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Religion and Society- a Dialogue
A project facilitated by Legacy International and Center for Civic Education Indonesia
and Funded by The U.S Department of State
Events during the last five years have moved people throughout the world to try to increase their understanding of Islam, a religion in whose name many work for peace while others turn to violence. Perhaps no topic today has greater media attention, higher visibility on the web, and stronger visceral engagement worldwide than the local and global interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims. In the United States, there are many institutions and individuals who work to educate people about Islam, the people and diverse countries within the Muslim world. There is also intensive work in comparative religious studies and interfaith dialogue. The Religion and Society a Dialogue is a program designed to raise the level f discourse and understanding and encourage collaboration between major educational institutions in the U.S. and Indonesia.
Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world, is at a crossroads, moving away from the legacies spawned by 30 years of authoritarian military rule towards a more democratic reality. Ambitious efforts have begun to strengthen the capacity of local governments, promote dialogue among different sectors, and stabilize economic growth. Educational institutions – both secular and religious – are adopting new teaching methodologies to better prepare students for active roles in local government, community development, and the global economy. Indonesian debates between traditionalists, reformists and modernists echo societal debates in the United States as well. This program creates a meaningful exchange of ideas, techniques and methodologies for expanding dialogue between the people of Indonesia and United States.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
RELIGION AND SOCIETY - A DIALOGUE (RSD) is a two-year, two-way exchange between religious scholars, clerics, and community leaders of Indonesia and the United States. Fourteen Indonesians and six Americans will travel each year, visiting four distinct regions in each other's countries, where prestigious institutions will host them. This exchange will provide participating professionals with an opportunity to increase their knowledge of the counterpart country; to establish a dialogue about the scholarship and practice of religion (particularly Islam) in both countries; and to examine the compatibility of religious practice with democratic social and political values.
Program Goals:
- Indonesian participants increase understanding of the place of religion, and of serious religious study, particularly Islam, in American life.
- A forum in both countries encourages the examination and discussion of a) the compatibility of religious practice and democratic social and political values and structures, b) the benefits produced by co-existence among religious communities; and c) the ability for Muslims to practice Islam in multi-cultural, multi-religious societies.
- U.S. scholars, clerics and community leaders increase their knowledge of the lifestyle, cultural diversity, and religious practices and institutions in Indonesia.
- New relationships among both delegations and the institutions they represent, will build bridges for on-going collaboration and dialogue.
Over the course of two years, 28 Indonesian participants and 12 U.S. participants will visit each other's countries, visiting several cities and regions within each country. Discussion forums, or open dialogues, will occur in both nations reaching an audience of over 3,000 in Indonesia and 2,000 in the United States. The possibility of ongoing and long-lasting intellectual exchange will be fostered between 12 Indonesian Islamic Institutions and 4 or more American research institutions and universities.
PARTNERS and HOSTS
Legacy International – US Operations, Project Oversight, Liaison with Department of State in the US . Legacy International specializes in strengthening civil society by conducting exchanges and trainings, which center around skill building and education. The four main areas of work include civic participation, conflict prevention and reconciliation, leadership development, and community development. Established in 1979, Legacy has hosted 145 inbound and outbound delegations, international conferences, training events, and training-of-trainers programs, including more than 20 major projects funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Legacy's portfolio includes projects involving majority-Muslim countries, and non-Muslim countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia/Abkhazia, Indonesia, Israel and Palestine, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Many projects aim to build bridges between different sectors and stakeholders -- religious and civic leaders, educators, media, NGO, and government officials. President J.E. Rash (Ahmed Abdur Rashid) has broad knowledge of Islam, many connections in Muslims communities throughout the world, and will serve as Senior Advisor to the project. He is published in the subject and speaks widely on the topics of Islam and Democracy, inter-religious dialogue, and cross-cultural understanding.
Center for Civic Education Indonesia (CCEI) – Indonesian Operations, Liaison with US Embassy and Consular staff in Indonesia. CCEI is a U.S. nonprofit organization based in California. The Indonesian office is funded in part by USAID, and works to improve the quality of instruction, methods and access to civic education throughout Indonesia. Currently CCEI has active projects in 19 of the 33 Indonesian provinces, which has resulted in the instruction of Kami Bangsa Indonesia (Project Citizen – an advanced instructional strategy in citizenship education) to over 300,000 students. CCEI has excellent working relationships with the Embassy and Consulate staff and an extensive network of contacts, collaborators and associates in government, public, and religious educational institutions, both on and off Java. Their network of university professors, teachers, as well as national and provincial government leaders, puts them in a good position to recruit participants and create program activities for in-bound visitors. Bill Ryan, Director of the CCEI Jakarta office is an American professional. He is personally involved in the relationship building with participating institutions, and in the interviewing and selection of candidates, thus assuring a fair and merit-based outcome.
Participating Organizations : Many exemplary organizations in both countries will participate in hosting delegations, offering candidates for the exchange, and providing audiences and venues for dialogue and interaction.
In The United States :
The organizations listed below represent universities in the U.S. dedicated to Islamic studies and research as well as Southeast Asian Studies. Programs also include comparative religious studies. Other organizations are well–respected U.S. Muslim organizations dedicated to enhancing dialogue within the U.S. Muslim community and with Indonesia. Representatives from professional organizations, Muslim clerics and civic leaders will join us through these venues. Together these organizations will provide Legacy with an array of candidates from which to comprise the two ethnically and religiously mixed delegations that will travel to Indonesia.
• Princeton University: Departments of Near Eastern Studies, History, and Religion
• Temple University: Department of Religious Studies
• Indiana University: Middle East and Islamic Studies Program, Near Eastern Languages
• Georgetown University: Center for Muslim-Christian Studies
• Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA
• Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
• Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR)
• All-Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS Center)
US TOUR # 1 (April-May 2007) - Indonesian Delegates to U.S.
A 2 day Pre-departure Orientation will occur in Jakarta, the trip will be 21 days long, comprised of briefings and seminars, meetings at Islamic centers and mosques, discussions with American Muslim and non-Muslim counterparts, access to major religious libraries and archives, and participation in scholarly and public seminars, discussions, and roundtables. Informal conversations will also occur with scholars, students, and religious leaders of Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other faiths. There will be site visits at organizations that demonstrate the U.S. guarantee of human rights and freedom of worship, and interactions with “ordinary Americans” to gain insight into daily life. The delegates will make prepared presentations to audiences at universities, religious congregations of different faiths, and other venues.
INDONESIA TOUR #1 (January 2008) – U.S. delegates to Indonesia
The delegation from the US will visit the home regions of the Indonesia delegates, and dialogue with scholars, students, and religious leaders (ustad/kyai) there. Site visits include Pesantren schools, universities, and community organizations. The US group will address audiences at universities, in the Pesantren schools, and at community gatherings and Friday prayers, and hold a 2-day seminar for 100 people at each of four locations.
EVALUATION, POST-PROGRAM SURVEY, JOINT PUBLICATIONS : Transcripts of key talks and short essays by participants on relevant topics will be compiled and published in English and bahasa Indonesian. This will serve as a part of the final product for the project. It will be distributed to all participating speakers, institutions, and organizations in both countries building existing libraries. The State Department's projects such as American Corners, other NGOS or agencies recommended by participants will also receive copies (anticipated 300 copies).
.On-GOING ACTIVITY : The program will facilitate face-to-face connections and open doors for on-going contact among institutions. Universities and institutions will explore student/faculty exchanges, consultations on curriculum development, scholarly research and intercommunity dialogue. The publication will serve as a resource in classrooms and in efforts to build library resources. Legacy and CCEI will facilitate ongoing communications between US and Indonesian institutions, and post an exchange of news on their websites.
Overview of the US Program: (subject to change based on conversations with U.S. partners)
Participants arrive and depart via California, thus breaking their journey and easing their adjustment to the time zone and climate. Their program includes stops in three major regions of the country: the Pacific west coast; the boundary between the North and the South (Washington, DC); the Northeast (Philadelphia/New Jersey), and the Mid-west (Chicago, Indiana). They will be exposed to vibrant Muslim communities in several locations, and witness the diversity of US landscape, population demographics, religions and cultures. Such a trip emphasizes the similarities between the U.S. and Indonesia.
Activities are designed to provide a context for professional development and exchange, to introduce Indonesian guests to U.S. political, social, and economic structures, and to give insight into daily life in American society and culture – both that of the Muslim population and of the Christian majority. They will have the chance to see the place of religion and serious religious study, including Islam, in American life. Although the delegates will stay in hotels, home hospitality events will be offered, giving insight into American home life.
D. The Indonesian Program
Each year, the US delegates will visit the cities and regions represented by the Indonesian travelers who they meet in the U.S. As explained above, the sites in Indonesia will have been selected to represent the diversity of political, social, economical and educational experiences. The Indonesian study tours will be 15 days in length and include briefings by US Embassy and consulate officials, and presentations by Indonesian religious and civic leaders. CCEI will convene, each year, a seminar in each location involving up to 100 local religious and civic leaders during which American delegates will make presentations and participate in workshops and discussions. The U.S. delegates will be Muslim and non-Muslim, representing many of the academic and civil institutions who helped to host program activities in the United States. Prior to departing the U.S. the delegates will work with Legacy, CCEI and Embassy staff to prepare topics and talks.
--> US Trip Program Overview
--> Download Application Form
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