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Show Notes: Special Edition of LYNC RADIO: The Berlin Civil Society Program (Part 1)

Welcome to a special edition of LYNC Radio, where we explore the Berlin Civil Society Program, co-convened by Love Your Neighbor Community in partnership with the IRF Secretariat and Templeton Religion Trust. This episode covers insights from the opening sessions, including the launch of the new Academic Council and highlights from the Eurasian panel.

Episode Overview:

1. Berlin Civil Society Program:

• Held at the iconic Adlon Kempinski Hotel, the program brought together global leaders to discuss pressing issues related to religious freedom, social cohesion, and resilience.
• The event was convened by the IRF Secretariat, Templeton Religion Trust, and Love Your Neighbor Community.

2. Launch of the IRF Secretariat's Global Academic Council:

• Co-chaired by Rev. Mae Cannon and Jocelyne Cesari, the council seeks to critically examine terms like violence, security, and extremism in the context of religious freedom.
• Jocelyne Cesari stressed that violence can be structural, embedded in political and social institutions, often leading to violations of religious freedom.
• Contributions from Dr. Pavol Bargár and Dr. Dennis Hoover emphasized the complexity of structural violence and the need for a more nuanced understanding of extremism and religious privilege.

3. Eurasian Panel Highlights:

• Moderated by Wade Kusack, this panel featured key voices from Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Moldova, focusing on multi-faith dialogue and collaboration.
• Speakers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia and Moldova discussed national efforts to promote tolerance, human rights, and religious freedom in their countries.

4. Key Contributions:

• Dr. Karima Almazroui shared her experience developing a curriculum in the UAE, which promotes tolerance and civic responsibility among over 600,000 students annually.
• Elizabeth Prodromou from Boston College highlighted the link between religious freedom and cultural heritage preservation, using Northern Cyprus as an example.
• Ambassador Robert Řehák discussed the impact of religion on political agendas, particularly in the context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
• Ghanaian MP Godfred Seidu Jasaw emphasized the role of parliamentarians in safeguarding religious freedom and civil liberties.

5. The Role of Religious Leaders:

• Religious leaders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Moldova shared stories of multi-faith cooperation and friendship, reinforcing the importance of relationships in addressing global challenges and promoting social cohesion.

Key Links:

• Learn more about Love Your Neighbor Community: LYN Community
• WATCH LYNC INTERVIEW + LYNC TALK on YouTube!
• Follow LYNC on social media:
• Facebook: Love Your Neighbor Community
• Twitter: @LYN_Community
• Instagram: @loveyourneighborcommunity

Featured Speakers:

• Reverend Mae Cannon and Jocelyne Cesari, co-chairs of the Global Academic Council.
• Dr. Pavol Bargár, Dr. Dennis Hoover, and Dr. Karima Almazroui.
• Ambassador Robert Řehák, Chair of the Article 18 Alliance.
• Fernanda San Martín Carrasco, Director of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPP Forum).
• Imams Bejigit Qoshiev, Nazirkhan Tashkhodjaev, and Shovkat Khamdamov, and Pastors Arman Arenbayev and Oleg Vorojtsov representing Central Asian religious communities.

Get Involved:

• Like and subscribe to LYNC Radio, and help spread the word by sharing this episode with your network.
• Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll cover the MENA region, IRF's Media and Corporate Councils and insights from additional speakers.

Thank you for listening! Together, we can build stronger, more resilient communities through open dialogue and the protection of religious freedoms.

Speakers Mentioned in Today’s Program:

Jocelyne Cesari

• Affiliation: Co-Chair of IRF Secretariat’s Global Academic Council, Professor of Religion and Politics at the University of Birmingham, Research Associate at Harvard's Center for European Studies.
• Specialty: Global expert on religion and international politics, particularly Islam and secularism.
• Notable Works: We God's People: Christianity, Islam and Hinduism in the World of Nations.

Rev. Mae Cannon

• Affiliation: Co-Chair of IRF Secretariat’s Global Academic Council, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).
• Specialty: Advocate for social justice and religious freedom in the Middle East.
• Notable Works: Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World.

Greg Mitchell

• Affiliation: Co-Chair of the IRF Roundtable.
• Specialty: International religious freedom advocacy and policy engagement.
• Notable Work: Organizes global roundtable discussions on religious freedom.

Chris Stewart

• Affiliation: Chair of the Transatlantic Religious Freedom Taskforce (TRT).
• Specialty: Transatlantic religious diplomacy and religious freedom advocacy.

Nadine Maenza

• Affiliation: Co-Chair of the IRF Roundtable, President of the International Religious Freedom Secretariat, former Chair of USCIRF.
• Specialty: Advocacy for religious minorities in regions like the Middle East and South Asia.

Wade Kusack

• Affiliation: CEO of Love Your Neighbor Community (LYNC).
• Specialty: Advocate for religious dialogue, particularly in post-Soviet states and Central Asia.

Ambassador Robert Řehák

• Affiliation: Ambassador, Chair of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), Czech Republic.
• Specialty: Diplomacy and human rights advocacy with a focus on international religious freedom.

Fernanda E. San Martín Carrasco

• Affiliation: Director of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB).
• Specialty: Advocacy through legal and parliamentary channels for global religious freedom.

José Ramos MP (Panama): Panamanian politician and Vice President of the Christian Democratic Organization of America

Godfred Seidu Jasaw MP (Ghana): MP for the Wa East constituency

John Azumah

• Affiliation: Professor at The Sanneh Institute, Ghana.
• Specialty: Islamic studies and Christian-Muslim dialogue.
• Notable Work: Prominent scholar in fostering religious tolerance and dialogue in Africa.

Uriel Simonsohn

• Affiliation: Professor at Haifa University.
• Specialty: Historian specializing in Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations during the medieval period.

His Excellency Sheikh Al Mahfoudh bin Bayyah:

• Alliance of Virtue: No specific social handles found.
• Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace: You can follow @AD_Forum4Peace on Twitter.

Dr. Chris Seiple

• Affiliation: Senior Fellow at LYNC, President Emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement.
• Specialty: Religious diplomacy and governance, with a focus on pluralism.

Dr. Dennis Hoover

• Affiliation: Senior Fellow at LYNC, Editor-in-Chief of The Review of Faith & International Affairs.
• Specialty: Scholar of religion and global affairs, focusing on religious freedom policy.

Azamat Danakhmentov

• Affiliation: Chief Expert of the Law Implementation Practice, Department of the Committee on Religious Affairs, Kazakhstan.
• Specialty: Legal work focused on religious affairs in Kazakhstan.

Dilshod Mamatkulov

• Affiliation: Deputy Chair of Committee on Religious Affairs, Uzbekistan.
• Specialty: Religious policy and government engagement in Uzbekistan.

Zaza Vashakmadze

• Affiliation: Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Georgia.
• Specialty: Interfaith relations and governmental religious policy in Georgia.

Guram Imerishvili

• Affiliation: Christian Youth Movement of Georgia.
• Specialty: Religious leadership focusing on youth activism and Christian engagement.

Ion Groza

• Affiliation: Member of Parliament, Moldova.
• Specialty: Advocate for religious freedom and political stability.

Valeriu Ghilețchi

• Affiliation: President of the European Christian Political Movement (ECPM), Moldova.
• Specialty: Christian democratic values and religious freedom advocacy.

Imam Bijigit Qoshiev

• Affiliation: Imam and Grand Mufti Advisor, Muslim Spiritual Board, Kazakhstan.
• Specialty: Islamic leadership and advisory work in Kazakhstan.

Imam Shovkat Khamdamov

• Affiliation: Imam, Spiritual Muslim Administration, Uzbekistan.
• Specialty: Islamic leadership and religious dialogue in Uzbekistan.

Imam Nazirkhan Tashkhodjaev

• Affiliation: Imam and Grand Mufti Advisor, Muslim Spiritual Board, Kazakhstan.
• Specialty: Islamic leadership in Kazakhstan.

Pastor Arman Arenbayev

• Affiliation: Pastor, Kazakhstan.
• Specialty: Christian leadership in Kazakhstan.

Pastor Oleg Vorojtsov

• Affiliation: Pastor, Uzbekistan.
• Specialty: Christian leadership within Uzbekistan's religious landscape.