8th International Conference on Youth & Interfaith

As we intensify preparations for the hosting of the 7^th International Conference on Youth and Interfaith Dialogue, from November 20-21, 2015, in Abuja, Nigeria, the list of distinguished Speakers for this year’s conference continues to increase. As at July 2, 2015, below is our list of conference speakers, even as we continue to receive more speakers and update the list.

 H.E. Ambassador Mussie Hailu, PhD, is a peace activist working at national, regional and international levels for peace, reconciliation, interfaith harmony, disarmament, the Golden Rule, world citizenship, right human relationships, and international cooperation. He identifies himself as a Citizen of the World, strongly believes in the interdependence of human beings, and celebrates cultural diversity. He sees the differences in race, ethnicities, religions, politics, and nationalities as important elements of the one and indivisible humanity. Mussie, building on Scarboro Mission’s Golden Rule poster, is circulating tens of thousands of an African version of the poster. He has served African and global organizations, including United Nations agencies, and he is a founding member of United Religions Initiative. Currently he serves as regional director of URI for Africa and representative of URI at the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and African Union (AU). He is also Ambassador-at Large to the Republic of Burundi.

 Hon. Elisha Buba Yero is an elder statesman, an experienced peace builder and community developer. He serves as the Wakilin Kpope (ambassador to the Chief and traditional ruler of his community) in the Kaduna State of Nigeria. He works as Board Director with the Interfaith Meditation Center of the Christian/Muslim Dialogue Forum, and previously served as Special Advisor on Religious Affairs to the Executive Governor of Kaduna State. He also served as Permanent Secretary in the Kaduna State Ministry of Religious Affairs, and has initiated and directed several interfaith peacebuilding initiatives. Among several other institutions, Hon. Elisha attended the American University of Washington DC’s Peace Institute. In the last 20 years, he has committed himself to promoting, daily and enduring interfaith cooperation and Peacebuilding and to reconciling historical enemies, especially in Nigeria. Hon Elisha Buba Yero is currently a Global Council Trustee of the United Religions Initiative (URI).

 Karen Leslie Hernandez is a Theologian with a focus in Christian-Muslim Understanding, as well as religious fundamentalism and extremism. She has a Master of Sacred Theology in Philosophy, Theology and Ethics with a focus in Religion and Conflict Transformation from Boston University School of Theology, '11; a Master of Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological School, '07; and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Islam from Wellesley College, '05. Karen was raised Catholic and is now the only theologian that is a Latina and a United Methodist, doing this type of multi-faith work in the United States. She has also published with several media outlets, including The Interfaith Observer, Feminism and Religion, the Women's United Nations Report Network, State of Formation, The American Muslim, The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, and she is the only Christian, worldwide, to publish a regular Op-Ed Column with OnIslam in Cairo, Egypt. Karen currently lives in San Francisco, is an Ambassador with the Council on the Parliament of the World Religions, and she is exploring working with the homeless and domestic violence victims in 2015. 

 Mr. Liam Chinn is URI's Co-Director of Global Programs, Evaluation & Learning. He joined the URI team as Director of Evaluation and Learning in March 2013. For the past decade he has worked with international and local NGOs on governance and peacebuilding programs in multiple countries across Asia, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Timor-Leste where he directed a USAID funded conflict mitigation program. He brings extensive expertise in program development and evaluation, and will guide URI as it begins to build regional impact evaluation strategies. He has a long held passion for promoting greater engagement of civil society in the development process, authoring several surveys on community level conflict and the role of local leaders - including religious leaders - in bridge building. Liam holds a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and is an avid cook, trained in both Thai and Cantonese cuisines. He lives in San Francisco, CA, USA.

 Biswadeb Chakraborty is the United Religions Initiative’s Regional Coordinator for East India. With graduate degrees in percussion (Indian drum) and human resource project management, his interfaith activism and musical career as performer and producer weave together beautifully. For six years Biswabed worked at Transformative Collaborations International, a California-based organizational development venture. In India and abroad he has worked with young human rights and interfaith activists, using his music to attract large numbers to the cause. From a deeply spiritual family that encouraged his early musical abilities, Biswabed is a networker bringing together artists, human rights activists, and interfaith organizations. His musical group Ektaan promotes a grassroots-supported, discrimination-free India on television and radio, in concerts, and on CDs. 

Links:

• 7th Interfaith Youth Conference