Vienna: KAICIID is seeking applications from education professionals working in institutions that train future religious leaders to take part in the 2016 KAICIID International Fellows Programme (KIFP). The deadline for applications has been extended till 14 August 2015.

Now in its second year, the Fellows Programme brings together Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic and Jewish teachers from around the world for in-person and online training in dialogue, mediation and peacebuilding over the course of the year long programme.

The Fellows programme promotes the use of interreligious dialogue to strengthen coexistence, and pluralism. The Fellows programme is designed to equip teachers with the skills to educate their students about interreligious dialogue; provide their students with the necessary skills to become active facilitators and leaders in interreligious dialogue; and to train their students in conflict transformation to be active peacemakers in their respective communities.

Anas Alabbadi, Programme Officer, KIFP, described the methodology and aim of the programme: “The importance of future religious leaders in building peaceful, pluralistic, and resilient societies cannot be overstated. By working with teachers who train the religious leaders of the future, we rely on the multiplier effect to help create a generation of young religious leaders who believe in dialogue with those of other religions and faiths, who have the skills to practice this dialogue, and can act as peacemakers when their communities are threatened by conflict.”

In its first year, the KAICIID Fellows Programme hosted twenty Fellows from seventeen countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The Fellows attended an introductory training in Vienna in February 2015, and a second workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May 2015. Currently, KAICIID Fellows 2015 are implementing projects and classes at their respective institutions and communities. These varied initiatives included integrating interreligious dialogue in the Fellows’ existing courses, extracurricular workshops and trainings, and research. Two fellows, a Hindu and a Muslim, are currently working on co-authoring a book that relates their experience in the programme.

KAICIID experts and trainers support the Fellows over the course of the year, and continue to follow up with them after the end of the programme.

Yusuf Daud, KAICIID Fellow from Indonesia described the value of the programme to his work: “(A)fter joining the capacity building training provided by KAICIID, (I realised that) it is essential that we must always bear in mind that religion is not just an abstract doctrine or simple belief. It has been and continues to be the significant factor that shapes people's identities as individual persons and as groups. It is again our duty as religious educators to find the way to harness the potential of religions to motivate their adherents to strive for peace, justice, respect, tolerance and understanding in everyday life and in all walks of life.”

KAICIID Fellows are also involved in different KAICIID projects and programmes around the world. Mabrouka Rayachi from Austria and Nageeba Hassan Tegulwa from Uganda attended the KAICIID Consultation for Women in Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in March. Venerable Mandalarlankara attended the International Press Institute Media Conference in Myanmar, where KAICIID organized a panel on “Religious Sensitivity in Breaking News Coverage.” Reverend Alexander Goldberg attended the Salzburg Global Seminar, where KAICIID organized a panel entitled “Inclusion and Exclusion: Disparate views on responsibility, duties and belief and its impact on youth agenda.”

Interested in participating? Applicants are invited to submit the application form available for download here. More information on the application process, timelines, and supporting documents necessary are available here.

The deadline for applications is 14 August 2015.

For more information on the application procedure, please contact:

Anas Alabbadi

Programme Officer, KAICIID

Anas.alabbadi(at)kaiciid.org