In advance of the July 2010 symposium that launched the Women, Religion and Peace Initiative, the project partners had conducted interviews with leading scholars and practitioners in the field of religion and peacebuilding.  The interviews provide initial insights into the successes, challenges, and opportunities found at the intersection of women, religion and peace.

Interviews with symposium participants and other scholars and practitioners:

• Mohammed Abu-Nimer
  International Peace and Conflict Resolution, School of International Service at the American University
  Peacebuilding and Development Institute
• Agnes Abuom
  World Council of Churches
• Dee Aker
  Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at the University of San Diego
• Joan Anderson
  International Office of Public Information, Soka Gakkai
• R. Scott Appleby
  Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame
• Ela Bhatt
  Self Employed Women’s Association
• Andrea Blanch
  Center for Religious Tolerance
• Virginia M. Bouvier
  U.S. Institute of Peace
• Joan Chittister
  Benetvision
• Denise Coghlan
  Jesuit Refugee Service, Cambodia
  
• Marie Dennis
  Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
• Joyce Dubensky
  Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
• Scilla Elworthy
  Oxford Research Group
• Mari Christine Fitzduff
  International Master of Arts Program in Coexistence and Conflict at Brandeis University
• Marc Gopin
  Center on Religion, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University
• Susan Hayward
  U.S. Institute of Peace
• Qamar-ul Huda
  U.S. Institute of Peace
• Dekha Ibrahim
  Wajir Peace and Development Committee, Kenya
• Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana
  Salam Institute for Peace and Justice, American University
• Azza Karam
  United Nations Population Fund
• Ashima Kaul
  Independent peace practitioner and journalist
• Kathleen Kuehnast
  U.S. Institute of Peace
• Emma Leslie
  Center for Peace and Conflict Studies
• Maryann Cusimano Love
  The Catholic University of America
• Marilyn McMorrow
  School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
• Dena Merriam
  Global Peace Initiative of Women
• Filiz Odabas-Geldiay
  International Association for Human Values
  Art of Living Foundation
• Jacqueline Moturi Ogega
  World Conference of Religions for Peace
• Manal Omar
  U.S. Institute of Peace
• Kathryn Poethig
  California State University, Monterey Bay
  
• Amina Rasul-Bernardo
  Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy
• Elana Rozenman
  Trust-Emun
• David Smock
  U.S. Institute of Peace
• Karen Jo Torjesen
  Claremont Graduate School
• Wendy Tyndale
  Human rights campaigner, freelance journalist and development practitioner
• Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf
  Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria