More than 200 friends, colleagues, and past and present students gathered on April 26, 2009, to join in the Gala Celebration of Leonard Swidler: the Man and his Works. After sharing food and conversation, the assembled guests witnessed the world premiere of a commissioned dance performance interpreting Swidler's "Seven Stages of Deep Dialogue." The program continued with spoken and musical tributes, including recognition of the 45th Anniversary of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies, founded in 1964 by Len and Arlene Swidler. An interfaith circle of blessing brought the celebration to a close, and guests departed inspired and connected in new ways with one another. More information.
In his historic speech in Cairo on June 4, President Barack Obama affirmed in ringing tones the 21st century mandate for dialogue: "There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Quran tells us, 'Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.' That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart." Full text of speech.
Can attainment of peace in the Middle East be found in the heart of Islamic, Christian and Jewish traditions?
The Dialogue Institute collaborated with the Interfaith Community for Middle East Peace to sponsor a special public forum on Sunday, May 3, 2009, 2 - 6 p.m., at Ritter Hall on the main campus of Temple University. The featured speakers, both from Israel, were Sufi Sheikh Ghassan Manasra and Orthodox Rabbi Menachem Froman. They have each dedicated their lives to understanding the relationship between religion and peacemaking, and are actively engaged in the work of dialogue within the Middle East context. More information...
In July 2009, the Dialogue Institute will host a group of twelve professional Israeli women—Jewish, Christian, and Muslim—for a ten-day Women’s Intercultural Leadership Seminar. The project aims at developing an approach to women’s community leadership that is not only directed at advancing the status of women as agents of social change and female empowerment in their own communities, but also as agents of positive inter-faith and cross-cultural interaction. More information.
Dialogue Institute staff members challenged a roomful of corporate managers and support staff to recognize religious difference as a diversity issue in a December 1 training seminar at the Philadelphia offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The program was offered as part of PWC Philadelphia’s “Inspire Inclusion” initiative, and marked the Dialogue Institute’s move into a new arena of dialogue training. More Information.
". . . .never in our lifetime has there been a more desperate need for constructive and committed dialogue, among individuals, among communities, among cultures, among and between nations."
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, speaking at the Alliance of Civilizations Madrid Forum
From Our Participants
“Nobody can build a bridge alone but with the support of people like the Dialogue Institute it really becomes possible.” Fulbright ICAP 2008 participant from Lebanon
Dialogue Institute
Temple University (022-38)
511 Anderson Hall
1114 W. Berks Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090
215-204-7570 or 7520
Fax: 215-204-4569
Web: www.jesdialogue.org
Email: dialogueinstitute@temple.edu
The Journal of Ecumenical Studies and its related Dialogue Institute comprise an independent 501(c)(3) (NGO) at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.