Center for International Studies' Inter-Religious Dialogue Project

INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE PROJECT
Indonesian Media and Conflict Management Delegation

— Program Overview —
Program Dates: April 19 - May 10, 2006

Ohio University’s Center for International Studies will host a delegation of five conflict management specialists from Indonesia between April 19 and May 10, 2006. The group will be on campus from April 19 to 27 in order to finalize production of a series of videos on peer mediation, inter-religious dialogue, and conflict management themes. Participants are involved in a number of initiatives in Indonesia designed to promote harmony between social groups through various education and media initiatives. Their visit to the U.S. is intended to advance international collaboration on conflict management activities and broaden dialogue on issues affecting social cohesion in various national contexts.

This is the fourth delegation of Indonesian civic and religious leaders to visit Ohio University in the past two years in connection with the Center’s Inter-Religious Dialogue Project. These exchanges, as well as an American delegation visit to Indonesia in 2005, are designed to motivate serious efforts to strengthen inter-group harmony by promoting systematic conflict management efforts in areas affected by sectarian strife. They are also intended to build support for civic education and tolerance promotion activities more generally. A key goal is to facilitate long-term relationships between Indonesian and American participants so that dialogue on how to manage differences among religious groups in a pluralistic civil society can be broadened and sustained.