U.S.-Pakistan Interreligious Consortium: A New Narrative on U.S.-Pakistani Relationships

Wednesday, November 20, 2013
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST
Location: Berkley Center third floor conference room Map

Both Pakistan and the United States have increasingly struggled with global and domestic religious intolerance in the past decade. Islamophobia in the United States and discrimination against Christians and other minorities in Pakistan have grown, sometimes with violent consequences. Since the U.S. killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, and given the continuing use of U.S. drones on Pakistani soil, fear and distrust of the other have grown exponentially between both the governments and populations of the United States and Pakistan.

With traditional diplomacy unable to moderate hostilities between Pakistan and the United States, Intersections International has formed an unprecedented interreligious alliance of U.S. and Pakistani faith leaders prepared to step into the breach. After a successful foundational meeting of the U.S.-Pakistan Interreligious Consortium (UPIC) in Muscat, Oman in May 2012, the 24 leaders (approximately 12 U.S., 12 Pakistani) met in Islamabad and Lahore in April 2013 to cooperatively set an action agenda toward policy change on both sides, building bridges of understanding and respect between our two countries.

This briefing featured UPIC delegates Melody Fox Ahmed, assistant director for programs at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and Rev. Michael Livingston, national policy director and director of the DC Office of Interfaith Worker Justice, discussing the consortium's work so far and agenda for the future.

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U.S.-Pakistan Interreligious Consortium: A New Narrative on U.S.-Pakistani Relationships

Featured Participants

Melody Fox Ahmed Toggle

About Melody Fox Ahmed

Melody Fox Ahmed is the director of global programs at the National Cathedral School. She worked at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs from 2006 to 2018, most recently as the associate director for programs. At the center she oversaw the Doyle Engaging Difference Program, the Religion, Ethics, and World Affairs Certificate, and collaboration with the World Faiths Development Dialogue. She was a lead organizer of the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, a White House Honor Roll program for which Georgetown was recognized as the national winner in 2015. She is a member of the U.S.-Pakistan Interreligious Consortium of Intersections International and served on the Department of State’s Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society Working Group on Religion Training and Tools. She received her B.A. from Vanderbilt University and her M.A. in global, international, and comparative history from Georgetown University, with a focus on Latin America and the Muslim world.

Melody Fox Ahmed's Profile

Michael Livingston Toggle

About Michael Livingston

Rev. Michael Livingston is the executive minister at the Riverside Church, an interdenominational church in New York City. He previously served as the national policy director and director of the Washington, D.C. office of Interfaith Worker Justice. During his time at Interfaith Worker Justice, he advocated for national policies promoting working families' rights and legislation supporting underpaid workers in Washington, D.C. He has also held positions with the International Council of Community Churches, National Council of Churches, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Rev. Livingston holds a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and earned M.Div. and Th.M degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Michael Livingston's Profile