11/28/2009: EUCLID and 3IRD launch distance / online master and doctorate degree programs in Inter Religious Dialogue and Diplomacy

EUCLID Secretary General Syed Zahid Ali reaffirmed EUCLID's commitment to its mandate in regards to the 3IRD institute and announced the completion of the academic preparation to launch the Master's and Doctorate online degree programs in Inter Religious Dialogue and Diplomacy. Enrolment in these programs will be possible as early as January 1, 2010.

Program Details:

- Brochure for Online Master's Degree in PDF format

- Brochure for Distance Doctorate / PhD in PDF format

11/07/2008: EUCLID/IOSD Secretary General attends annual Ministerial level ICCI conference, meets religious leaders

EUCLID Secretary General Syed Zahid Ali (seen above with senior Muslim cleric in Syrian Arab Republic) attended the annual conference of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry held in Damascus, Syria, during the first week of November. As session leader, Mr. Ali presented an update on the activites of the organization since his announcement of EUCLID Phase 2 at the ICCI Conference of Qatar (January 2008) which resulted in the participation of EUCLID's four founding Parties.

EUCLID's activities in a number of areas, including inter religious diplomacy, where also discussed in the Secretary General's meetings with various government ministers and religious leaders in the sidelines of the conference.

[Below: SG Syed Zahid Ali with senior Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East]

The Islamic Chamber is an affiliated organ of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and represents the private sector of 57 member countries. It aims at strengthening closer collaboration in the field of trade, commerce, information technology, insurance/reinsurance, shipping, banking, promotion of investment opportunities and joint ventures in the member countries. Sierra Leone and Uganda are OIC/ICCI member states.

In the News (Updated 11/2008):

PGMA to attend the UN Interfaith Conference in New York
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2008  |  FOREIGN RELATIONS


MANILA (PNA)-– President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will join with other world leaders in attending the United Nations Interfaith Conference on Dialogue of Civilizations at the United Nations in New York City on November 12.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said President Macapagal-Arroyo will be leaving on Monday evening to participate in the conference that would focus on the importance of promoting interfaith dialogue in order to strengthen world peace and stability.

The conference will be held at the initiative of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud as a follow-up to Madrid interfaith conference held in July which delegates representing Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and other faiths from across the world attended.

“President Macapagal-Arroyo will participate in interfaith dialogue championed by Saudi Arabia and it is an effort joined by Spain that started in Madrid. That was the meeting that the President was not able to attend and she has committed to attend to the UN meeting on interfaith dialogue,” Dureza said.

The Press Secretary said the interfaith dialogue is what the Philippines is pursuing on the ground especially in Mindanao even before it becomes an international item of interest.

“It is an ongoing concern between Christians and Muslims communities in the South,” he said .

He said the President will also have a quick visit to the Filipino community in Chicago and “fly back home immediately.”

“From my own estimation, she will have even more time flying in air than being in the ground. These are obligatory trips that she has to make because of our international commitment,” he added.

Asked on the President’s possible meeting with new US President Barack Obama, the Press Secretary said “there is no scheduled meeting or intention of meeting.”

The Philippines is the recognized proponent of interfaith dialogue in the United Nations having launched this initiative in 2004 with the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace followed by the Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace.

The Philippines also shepherded four General Assembly resolutions in interfaith dialogue, including the resolution entitled "Promotion of Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace" that was co-sponsored by 58 countries and adopted by consensus by General Assembly in December.

Among the salient features of the resolution, are the declaration of the year 2010 as the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures; the designation of the Office for ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Support and Coordination under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs as the focal unit in the UN Secretariat on Inter-religious and Intercultural Matters; and the emphasis given to the need to sustain the momentum generated by the 4-5 October 2007 High-Level Dialogue on Inter-religious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. (PNA)
LOR/ZST

Source: http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=22753

July 2008 - The Institute is inaugurated and its web site goes live.

The Institute will be contacting scholars to submit papers and support the its work.