One Palestinian billionaire’s vision of unity
February 29, 2008 The Christian Science Monitor
Amidst the renewed violence in the Gaza strip this week, news of a Palestinian man’s efforts to build a ‘Palestine Forum‘ that is aimed at promoting peace and reconciliation between the secular Fatah and Islamic Hamas brings a glimmer of hope to the 80% of Palestinian people who would like to see the opposing factions reconcile. Despite the bitter hostility that exists between the two parties and the extreme difficulty of establishing peace between them, Munib al-Masri is determined to succeed.
Interfaith: The New Campus Movement
February 29, 2008 The Washington Post
Eboo Patel remembers the identity politics and multiculturism debates that dominated American college campuses when he was at school during the 1990s and notes that the issue of religious identity was almost always absent from discussion. In the 9/11 era, however, this has all changed, with religious identity at the forefront of political and cultural debates. In his column, Patel discusses the growth of interfaith awareness on college campuses and the new movements that call for an engagement in issues of religious diversity among today´s student population. Read his column.
Kenya Rivals Reach Peace Agreement
February 29, 2008 The New York Times
A power-sharing deal has finally been agreed upon by Kenya´s political rivals. Let´s hope it lays the foundations required for a positive move towards re-establishing peace and stability in the nation. Click here for more details.
February 28, 2008 The Christian Science Monitor
To see the Kenyan peoples’ elated reaction to this latest development, click here.
February 24, 2008 The Washington Post
If you were interested in the case of symphonic diplomacy exemplied by the New york Philharmonic´s trip to North Korea this week, read here for an interesting look at musical diplomacy over the past half century.
North Koreans Welcome Symphonic Diplomacy
February 26, 2008 The New York Times, The Washington Post
Accepting an invitation offered last year from Kim Jong Il’s, the New York Philharmonic played in North Korea this week in a concert that was broadcast live on state television. The orchestra played American favorites such as the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ and George Gershwin´s ‘An American in Paris’, as well as the beloved Korean folk song, ‘Arirang’.
It was the first time an American cultural organization had appeared in North Korea since the Korean War, a trip which was seen by some as an opening for warmer relations with the United States, which North Korea has long reviled. Read more about this example of symphonic diplomacy here and here.
“When Elephants Fight, the Grass Below Suffers”
February 15, 2008 World Pulse Magazine
Dr. Ringera, a Kenyan woman working in the Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camps that are cropping up throughout conflict-ridden Kenya, discusses her current efforts to foster peace dialogues among the internally displaced women, as well as her vision for Kenya´s future.
