Shelter: Creative Interfaith Perspectives
December 4, 2006 
The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs
Cosponsors: Habitat for Humanity International, World Faiths Development Dialogue
On December 4, 2006, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs convened an interfaith discussion, the Forum on Interfaith Engagement for Decent Shelter, which focused on the imperative need to focus more sharply and directly on assisting the world’s poor people and communities. The starting point was the central role that decent shelter should play in combating poverty. Habitat for Humanity International had suggested the meeting as part of their strategic reflections, and the topic also is central to the Berkley Center’s exploration of issues linking religion and development. Dr. Tom Banchoff, Director of the Berkley Center, opened the day-long forum, which was moderated by Nic Retsinas, Chair of the Habitat for Humanity International Board and Director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.
The meeting brought together some 30 participants who included leaders from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths, Habitat for Humanity International’s leaders, and other participants from (inter alia) Georgetown University, the World Bank, the International Housing Coalition, the World Faiths Development Dialogue, the Parliament of World’s Religions, Catholic Relief Services, Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Sojourners/Call to Renewal, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, M.E.C.C.A. Center, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, Islamic Society of North America, Arab Group for Christian-Muslim Dialog, and CAUSE-NY/Jewish Community Relations Council of NY. The forum’s outcome was agreement to pursue a range of interfaith approaches to shelter issues ranging from joint advocacy efforts, case study materials, and pilot interfaith endeavors. The group agreed to convene again at the Berkley Center in six months.