IEP21 Launches Fundraising Campaign
The Interreligious Engagement Project (IEP21) was founded in 2002. The mission of the organization is straightforward:
to assist global religious and spiritual communities to address critical issues relating to social and economic justice, ecological sustainability, and the promotion of cultures of peace.
IEP21 works closely with local, regional, and global religious communities and organizations to discover new modes of cooperative engagement with other religions and with secular organizations and institutions. This interreligious, intercultural and inter-institutional cooperation focuses on practical approaches to the most critical problems now facing the planetary community.
Since we created IEP21 we have never sought donations from individuals, although many have given spontaneously. We’re very grateful for that, but the time has come to appeal directly to potential donors. We’re turning to you and to others who are likely to understand that IEP21’s creative and energetic interreligious work is making a difference in a troubled world. We hope you’ll think it’s worthy of support.
Our emphasis is on building networks that can nurture understanding and commit to action. Over the past two years we’ve been deeply involved in global Muslim-Western dialogue, in engaging religions and religious leaders to stop coercive intimate violence against women and children, in promoting a new model for peace and understanding among the three Abrahamic faiths in the Middle East, and in assisting local peace and justice programs in many parts of the world (e.g., in Thailand, Mexico, Africa, Israel / Palestine, and India). At the same time we publish (with Common Ground and the World Congress of Faiths) the acclaimed quarterly, Interreligious Insight: a Journal of Dialogue and Engagement.
Our Director and Staff have, since IEP21’s inception, provided their services on an unpaid volunteer basis. We would of course, like to remedy that, at least in a nominal way. In any event, in order to sustain and advance our current efforts, we need to increase our resources. Every project requires financial assistance.
For example, the publication of Interreligious Insight is not yet fully supported by subscriptions. While this is not uncommon in a four-year-old specialized journal, it is a matter of concern. We do need continuing donor support for this wonderful publication.
The goal of the current campaign is fairly modest. We’d like to raise $50,000 over the course of the next year and sustain that level over the next few years. With your help, we can do just that. We ask that you consider a generous donation. We’re grateful for any time you’re willing to spend reviewing our request.
If you have recently given to IEP21, please accept our thanks and keep us in mind for the future.
Peace,
Jim Kenney
Executive Director and Trustee (for the Board of IEP21)
Trustees
Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan, Chair
Dr. Ronald H. Miller, Vice-Chair
Georgene Wilson, OSF, Secretary
Theodore Rojahn, Treasurer
Rev. Alan Race, Trustee (UK)
Rabbi Herbert Bronstein, Trustee
Dr. Ahmad Sadri, Trustee
Cetta Kenney, Trustee, Office Director