnic Groups in Iraq ..............83 Conclusions and Final Recommendations ......................................... 84 Additional Resources .................................................................................... 85 Bibliography .............................................................................................. 85 Aggregate Survey Data by Country ........................................................ 90 Lebanon .........................................................................................................90 Jordan .............................................................................................................92 Turkey .............................................................................................................94 Iraq ..................................................................................................................96 Survey Instrument for Interreligious Dialogue Organizations ........... 98 Interreligious Dialogue Directory ......................................................... 100 Iraq ................................................................................................................100 Jordan ...........................................................................................................100 Turkey ...........................................................................................................101 Lebanon .......................................................................................................102
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