Berkley Center

Mahdi Abdile is director of research at the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers and a researcher focused on countering violent extremism at the European Institute of Peace. He previously held several positions with Finn Church Aid, including Right to Peace Theme coordinator, deputy regional representative, and regional representative of its East and Southern Africa Regional Office. Abdile has conducted doctoral studies at the Department of Political and Economic Studies at the University of Helsinki, Finland.

Mohammed Abu-Nimer is a senior adviser at the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and professor in the International Peace and Conflict Resolution program at American University's School of International Service. An expert on conflict resolution and dialogue for peace, his work has focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and on application of conflict resolution models in Muslim communities.

Fahad Abualnasr is director general of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Dialogue (KAICIID). His professional life has focused on dialogue as a tool for building bridges and the role of young people in development. At KAICIID Abualnasr has helped the organization develop its strategy for 2016 to 2019 and been closely involved in its “United against Violence in the Name of Religion” initiative. He chaired the founding committee for the Al-Aghar Group, an independent think tank in Saudi Arabia, and is on the board of directors of the i2Institute, established to support entrepreneurship and social innovation for scientists and engineers in the Middle East and beyond. In 2008 Abualnasr co-organized the First Saudi “Knowledge Economy Conference” in Jeddah and the “Multi-faith Scientists in Islamic Civilization” exhibit at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Abualnasr has a master’s degree in comparative politics and a bachelor’s degree in political science from American University in Washington, D.C.

Richard Atwood is multilateral affairs director and head of the New York office of International Crisis Group (ICG), which he joined in 2009 as the director of research. He represents ICG at the United Nations, and his work focuses on engaging UN agencies and member states around issues related to transnational threats, peace operations, and political transitions. Before joining ICG Atwood worked around the world with the United Nations, International Foundation for Election Systems, and other organizations on elections and peace operations, particularly focusing on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Nigeria, and Kenya. He has a master in public policy degree from Princeton University and speaks fluent English, French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish.

Anneli Botha has been a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria since 2003. She is an expert on terrorism whose work focuses on counter-terrorism strategies and the underlying causes of terrorism and radicalization. She worked in the South African Police Service’s Crime Intelligence Unit between pursuing her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Botha has a master’s degree in political studies from the University of Johannesburg and a Ph.D. from the University of the Free State. Her thesis on radicalization in Kenya and Uganda received the Terrorism Research Initiative’s award for the best Ph.D. thesis in the field of terrorism and counter-terrorism studies in 2014.

Imam Abdulkareem Shefiu Majemu is executive director of the Strength in Diversity Development Centre, the Islamic Platform Society of Nigeria, and the Islamic Resource Centre. He is also a member of the Religious Leaders Anti-Corruption Committee in Nigeria and zonal coordinator for the Interfaith Mediation Centre's south/west zone in Lagos. He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Lagos State University's Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication and he began his Ph.D. studies at Babcock University's School of Media and Communication in Ogun State, Nigeria. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Lagos State University.

Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev is the permanent observer for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the United Nations. From 2015 to 2016 Mehdiyev served as permanent observer for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the European Union. He was ambassador-at-large in Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2015 after heading the country's mission to the United Nations from 2006 to 2014. Mehdiyev was Azerbaijan's permanent representative to the Council of Europe from 2001 to 2006, having served in a variety of diplomatic positions since 1975. He is the author of, among Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe (2011). He is fluent in Azerbaijani, English, Arabic, Russian, and Turkish. Mehdiyev holds a graduate degree in oriental studies from Azerbaijan State University and a doctorate in the history of international relations from the Diplomatic Academy of the Soviet Union’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Antti Pentikäinen is a research professor and executive director of the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation at George Mason University. He is also a visiting scholar at the U.S. Institute for Peace. Pentikäinen previously was executive director of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers.