ZU announces launch of 'The Theory and Application of A Common Word'

"A Common Word" is an interfaith dialogue initiative commenced in 2007 by scholars, clerics and intellectuals from across the Islamic World in a spirit of intellectual interchange with their Christian counterparts, and in the interest of developing a meaningful peace, the symposium expands the inquiries addressing religious commonalities, in addition to governance and legal development in the practical context of international challenges such as development, the environment and human rights.

Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim Vice President of Zayed University explained that this international symposium comes within the framework of Zayed University's strategic mission to bridge cultural differences and continue to promote a culture of tolerance and enhance the values of peace, tranquility and calmness, through inter-religious dialogue and established traditions of positive communication and dealing with as well as benefiting from, the followers of all cultures and religions with no arrogance, prejudice or racism as a way to solve the crises and problems the human race is facing in today's world.

He explained that His Excellency Sheikh Nahayn Mabarak Al Nahyan Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research President of Zayed University has always been keen on consolidating the concepts of tolerance, peace and understanding within the university's mission, and integrating them within student and academic activities that are beneficial to the human race, regardless of geographical, national or ideological boundaries.

Dr. Al Jassim added that the international symposium will focus on moving from the theoretical and philosophical issues to such practical issues as combating poverty, sickness, drugs, violence and the deterioration of familial ties. He added: The symposium which consists of 6 open discussion panels:

1- Environment & Climate Change
2- Human Rights & Ethics
3- Development
4- Theology
5- Mysticism
6- Metaphysics

will host keynote speakers His Excellency Sheikh Ali Goma'a Grand Mufti of Egypt and The Right Reverend William O. Gregg, Assistant Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina-Charlotte Office & Chair, Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, in addition to scholars and intellectuals from the Islamic World and their Christian counterparts.

On his part Dr. Nasr Arif Professor and Chair, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Zayed University, explained: "The theoretical side of the Common Word symposium focuses on comparative theology, metaphysics, and mysticism, while the theology panel addresses how to engage in theological inquiry in the presence of the Other. The mysticism panel will address the need for and role of esoterism in interfaith dialogue, alongside its place in different traditions. The metaphysics panel examines the role of philosophy and metaphysics in understanding theological differences at a more profound level, possibly creating space for reconciliation."

He added, "The application side of the symposium will focus on practical issues of the environment, development and human rights, through addressing the extent to which thinkers and doers working within majority Christian and Muslim societies as their frame of reference understand the issues similarly, or in a different light. Concerning the environment, we examine the values and ethical understanding of the natural environment within the context of a modern world grappling with global climate change. The discussion panel on development will examine the differences and similarities of views in differing historical context, views at the level of bilateral development assistance and the international financial institutions focused first on concepts of modernization, then more recently governance and human development as the core of development, and the discussion panel concerning human rights, will examine the problems of human rights as legal, ethical and religious concept in the international sphere".

Participants in "Common Word":

- His Excellency Sheikh Nahayn Mabarak Al Nahyan Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research President of Zayed University
- His Highness Prince Bander bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabia
- H.E. Sheikh Ali Goma'a, Grand Mufti of Egypt
- H.E. Dr. Ahmad Kamal Aboulmagid, Former Minister of Information, Vice President of Human Rights Organization - Egypt
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Muhammad Fadaq, SAUDI ARABIA
- Dr. Izzideen Ibrahim, Office of Presidential Affairs, ABU DHABI
- Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Arabia, ABU DHABI
- Dr. Abdelaziz Al Horr, Director Al Jazeerah TV, QATAR
- The Right Reverend William O. Gregg, Assistant Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina-Charlotte Office & Chair, Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church
- Douglas Maclean, Dept of Philosophy, UNC-Chapel Hill
- Waleed El Ansary, Dept of Religious Studies, USC-Columbia
- Cinnamon Carlarne, USC Law School, Columbia, SC
- Nicholas Adams, Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme, Cambridge University, UK
- Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, Sentra HAM, Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia & Directorate for Human Rights, Indonesian Ministry of Justice, Jakarta
- Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, Dept of Sharia Law & Women's Study Center, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Marsudi Triatmodjo, Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- David Linnan, USC Law School, Columbia, SC
- Father Joseph Isanga, Ave Maria Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Marsudi Triatmodjo, Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- David Linnan, USC Law School, Columbia, SC
- Father Joseph Isanga, Ave Maria Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Ibrahim Kalin, Official Spokesperson for A Common Word Between Us and You & Al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Father Daniel Madigan, Dept of Theology, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Robert Fastiggi, School of Theology, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI
- Caner Dagli, Dept of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross, Worchester, MA
- Father John Chryssavgis, Theological Advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch
- Juliane Hammer, Dept of Religious Studies, UNC-Charlotte
- Joseph Lumbard, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
- James Cutsinger, Dept of Religious Studies, USC-Columbia
- Maria Dakake, Religious Studies Dept, George Mason University, Fairfax