Dialogue Institute Founder Leonard Swidler traveled in June to Saudi Arabia, where he engaged in dialogue with forty faculty members at Al Imam Muhammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. Swidler’s trip followed a ground-breaking program last fall, in which the DI led fourteen Imam University professors in a weeklong seminar on interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Planning is now underway with the university’s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Center for Islamic Contemporary Studies and Dialogue of Civilizations for additional DI programs for students and faculty from Saudi universities, as described in a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor. Read the article.

Dialogue Institute staff partnered with the Intercultural Journeys instrumental ensemble to lead 120 students at St. Francis De Sales Middle School (West Philadelphia) through conflict resolution and diversity training on April 29-30. Students in the seventh and eighth grades were attentive and actively engaged with topics related to immigrating students’ adjustment to different social norms, stereotypes regarding religious difference, and barriers to friendship in and out of school. During the two-day seminar students took part in group discussions, created self-expressive works of art, and enjoyed a concert performed by Intercultural Journeys musicians of diverse religious/cultural backgrounds. Representing the Dialogue Institute at this event were Per Faaland, Angela Ilić and Rebecca Mays.

This unique docudrama was presented recently at Temple University under the auspices of the Dialogue Institute. Written by Henrik Eger, the drama is based on the uncensored writings of a Third Reich war correspondent and propaganda officer, and a Jewish Holocaust survivor, and is performed by their sons who became friends: Robert Spitz and the playwright. For further information about this docudrama, see www.henrikeger.com/Metronome-Ticking.php

Professor Ben Mollov of Bar Ilan University spoke at two Dialogue Institute events in late February, addressing area faculty, students and community leaders on the theme of Religious Diplomacy.

Prof. Mollov described a unique project he initiated under Bar Ilan’s Program in Conflict Resolution, bringing together Arab and Jewish university students for ongoing interreligious dialogue.

The Dialogue Institute, through its Sr. Director for Global Education, Racelle Weiman, is currently developing plans with Prof. Mollov for a conference on Religious Diplomacy for diplomatic officers in Israel in 2011. Full Article.

Dr. Alwi Shihab, former student of Leonard Swidler and Minister of People’s Welfare for the government of Indonesia, was honored in May as the Temple Religion Department 2010 Distinguished Alumnus. Shihab, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Abdurrahman Wahid, was responsible for emergency disaster relief in Aceh following the 2004 tsunami.

In September–October 2009, the Dialogue Institute hosted 14 professors from Imam University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for a one-week seminar on interreligious and intercultural dialogue. The seminar was organized in partnership with The Center for Islamic Contemporary Studies and Dialogue of Civilization at Imam University. Full Article.