Latest News from the Cordoba Initiative Blog
The 3rd Alternative – Book by Stephen Covey
February 16, 2012
“In The 3rd Alternative, best-selling author Stephen Covey presents his groundbreaking strategies for fostering empathetic, synergistic communication. His prescriptions are compelling, easy to implement, and well documented with examples from his own life, high-stakes business negotiations, and international diplomacy. Anyone involved with interfaith dialogue, intercultural communication, or conflict resolution will find much to gain from this book.”
- Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan attend the 4th Annual Interfaith Dinner and Dialogue for US Religions Leaders
February 10, 2012
Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan attend the 4th Annual Interfaith Dinner and Dialogue for US Religions Leaders at the United Nations, hosted by Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United States Erlan Idrissov.
Read more about this event here.
Imam Feisal Speaks at World Interfaith Harmony Week
February 9, 2012
Support the Cordoba Initiative!
December 20, 2011
December 2011
Dear Friend,
We have experienced many trials and tribulations in the past year and a half as we work to build bridges of mutual respect, understanding, and communication between the Muslim world and the West.
We ask you to assist the Cordoba Initiative, one of the leading voices promoting moderate Islam and dialogue among faiths, in this critical period. Your financial support is vital to our continued success.
Even in our most challenging moments, those of us at the Cordoba Initiative never doubted that – with your help – we would succeed in our mission. Mobilizing moderates of all faiths to support peace, human rights and democracy over the world has not been easy, but we have achieved some remarkable advances we would like to share with you.
In March, we cosponsored a rally with Rabbi Marc Schneier and over 100 interfaith organizations. Today, I am Muslim, Too attracted more than 500 people of all faiths to Times Square in New York City to denounce the hearings set up by Congressman Peter King to investigate radicalization in the American Muslim community.As we marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11, interfaith collaboration took on a special significance. We organized one of the most widely publicized commemorative services in New York City, In Good Faith, Stories of Hope and Resilience, with the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA). More than 300 people of all faiths gathered for an evening of remembrance, where Russell Simmons presented 9/11 families of the three Abrahamic traditions with an artistic representation of peace and patience.
In October, we supported ASMA’s third global Women’s Islamic Initiative on Spirituality and Equality (WISE) conference Muslim Women Leaders at the Frontlines of Change in Istanbul, Turkey. Nearly 200 Muslim women from 45 countries shared best practices for promoting women’s rights from an Islamic perspective. Speakers included women activists who ignited the Arab Spring in Egypt, as well as leaders of non-violent activism in Tunisia, Libya and Syria.
The promotion of democracy in the Muslim world has never been more critical. The Arab Spring has shown us the region’s desire for democracy but has also threatened to open rifts in society between opposing political currents. We are currently adding our analysis to this debate with the Shariah Index Project. Soon we will be releasing a book and an index, which will provide a blueprint for how democracy is compatible with Islamic law and how the ideals of good governance and social justice in both the Islamic and Western traditions complement each other.To counter the rising tide of Islamophobia, we launched the Cordoba Initiative’s Speaking Tour. Over six months, we spread the message of pluralism, tolerance and compassion in over two-dozen cities from Seattle to South Carolina. And in December, I will give the keynote address at the Peace Pilgrimage Conference in Jerusalem, a gathering of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders dedicated to peace between Israel and Palestine.
In addition, the dream for the proposed Cordoba House, a multi-faith community center, is very much alive. Cordoba House will foster peace and understanding among people of different backgrounds and faiths. We believe a center that promotes integration and moderation will develop solutions against political and religious extremism and hatred, be it Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, or any other type of bigotry.However, we need your help. Cordoba Initiative is a small organization and is in critical need of funding from like-minded individuals like you. Please consider making a gift of any size to support our important work. Together, we are making progress in spreading democracy, defusing hate and violence, expanding the rights of all peoples and promoting interfaith dialogue. We would be honored to have you join us.
If you would prefer to make your contribution via check, please make your check payable to:
The Cordoba Initiative at 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 248, New York, NY 10115.
The Cordoba Initiative is a 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization.
Please accept our warmest wishes during this holiday season.
Sincerely,
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
Chairman and Founder, Cordoba Initiative
