The Pluralism Project at Harvard UniversityVisitors to the Pluralism Project
The Pluralism Project hosts visitors - individuals, groups, and formal delegations - in order to exchange ideas and build relationships. Our most recent visitors, from 2005 onward, are listed below. To request a visit to the Pluralism Project, please write to
The Pluralism Project Hosts Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sherif
n December 7, 2006, the Pluralism Project welcomed Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sherif, current Imam of the Islamic Culture Institute in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, to its offices for talks with Dr. Diana Eck, Professor Leila Ahmed of Harvard Divinity School, and Pluralism Project staff. An Al-Azhar-trained Imam, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sherif is a former student of Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the current Grand Mufti of Egypt. Before his recent move to the US to head up ICI, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sherif was Imam of two mega-mosques in Giza, a large working-class district in Cairo. He also runs the Al-Kamal Association for Social and Charitable Activity and is a member of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sherif had last visited the Pluralism Project in May, 2006 as part of the US Department of State’s International Visitor Program.
Earth Charter Initiative
On November 6, 2006, Managing Director Grove Harris met with Michael Slaby, the new Inter-Faith Coordinator for Earth Charter International, the managing body for the Earth Charter Initiative. Michael was in the U.S. visiting strategic partners. The Pluralism Project's interfaith directory listings and compilation of interfaith Web resources were of particular interest to him. Michael formerly led the Earth Charter Youth Initiative.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Allison Fromm of the Whirlwind Project
On October 12, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted a visit with Whirlwind Project President Allison Fromm. The Whirlwind Project is an interfaith organization in Champaign, Illinois that "gathers people of many faiths and traditions to explore sacred stories through music, dialogue and the arts, fostering mutual respect and understanding in our community." This year, Whirlwind Project's activities are organized under the theme: "The Art of Being Neighbors."
Visit from Scholar Fostering Religious Studies in Japan
Dr. Satako Fujiwara of Taisho University, Tokyo, Japan visited the Pluralism Project on September 19, 2006 to discuss teaching about religion in schools and colleges with Managing Director Grove Harris. Dr. Fujiwara is exploring ways that the academic study of religion can contribute to public education in Japan. According to her research, religion is virtually excluded from school curricula in Japanese public education, such that college is a particularly important site for learning about religions. She recommends expanding partnerships between private and public colleges, noting that partnerships among Buddhist, Christian and secular schools will make a significant pedagogical difference and enhance the course opportunities for students in Japan. Online technology and resources can aid this expansion of partnerships.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Al-Qasemi Academy and the American Jewish Committee
On September 14, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted the president and faculty of Al-Qasemi Academy from the Arab town of Baqa el Garbiya in Israel for a session on how religion is taught in American universities. This visit was part of a seminar entitled, "Living as a Minority in a Democratic Society: The American Experience of Muslims and Jews," which was developed by the American Jewish Committee's Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding in cooperation with AJC's Israel office. Presenters included Dr. Diana L. Eck, director of the Pluralism Project, Dr. Hassan Abbas of the Kennedy School of Government, and Dr. Jay Harris of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Youth Religious Leaders from Kyrgyzstan
On August 21, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted eight young religious leaders from Kyrgyzstan who were visiting under the auspices of a U.S. State Department project called "Community Connections." As educators, imams, and organizers, their visit was intended to expose them to religious pluralism in the United States, including interfaith relations. The role of Islam in American society was also examined in light of the growth of Islamic extremism in Kyrgyzstan. Susan Lloyd McGarry of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School was also present.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Jean Zaru, Eboo Patel, and the Sharon Interfaith Youth Leadership Program
On July 12, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted a variety of special guests at a summer staff meeting. Palestinian Quaker peace activist Jean Zaru inspired our staff to consider what is necessary for peace and justice in Palestine. Jean was a participant in both the 1983 and 2003 conferences on Women, Religion, and Social Change. Eboo Patel of the Interfaith Youth Core was also present on that day. He encouraged our summer interns and our guests from the local Sharon Interfaith Youth Leadership Program to consider his vision for a youth-led movement for pluralism, and shared some of his ideas for possible future collaborations with the Pluralism Project.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Religious Leaders and Educators from India and Bangladesh
On July 6, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted a delegation from India and Bangladesh as part of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. The participants included religious leaders such as imams and principals of madrassahs, as well as teachers and community leaders who are interested in questions of religious pluralism, Islam in America, and the study of religion. The guests were particularly interested in how religious pluralism in South Asia compares to religious pluralism in America.
The Pluralism Project Hosts State Department Visitors from Jordan and Egypt
On May 8, 2006, the Pluralism Project hosted a State Department visit with guests from Jordan and Egypt, many of whom were imams. Their study-tour, titled "Islam: Scholarship and Practice in the United States," was born out of an initiative in interfaith dialogue that was started by Father Nabil Haddad, executive director of the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center in Amman, Jordan. The purpose of the tour, which included Boston, Washington DC, and Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan, was to explore the role of religion and Islam in public life; to broaden understanding about the importance of religious study in the US; and to examine the compatibility of religious practice and democratic processes in a multi-religious society.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Air Force Academy Chaplains
On July 18, 2005, Dr. Diana L. Eck and Rev. Dr. Dorothy A. Austin hosted a meeting with Maj. Gen. Charles C. Baldwin, Chief of the Air Force Chaplain Service, and his executive officer, Capt. Christine Blice-Baum about the ongoing controversy over religious discrimination at the Air Force Academy. Pluralism Project intern, Brian McGrath Davis, also attended the meeting in order update his research: “Air Force Academy Addresses ‘Challenges to Pluralism’”.
The Pluralism Project Hosts "Toto" Paglas
On April 6, 2005, the Pluralism Project hosted a visit by Datu Ibrahim "Toto" Pendatun Paglas III, President and CEO of the Paglas Corporation and former mayor of Davao, located in Mindanao, the southern Philippine island torn by religious conflict. Mr. Paglas has drawn widespread attention for his successful efforts at reducing violence in his region by providing economic opportunities to fighting parties. His visit occurred under the auspices of the Eisenhower Fellowship program. Mr. Paglas was met by Dr. Diana L. Eck and research associates Scott Buquor and Tony Watson. Accompanying Mr. Paglas were graduate students Edilwasif Badiri of the Kennedy School and Adel Tamano of Harvard Law School. Mr. Paglas presented on his work in Mindanao and discussed some of the organizations and individuals active there.
The Pluralism Project Hosts Indonesian Visitors
On March 22, 2005, the Pluralism Project hosted a group of visitors from Indonesia as part of a study tour entitled "Multiculturalism in a Democratic Society." The tour, arranged under the auspices of the International Visitor Leadership Program at the US Department of State and WorldBoston, included a visit to the new Pluralism Project offices and a meeting with Dr. Diana L. Eck to discuss the work of the Project. Among the visitors were Ms. Chofifah Parawansa, National Chairperson for the Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama; Mr. Zuhairi Bin Misrawi, Program Officer for the Emancipatory Islamic Network and the Indonesian Society for Pesantren and Community Development (P3M); Mr. Muhammad Adnan, Chairman of the Central Java Nahdlatul Ulama (NU); and Ms. Eva Yuliana, Vice Treasurer of the Central Java National Awakening Party (PKB). Also joining the meeting was Sukidi Mulyadi, a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School and affiliate of the Indonesia-based Liberal Islam Network.