Press Release
The US Federation for Middle East Peace is pleased to set the date for “Religions for Understanding”, an inter-faith dialogue between 30 imams and rabbis from 13 European countries. The event is arranged to take place on Monday, the 20th of July 2009 from 10:30 to 12:30, and will be honored with the presence of ambassadors from over forty countries.
The event will host Rabbi Marc Schneier (President and Chairman of FFEU), actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador Russell Simmons, and Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi (President of the Fiqh Council of North America) as guest speakers. The guest speakers will be preceded by a welcome address from UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and from Imam Shamsi Ali, Chairman of the Masjid Al-Hikmah in Astoria, Queens, NY.
The event is intended to provide a means for the mutual sharing of religious ideals across the varied faiths present at the dialogue. There is often much strife resulting from religious, cultural, political, as well as economical differences across nations. It is, therefore, crucial for peace initiatives to be implemented starting with religion. The unprecedented delegation of these religious and political leaders from across the world serves the intended purpose of reaching out on a global scale.
As moderator of the discussion and president of the federation, Mrs. Salwa Kader and her federation has served as a pillar for global humanitarianism, devoting persevering efforts towards educating the general public—Americans and citizens from other nations alike—on a variety of topics ranging from the culture, history, and religion to women empowerment and children’s rights in the Middle East.