Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue

“We listen and speak with respect to deepen mutual understanding and trust.” - URI Principle 5
SunDABT CC inviting interfaith dialogue

URI Cooperation Circles must include members of at least three different religions or traditions. By engaging in respectful conversations, members learn, share and build bridges of understanding.

Examples of our work in this Action Area:

  • Sun Devils Are Better Together (SunDABT), a university student group and URI Cooperation Circle, creates safe spaces for people to ask respectful questions about other religions by holding signs that read, "Meet a Muslim," "Meet a Jew," etc.

  • The URI global community celebrates UN World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) in the first week of February each year, with grassroots interfaith events in many communities.

  • Campinas CC in Brazil hosted an interfaith gathering and invited representatives of multiple religious and faith beliefs to talk about life and death from the perspectives of their own traditions.
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Stories

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Malerkotla: A Town With A Uniquely Secular Face

Asia
Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation

Peace is a dynamic concept, based on our inherited cultural histories, where we're from, and where we hope to go. Here, a CC member from Punjab, India reflects on the legacy of peace that they work to protect and grow. In the wake of growing non-violence based on religious differences and historical animosities this story presents a break from the difficult times the world is witnessing.

Gender Equity in Islam

Multiregion
Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation
Women
Youth

When dealing with the Islamic perspective of any topic, there should be a clear distinction between the normative teachings of Islam and the diverse cultural practices among Muslims, which may or may not be consistent with them. The focus of this paper is the normative teachings of Islam as the criteria to judge Muslim practices and evaluate their compliance with Islam. In identifying what is \"Islamic,\" it is necessary to make a distinction between the primary sources of Islam \(the Qur\'an and the Sunnah\) and legal opinions of scholars on specific issues, which may vary and be influenced by their times, circumstances, and cultures. Such opinions and verdicts do not enjoy the infallibility accorded to the primary and revelatory sources.\