• For more information, including access to blogs, radio programs, and video shows, visit lyncommunity.org.
• IRF Secretariat Civil Society Program, Berlin, October 8-10. Visit IRFsecretariat.org for registration details.

[00:00] – Introduction

Host Jessica Eturralde introduces the episode’s key topics, including LYNC’s new media initiative, USCIRF's reauthorization, and upcoming events in Berlin.

[00:25] – New Media Initiative by LYNC

Love Your Neighbor Community launches a media initiative to promote dialogue between individuals of different beliefs. Listeners are encouraged to like, subscribe, and share to help expand these conversations. More details at lyncommunity.org.

[01:15] – USURF Act of 2024 Reauthorization

On September 23rd, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Act of 2024, extending the Commission’s work until 2026. The bipartisan bill addresses rising religious persecution globally, including in countries like China, Iran, and North Korea. Key advocates included Senators Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin, with support from USCIRF leadership. The bill now awaits President Biden’s signature.

[04:00] – Wade Kusack Attends Nantucket Project

LYNC CEO Wade Kusack attended the Nantucket Project, an annual gathering that explores trauma healing, societal divisions, and pluralism. Notable participants included former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, survivors of the Hamas attack, and Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

[06:15] – Berlin Ministerial and Conference on Extremism and Religious Freedom

LYNC partners with the IRF Secretariat and Templeton Religion Trust to host a two-day civil society conference in Berlin. The event will bring majority world voices into conversations on religious freedom and extremism, aiming to build social cohesion and resilience. View IRF Secretariat's event page here: https://irfsecretariat.org/berlin-program/#

[08:00] – Closing Remarks

For more information, including access to blogs, radio programs, and video shows, visit lyncommunity.org.

You're listening to LYNC RADIO. I'm Jessica Eturralde. Coming up, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom secured for two more years LYNC's CEO gets inspired in Nantucket, and LYNC is partnering with the IRF Secretariat and Templeton Religion Trust for a civil society program in Berlin.

But first, Love Your Neighbor Community is launching a new media initiative to broaden conversations between those who believe differently. We know that as a society, we need to work together. And how can we do that if we don't take the time to share and listen to one another? Therefore, we're asking our listeners to like and subscribe to our programs and share it with someone you know who also wants to expand the conversation.

You may view more at lyncommunity.org.

On Monday, September 23rd, in what may have felt to some as the 11th hour, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Act of 2024. The act ensured the continuation of the Commission's work through late 2026. Only six days before the deadline, the bipartisan bill passed with overwhelming support, with 365 votes in favor and a mere 20 against, following a unanimous Senate vote the week prior.

Religious persecution is a tragic reality in many parts of the world, whether it be against Uyghurs, Muslims in China, Christian minorities in parts of Africa and the Middle East, the Baha'i in Iran, or religious communities attempting to worship without official control by repressive regimes in Burma, China, or North Korea. And anti-Semitism is on the rise.

While serving as floor manager for the House, Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata emphasized the importance of U.S. efforts to protect religious freedoms worldwide.

This bipartisan bill, which unanimously passed the Senate, will continue the good work of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF. The commission, established in 1998 and nicknamed USCIRF for short, monitors religious persecution and provides policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress. Key advocates, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin, have recently emphasized the urgent need for USCIRF's role, especially with a rise in religious oppression in countries like China, South Asia, and the Middle East.

Notable figures, such as former USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza and current Chair Stephen Schneck, celebrated the bipartisan support, stressing the need for long-term planning and resources to tackle escalating religious freedom violations. The commission's last mandate was set to expire on September 30th of this year. This reauthorization reinforces the U.S.'s commitment to promoting religious freedom globally. The bill now awaits President Biden's signature, securing USCIRF's future for two more years.

Low and tight. Please couple little bumps out there. Not bad at all.

And last week, LYNC CEO Wade Kusack boarded a tiny plane and headed north to Nantucket to attend a Nantucket Project.

For the last few years, the project, which attendees meet under a tent on Nantucket Harbor, focuses on passion, curiosity, and having honest conversations. The Nantucket Project event this year was a powerful gathering of thinkers, high-profile figures, and everyday individuals, including those affected by trauma.

The event focused on trauma healing, the ongoing war in the Middle East, and the role of pluralism in addressing societal divisions. Notable participants included former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian activists, survivors of the October 7 Hamas attack, U.S. university leaders, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, musician Isaac Slade, and Hunter Biden, among others.

The organizers invited many people from both sides and also experts, as well as other individuals who provided their ideas and experiences in conflict resolutions and post-conflict trauma healing from very different angles.

In our latest episode of LYNC TALK, Wade shares one of the most profound conversations he encountered. Be sure to check that out on our website lyncommunity.org and click on the media tab.

The International Religious Freedom and Belief Alliance is hosting a ministerial meeting in Berlin, Germany this month. The International Religious Freedom Secretariat, called IRF Secretariat for short, is hosting, along with LYNC, a special two-day conference coinciding with the ministerial. The purpose of the conference is to look at the interrelationship between extremism and religious freedom.

According to the IRF Secretariat's event page, the conference will convene civil society and government to explore how freedom of religion or belief can help prevent the misuse of religion and build social cohesion and resilience.

What sets this conference apart is that it includes majority world voices in the civil society program. In other words, voices that are not invited to the ministerial are being invited to the civil society program because we want to work with them, talk with them, and learn from them.

LYNC's senior fellow, Dr. Chris Seiple, shared that the conference is an opportunity for attendees to gain comparative examples from around the world about how to think about extremism and religious freedom.

That's the goal, and that's why it's going to be fun—because it really hasn't been done before in this manner.

According to Seiple, the conference hopes to build a community of practice between and among government officials from the majority world and civil society leaders. It also aims to foster a culture of philanthropy among donors from Eurasia to sustain progress.

That's why we're going, and it's going to be fantastic.

The conference will run from Tuesday, October 8th through Thursday, October 10th. To register to attend in person or online, visit IRFsecretariat.org and click on the Berlin Program in the menu bar. We'll also include a link to that in our show notes.

You've been listening to LYNC RADIO, a Love Your Neighbor Community update. For access to content like this, our radio programs, video shows, as well as blogs and articles all pertaining to religious freedom building, social cohesion, relational diplomacy, and pluralistic virtues, visit lyncommunity.org. That's L-Y-N community.org.