Invitation to the 9/24 Launch of a Major New Report on U.S. Relations with the Muslim World
We are pleased to invite you to the official release of
Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World
The release will take place:
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
at the National Press Club, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
The Report is the culmination of 18 months of work by a group of 34 distinguished American leaders. The Leadership Group's Report is the centerpiece of the U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project, an initiative of Search for Common Ground and the Consensus Building Institute.
Here is what Leadership Group members are saying about the Report:
Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State; Principal, The Albright Group LLC
"Few challenges matter more than reducing distrust and misunderstanding between the United States and people living in Muslim majority states. This timely Report is a groundbreaking, stereotype-shattering and thought-provoking contribution to that essential cause."
Richard Armitage, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State; President, Armitage International
"The United States needs to make a significant shift in our relations with Muslim countries, relying more on diplomacy and helping to lay the foundation for democratic development. I enthusiastically support the Report of the Leadership Group on U.S.-Muslim Engagement because it provides a clear, strong statement on how to achieve that shift. It is critically important for the next President and our business, faith and philanthropic leaders to act on its recommendations."
Richard Land, President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention; Member, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
"This initiative is a serious, comprehensive, bipartisan effort that seeks to address a critical and dangerous problem: The world Muslim community misunderstands Americans and Americans misunderstand them. This initiative lays out a detailed and comprehensive plan to vastly decrease that misunderstanding through a multi-faceted approach that will build constructive bridges of mutual understanding between Americans and the Muslim world."
Ingrid Mattson, President, The Islamic Society of North America; Professor of Islamic Studies, Director of Islamic Chaplaincy, and Director, Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Hartford Seminary
"It is a sign of great hope that the Leadership Group, despite having substantial differences over policies and politics, was able to come together to develop this Report. This was made possible by a shared belief that the vital interests of the American people need not, and must not, conflict with core American values affirming the dignity of all people and their right to freedom and self-determination. This is a message that the mainstream majority in the Muslim world will surely welcome, and it will help them in their desire to improve relations between their people and the United States."
Please click here for event details and a full listing of the Leadership Group. RSVP requested to [email protected].
Robert Fersh, David Fairman, Co-Directors
Paula Gutlove, Manager
Search for Common Ground-USA
1601 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20009
www.sfcg.org
Consensus Building Institute
238 Main Street, Suite 400
Cambridge, MA 02142
www.cbuilding.org
