To Promote Understanding

By Dorie Baker, "Muslim and Christian Leaders Meet at Yale for Historic “Common Word” Conference" - Yale Bulletin, Yale University - New Haven, CT, USA
Tuesday, July 15, 2008

More than 150 Muslim and Christian leaders, including some of the world’s most eminent scholars and clerics, will gather at Yale University July 28 –31 to promote understanding between the two faiths, whose members comprise more than half the world’s population.

Prominent political figures and representatives of the Jewish community also will speak at the conference, which launches a series of interfaith events planned around the world over the next two years.

These gatherings respond to the call for dialogue issued in an open letter, A Common Word Between Us and You, written by major Islamic leaders, to which Yale scholars responded with a statement that garnered over 500 signatures.

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Notable leaders expected at the conference include Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan; former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi of Sudan; top Evangelical leaders Leith Anderson and Geoff Tunnicliffe; prominent Ayatollahs from Iran; Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi of Palestine, Grand Muftis of several Middle Eastern countries; Antonios Kireopoulos of the National Council of Churches; and John Esposito of Georgetown University.

Senator John Kerry as well as other senior U.S. government officials also are expected to attend.

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For additional conference information — including online streams of the conference panels and keynote addresses and other up-to-date information — visit the conference website
http://www.yale.edu/divinity/commonword/