Macdonald Center Co-Director Represents HIU at Christian-Muslim Relations Symposium in Egypt

Dr. Jawad Qureshi, newly appointed co-director of the Macdonald Center and Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, traveled to Egypt this month to participate in the symposium of the Network of Centers for Christian-Muslim Relations (NCCMR), marking his first official act as co-director.

The Macdonald Center is an affiliate member of the Network, which brought together representatives from centers for Christian-Muslim relations and understanding across the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia. The gathering's theme was "The Future of Christian–Muslim Relations: Prospects and Challenges."

The symposium opened with remarks from leaders of the Coptic Christian Church alongside senior Egyptian Muslim religious authorities, including representatives from the Ministry of Endowments, the Mufti's office, and the Sheikh of al-Azhar.

Dr. Qureshi served as a respondent on a panel titled "Christian–Muslim Dialogue and Peacebuilding," responding to two papers that spoke broadly about Christian-Muslim relations, but highlighted several prominent efforts in the past two decades, including the 2004 Amman Message, 2007’s A Common Word, 2007 King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s Initiative for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, and the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayiib.

In his response, Dr. Qureshi drew on two Qur'anic verses: "Say: O People of the Book! Come to a common word between us and you" (3:64) and "We made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another" (49:13) to connect the papers' themes of dialogue and peacebuilding with HIU's own mission, history, and programs.

Beyond his formal panel role, Dr. Qureshi spent much of the trip building relationships with fellow scholars and center directors from around the world, connecting with counterparts in the United Kingdom, Jordan, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, among others. He noted that the reputation of David Grafton, Co-Director of the Macdonald Center and faculty member, opened many doors during the trip, as attendees throughout the symposium recognized his name and asked Dr. Qureshi to pass along their greetings.

Dr. Qureshi described the trip as "successful" and "very fruitful," particularly in terms of networking and laying groundwork for future collaborations between the Macdonald Center and its international peer institutions.

In its symposium final statement, the NCCMR wrote: 

“‘The Future of Christian Muslim Relations: Prospects and Challenges,’ participants affirmed that Christian-Muslim dialogue stands today at a decisive moment. In a world wounded by war, polarization, hostility toward the other, and the misuse of religion, Christian-Muslim conversation is called to become a courageous practice of bearing witness to truth, deepening commitment, fostering solidarity, and embracing shared responsibility.”