A Special Interview with IFC’s New Executive Director, Dr. Sousan Abadian


Because poetry conveys in a way that prose cannot, I’ll answer the questions with poems (or one quote from a previous professor), followed by some of my own words. 

1/ What initially drew you to interfaith work?

Come, come, whoever you are.

Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving.

It doesn’t matter

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times.

Come, yet again, come, come.

― Jelaluddin Rumi

I don’t have to tell you that we live in especially polarized times: there are loud cries to stand for something and against something else, as if justice calls for taking sides. Interfaith work elevates our conversations by providing a more nuanced, integrative, “both, and” stance: for example, we are both for the flourishing of this community and for the flourishing of that community—for the flourishing of all peoples regardless of religion, nationality, color, race, gender. We endeavor to find ways to call people in and only call people out as a last resort. Interfaith work provides the reminder, that even with our differences, we are still one human family, no one more or less valuable than another. The idea of offering a big tent for the caravan of humanity to gather under and dialogue with dignity is what has always drawn me to interfaith work. 

2/ What are you most excited to start working on as the new director? 

Out
Of a great need
We are all holding hands

And climbing.
Not loving is a letting go.

Listen,
The terrain around here

Is
Far too

Dangerous
For
That.

Hafez (Daniel Ladinsky)

As a city, as a nation, as a planet, we are living in an epoch of heightened uncertainty, of great need. I’m most excited about going out and meeting faith leaders and lay people, building relationships and trust. I’m excited to imagine IFC convening conversations that allow them to share what is in their hearts and on their minds, to partner together to address real problems, and even to have fun together. I am most excited to provide opportunities for people to feel and know that we, as a collective, have one another’s backs, that we will hold hands and not let go. No one need ever feel alone with a problem, unsafe, or unwelcome. It is together that we dance this sacred dance of life, all the while knowing that we are deserving of joy. 

 

I sometimes forget

that I was created for Joy.

My mind is too busy.

My heart is too heavy

for me to remember

that I have been

Called to dance

the sacred dance of life.

I was created to smile.

To Love.

To be lifted up

and to lift up others.

O’ Sacred One

untangle my feet

from all that ensnares.

Free my soul

that we might

Dance

and that our dancing

might be contagious.

Hafez (Daniel Ladinsky)

 

3/ What are some goals you have for IFC in the coming year?

Critics say that America is a lie because its reality falls so far short of its ideals. They are wrong. America is not a lie; it is a disappointment. But it can be a disappointment only because it is also a hope.—Samuel Huntington

Many are increasingly disillusioned with religion, seeing it as a divisive force and a source of suffering. But the disenchantment actually reflects the profound hunger we have for meaning, healing, belonging, and inspiration that religions can also provide. The “interfaith enterprise” draws out some of what’s best in our religions—the recognition of our common humanity gloriously expressed in a myriad of ways, like the rainbow of colors that appear when light is shone through a single prism.

The initial goals I have for the IFC include supporting Symi and the Board in expanding our programs, enhancing our visibility and relevance so that we can become a unifying resource to the people of our nation’s capital and the metropolitan communities at this pivotal juncture—a Lighthouse calling people safely to shore when the fog of fear and darkness of misinformation threatens to overtake. I would also like to see us get on even sounder financial footing so that we can offer more, give more, celebrate more.

I want to bring in youthful voices and reach out to even greater numbers of faith communities, some of which are underrepresented. I’d also like to invite members of our First Nations or Native American communities into the IFC community. Their spiritual traditions are profound, and I never forget that we are but guests on these precious lands.

 

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” ― Patanjali 

 

4/ What’s your favorite interfaith memory?

 


If you have friends who know your heart,

Distance cannot keep you apart.

― Wang Bo (王勃)

I have many favorite interfaith moments, but I’ll share one that happened fairly recently at the Parliament of World Religions that took place in Chicago this past August. I was one of 25 faith leaders who was honored to be invited to ceremonially sign the Global Ethics document during the Global Ethic General Assembly. Another of the signatories was Jianbao Wang, part of a small delegation and the only one coming from Mainland China.

We had an opportunity to speak together and found much common ground as a Zoroastrian and a Confucian, two of the world’s most ancient wisdom traditions. The next day, I was one of the keynote speakers in front of an assembly of over 6,500 people. As I was waiting to get on stage with the handful of other speakers and video techs in a large area behind the curtains, I saw Jianbao come in backstage with several people, one clearly a monk and seat themselves at a big table. Jianbao wanted to speak with me but I asked if he could wait till after my talk. I did not know they were all waiting for me.

After I finally got called on stage and returned, they stood and approached and Jianbao introduced me to the delegation including the Abbot of one of the oldest Shaolin Temples in China. The Venerable Abbot presented me with his book and a beautifully decorated plate in a red and golden case as a gift, and his assistant snapped photos. I felt moved and humbled, not just by the generosity of their gifts but by the humility and patience with which they had waited for me. I was struck by how little we truly understand about China beyond the political rhetoric and how ancient (and in some ways refined) their civilization is as compared to ours.

I am eager to learn more about Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Happy Lunar New Year of the Dragon!

 

Raise your words

not your voice.

It is rain that

grows flowers,

not thunder.

― Jelaluddin Rumi

Gail Schechter

Since launching her career as a tenant organizer in 1984, Gail Schechter has been a local and national leader in fair, affordable, and intergenerational housing; investigation of housing discrimination complaints; housing development; and community organizing. Today Gail serves as the Executive Director of the nonprofit Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.), providing and championing intergenerational housing and support services for low-income seniors throughout the City of Chicago.

She is also a widely recognized thought leader in conceiving of and implementing creative grassroots strategies for just, beloved communities, most recently as the organizer of “The Justice Project: The March Continues” in Chicago’s northern suburbs, the Evanston-based racial equity focused Community Alliance for Better Government, and the Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform, which won three citizen-led referendums in 2022 that break a nearly 60-year single-party monopoly on local government. In 2012, the Governor appointed her to fill the “affordable housing advocate” seat on the State Housing Appeals Board, the enforcement body of the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act which she helped to pass. Gail is also a co-founder of the Chicago-based Addie Wyatt Center for Nonviolence Training and the author of “We’re Gonna Open Up the Whole North Shore” in the anthology The Chicago Freedom Movement: Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights Activism in the North (2016). She has a B.A. with honors in history from Oberlin College and a master's degree from Tufts University in Urban and Environmental Policy. 

As to how I remember my time together with Sherman and IGL, I attach a letter that I wrote on that very topic 10 years ago! Feel free to take what you want from it. (And yes, I was a "valedictorian" for my Urban & Environmental Policy class at Tufts, in 1990).

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Alina Shkolnikov

Alina Shkolnikov is a seasoned professional with a rich tapestry of experiences spanning diverse sectors and global landscapes. As the Chief Partnerships Officer at PollyLabs and a Faculty Lecturer at The New School, Alina brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to strategic innovation to her roles.


With a career marked by impactful contributions at organizations such as the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation, HP, and PresenTense, Alina has honed her expertise in catalytic growth and social impact. Her journey from Ukraine to Israel, India, and the US has equipped her with a unique perspective that fuels her interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving.

Alina's academic background in communications and strategy, coupled with her practical experience, enables her to craft meticulously designed strategies that drive meaningful social and environmental change while ensuring financial sustainability.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Alina is dedicated to fostering dialogue and progress as the Chair of the Israeli Board of Seeds of Peace and a Board Member at Forum Devorah. With a steadfast commitment to making a positive difference in the world, Alina Shkolnikov is a driving force for innovation and collaboration in the pursuit of a better future for all.

Bar Pereg

Bar Pereg, CEO of PollyLabs, is a visionary leader driven by a passion for leveraging technology to address pressing global challenges and drive purpose-driven growth. With a diverse background spanning various industries and roles, Bar has witnessed firsthand the untapped potential of technology to drive positive change. This realization prompted the founding of PollyLabs, a groundbreaking think tank and centre studio focused on repurposing technology for good.

Throughout her career, Bar has worked with Fortune 500 executives, startups, governments, and NGOs, advising on growth strategy, technology integration, and social impact. With extensive global experience and a track record of leading diverse teams, Bar is dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that promote equity and improve the human experience.

Bar holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she specialized in finance and sustainability. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Sociology from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. With a deep understanding of business strategy, technology, and social dynamics, Bar is committed to driving meaningful change and shaping a more inclusive future for all.

Sameer Arshad Khatlani

Sameer Arshad Khatlani is a journalist with Hindustan Times, India’s second-biggest newspaper. He was a senior assistant editor with the Indian Express until June 2018. 

Born and raised in Kashmir, Khatlani began his career with the now-defunct Bengaluru-based Vijay Times in 2005 as its national affairs correspondent. He joined the Times of India in 2007. Over the next nine years, Khatlani was part of the newspaper's national and international news-gathering team. 

He has reported from Iraq and Pakistan, and covered elections and national disasters. Khatlani has a master's degree in history from Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. 

He is a fellow with the Hawaii-based American East-West Center and the author of The Other Side of the Divide, A Journey into the Heart of Pakistan, Penguin eBury Press, March 2020.

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INVITATION: Preventing Jewish-Arab Violence within the Green Line

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In May 2021, a period of fear and violence shook Israel: A conflict that started in Jerusalem expanded into Gaza, and soon boomeranged and escalated inside the Green Line. Interethnic violence erupted in Israel’s mixed cities, where the country’s Jewish and Palestinian citizens live side-by-side, leading to death and destruction. Following the devastating October 7 attacks, however, there has been no repetition of intercommunal conflict inside Israel, in spite of the efforts of those seeking to incite racism and violence.

What has Israeli civil society learned from the past to prevent such violence and how might it apply those lessons in the future so that Jews and Arabs can come together across differences?


To discuss these questions and more, join us on Wednesday, February 28, at 9am PT / 12pm ET for a webinar discussion featuring our Co-Deputy CEOs, Shahira Shalaby and Ruth Lewin-Chen, and moderated by Partners for Progressive Israel board member, Professor Sam Fleischacker. There will be time at the end for audience Q&A. Register here to take part in this crucial conversation, which is cosponsored by Partners for Progressive Israel and The Abraham Initiatives. 

 

I hope to see you there!


Sincerely,

Lydia Woolley
North American Program Director

 

RSVP HERE

 

Shahira Shalaby is Co-Deputy CEO at The Abraham Initiatives, where she oversees our work in mixed cities. She is the former Deputy Mayor of Haifa, a former city councilor, and was among the founders of the Palestinian Feminist Movement in Israel. She has established several initiatives and organizations working to improve the status of Arab women in Israel and has consulted for social change organizations on issues of leadership, strategic thinking, teamwork, developing and managing resources, and community work. She is a group facilitator, specializing in dialogue, conflict resolution, and facilitator training. She holds a Masters' degree in religious studies and a Bachelor's degree in social work. 

 

Ruth Lewin-Chen is Co-Deputy CEO at The Abraham Initiatives, and previously led The Abraham Initiatives' Mixed Cities program. Her skillset comes from her experience directing conflict resolution programs and advocating for the representation of women in decision-making positions in the local council of Mevasseret. For the past decade, Ruth has been promoting a shared society in Israel, mainly through the facilitation of dialogue groups of Arab and Jewish youth and by developing knowledge on social movements with Shatil. Ruth holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Comparative Literature and a Master’s in Organizational Sociology from Hebrew University.

 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to lydia@abrahaminitiatives.org with any questions.

Resilience, Resistance, Renewal: Two years of the Full-Scale War in Ukraine

This is from tonight's talk at Cooper Union--and I would invite you to scroll to 15' (fifteen minutes into the film) to listen for 10 minutes or so to the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, a lawyer, war crimes documenter and friend of Victoria Amelina's, Oleksandra Matviichuk: she spells out very clearly what's happened and what's at stake:






,

Jewish Currents

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Wednesday, February 28th at 1pm ET:

Gaza is the deadliest place in the world to be a journalist today. More than 75% of media workers killed worldwide in 2023 have died in Israel’s assault on the besieged enclave. In the occupied West Bank, too, Israel’s jailing of Palestinian journalists has reached an all-time high, with the Committee to Protect Journalists raising the alarmabout Israel’s harassment of reporters and the silencing of their coverage.

Join us for a discussion on how this lethal environment for journalists is impacting our ability to understand what’s happening on the ground, what it says about the future of covering conflict zones safely, and the latest efforts to hold the Israeli government accountable for these attacks. We will also discuss the challenges that journalists around the world face in covering Israel’s war on Gaza accurately and ethically.

This event is sponsored by Just Vision, Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), +972 Magazine, the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA), and theCommittee to Protect Journalists.

Read More & Register Here

SPEAKERS:

Fadi Abu Shammalah is a Palestinian journalist from Gaza who was recently evacuated with his family to the US via Egypt, and who still has colleagues trying to report what is happening on the ground as Israel closes in on Rafah. He also serves as a Just Vision outreach associate. You can read more about his experience in this New York Times op-ed.

Karen Attiah is a columnist at The Washington Postwho has written and posted extensively about the impact of Israel’s war on journalists and other civilians (“Where is the outrage over Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza?”). Karen was the winner of the 2019 George Polk Award as well as the 2019 Journalist of the Year Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. She has been a fierce advocate for accountability and justice since agents of Saudi Arabia killed her late colleague, Saudi-American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Gypsy Guillén Kaiser is the advocacy and communications director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is investigating and documenting the plight of Palestinian journalists. Their most recent reports are available here.

Haggai Matar is the executive director of +972 Magazine, an independent, nonprofit online magazine run by a group of Palestinian and Israeli journalists. He is also co-director, together with Just Vision’s Suhad Babaa, of the Hebrew-language news site Local Call, and serves on the board of the Union of Journalists in Israel.

Julia Bacha (moderator) is Just Vision’s creative director and a filmmaker who directed movies includingBudrus (2009) and Boycott (2021).

Join Us On Wednesday, February 28th

 

CB Bhattacharya

CB Bhattacharya is the H.J. Zoffer Chair in Sustainability and Ethics at the Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. He is a world-renowned expert in business strategy innovation aimed at increasing both business and social value. His research and teaching focus specifically on how companies can use underleveraged “intangible assets” such as corporate identity, reputation, corporate social responsibility and sustainability to strengthen stakeholder relationships and drive business and societal value. 

Prof. Bhattacharya has published over 100 articles and has over 45,000 citations per Google Scholar, placing him among the top 50 cited marketing academics per Google Scholar and the top 1% of marketing academics per a Stanford University study. His latest book entitled Small Actions Big Difference: Leveraging Corporate Sustainability to Drive Business and Societal Value was published by Routledge in 2019.  He is co-author of the book Leveraging Corporate Responsibility: The Stakeholder Route to Maximizing Business and Social Value and co-editor of the book Global Challenges in Responsible Business, both published by Cambridge University Press. He has served on the Editorial Review Boards and served as Editor of special issues of many leading publications. Prof. Bhattacharya is the founder of the Center for Sustainable Business at Pitt as well as the ESMT Sustainable Business Roundtable, a forum with more than 25 multinational members, aimed at discussing opportunities and challenges in mainstreaming sustainability practices within organizations. In 2007, he started the Stakeholder Marketing Consortium with support from the Aspen Institute.

Prof. Bhattacharya is part of a select group of faculty members that have been named twice to Business Week’s Outstanding Faculty list. He is on the #thinklist of the University of Bath, a list of influential faculty thinkers on issues of responsible business. He has won several best paper awards, teaching awards and research prizes. He was also a finalist for the Aspen Institute’s Faculty Pioneer Award in 2007. In addition, he received the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award in 1995, the highest teaching award at Emory University.

He received his PhD in Marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, his MBA from the Indian Institute of Management in 1984 and his Bachelors (with Honors in Economics) from St. Stephens College, Delhi in 1982. Before joining ESMT in 2009, he was the Everett W. Lord Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Marketing at the School of Management at Boston University. Before joining Boston University, he was on the faculty at the Goizueta Business School, Emory University. Prior to his PhD, he worked for three years as a Product Manager in Reckitt Benckiser plc.

Prof. Bhattacharya has conducted research and consulted for many organizations such as Allianz, AT&T, Bosch, Eli Lilly, E.ON, General Mills, Green Mountain Coffee, High Museum of Art, Hitachi Corporation, Procter & Gamble Company, Prudential Bank, Timberland and Unilever. As an expert in corporate responsibility and sustainability, he is often interviewed and quoted in publications such as Business Week, BBC, Forbes, Financial Times, Fortune, Newsweek, The New York Times and The Economist and on TV stations such as Times Now, CBS and PBS. He frequently delivers keynote speeches or brings in his insights as a panelist at company, industry, and academic conferences and conventions.

Advocating for Another Way - American Friends of Combatants for Peace

I write to you from on the road. Over the last week, a delegation of four Palestinian and Israeli CfP activists, Rana Salman, Avner Wishnitzer, Souli Khatib, and Chen Alon, traveled to Washington, DC to meet with policymakers on Capitol Hill as well as with State Department and White House officials. 

This AFCFP delegation was planned in partnership with Win Without War, a diverse network of activists and organizations working for a more peaceful U.S. foreign policy. Since last Tuesday, CfP and AFCFP leadership sat down with Rep. Tlaib, Rep. Raskin, Rep. Schakowsky, Rep. Jayapal, and Rep. Schatz’s, Rep. King’s, Rep. Coon’s, Rep. Warnock’s, Rep. Smith's and Rep. Ossof’s teams. 

CfP activists shared their powerful stories of transformation and joint efforts to co-resist the occupation and co-create a new reality where all are safe and free. They sat down face-to-face with House and Senate members and urged them to support an immediate ceasefire and efforts to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on violent settlers and their enablers. CfP also advocated for urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza and an immediate release of hostages and prisoners held in arbitrary detention. 

Additionally, they stressed the needs of their respective societies - most notably security, liberty, and dignity. They discussed how any political arrangement must be measured against these needs and they explained to lawmakers that the conflict can no longer be "managed."  They emphasized that a military solution will not bring security or safety for Israelis nor Palestinians. 

We know that the occupation can no longer be tolerated and there is no military solution. Diplomacy and a viable political settlement remain the only hope to avoid further catastrophic violence and ensure equality and safety for both peoples.

While in DC, our team also participated in a briefing with reporters, participated in an NGO and Civil Society Roundtable, hosted a screening of Disturbing the Peace at Busboys and Poets with producer and director Stephen Apkon, and spoke at places of worship. 

This weekend, we connected with our wonderful Philadelphia AFCFP chapter, met with the Quaker community in Philadelphia, and hosted powerful events at Congregation Rodeph Shalom and Westtown School with Israeli activist, Iris Gur, and Palestinian activist, Souli Khatib. 

It was a joy spending time with so many of our beloved supporters and I hope to see many more of you soon. Please click the button below to view and register for upcoming in-person events in New York. 

Register for In-Person Events in New York

We are deeply strengthened by our community's steadfast support. Thank you for standing with us and fueling the movement.

Daniel Ades

Daniel Ades is the Founder and Managing Partner of Kawa Capital, a hedge fund and asset manager based in Aventura. Daniel has been responsible for overseeing the firm’s investment decisions since inception in 2007, and continues to lead the firm to this day. He has a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Tufts University, and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) from The Fletcher School, with a focus on economic development. He has been a board member in several community organizations and his interests are primarily focused on education and affordable housing.  Most recently, he founded the Jewish Leadership Academy, a college-preparatory Jewish Day School in the Miami area that is need-blind and focused on developing leaders with a broad range of perspectives. An avid sailor, he was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil and has been living in Miami with his wife and three children since 2003.

Ahmed Benchemsi

A global rights watchdog’s spokesperson and comms director, Ahmed Benchemsi is an award-winning journalist, media entrepreneur, opinion writer and public speaker turned Human Rights advocate. Fluent in French, Arabic and English, his expertise is in human rights, individual freedoms and secularism within Islamic societies, media and social media in North Africa and the Middle East.

As the primary spokesperson for Human Rights Watch on the Middle East and North Africa, Ahmed gave 1200+ interviews to international media in three languages, including CNN, PBS, BBC, France 24, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, and more. As HRW's MENA Communications and Advocacy Director, he initiated and led global campaigns including on freedom of speech, individual freedoms, women's rights, and LGBT rights.

As a journalist, Ahmed was published in TIME magazine, Newsweek, The Guardian, Le Monde, Le Nouvel Observateur, Jeune Afrique, and other global publications.
Ahmed started his career in Morocco in the mid-1990s as an investigative reporter, with a passion for defending democracy, secularism and individual freedoms, exposing corruption, and heralding cultural empowerment, especially for the youth. At 26, he founded TelQuel, a French language weekly news magazine covering politics, society, and culture that became the market leader in four years. In 2006, he founded the Arabic language news magazine Nichane, which, in turn, topped the national magazine market (even surpassing TelQuel) in just over a year. The TelQuel Group, of which Ahmed was CEO and editor-in-chief, soon became Morocco’s #1 magazine publisher (combined circulation, including of several offshoot mags, peaked at 500,000 readers) with 100+ staffers, USD 10 million annual revenue and USD 1 million profit. TelQuel and Nichane were hailed as “groundbreaking,” “innovative” and “pioneering,” including in TIME magazine, The Guardian and The Economist and reaped numerous international awards, including the CNN award for African journalists, the  Press Now prize and Reporters Without Borders prize. 

Such success attracted attention, which also meant adverse feedback from Moroccan authorities. Ahmed and his colleagues were arrested and brought in for interrogation many times, then prosecuted, sentenced to suspended prison terms and heavy fines for speech offenses including “undermining official institutions” and “disrespecting the king.” The police raided the printer’s plant several times, destroying tens of thousands of copies. Even though a market leader, Nichane suffered a government-led advertisement boycott campaign that drove down its ad revenue by 80%. Ahmed had to close it in 2010, resign his position in the publishing company and sell his shares to dissociate himself from TelQuel, thus allowing the company to survive and the magazine to continue (it still exists today, though with a  different editorial line.)

In 2011, Ahmed left Morocco and moved to Stanford, California, where he was awarded a visiting scholar fellowship. During 2 years, he studied the “Arab Spring” tidal wave that shook the Middle East and inspired transformative movements around the world. While in Stanford, he contributed academic articles for the Journal of Democracy, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Middle East Institute, the Cato Institute, the French political science quarterlies Pouvoirs and L’ENA Hors Les Murs. He was also a co-author of “Taking to the streets: The Transformation of Arab Activism” (2014, Johns Hopkins University press,) and in Arabic, “February 20: The Outcomes of Democratization in Morocco” (2018, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Qatar), two anthologies that examined the roots of the Arab Spring.

But academic work didn't cut it for Ahmed. Publishing long articles in savant journals was a fine thing, but wasn’t enough engagement and made little real impact. The media man in him took over. Originally meant to be a book, his Stanford fellowship project turned into an online platform, FreeArabs.com, that was designed to be a springboard for the ebullient “Arab Spring” generation. The Beta version was a success, praised by his Stanford mentors. But as the hope for democratic change faded, so did the interest of venture capitalists in funding it. 

After 2 years of unsuccessful fundraising efforts to transform freearabs.com into a media venture (2 years during which he also continued his journalistic work, with publications in The new Republic, Foreign Policy, Le Monde, Harvard’s Nieman Report, Politico, Salon and other outlets,) Ahmed joined Human Rights Watch in 2015. Since then, he has been honing his advocacy skills by helming the organization’s communications efforts to fight injustice in a region with no short supply of it. His job is to convey the findings of a 40+ team of researchers and other human rights operatives into digestible, media friendly pitches, media interviews, and social media campaigns.

In the course of his career, Ahmed was awarded “Best investigative Journalist in the Arab World” twice by the European Union (Brussels, Belgium in 2004, and Beirut, Lebanon in 2007). He was also keynote speaker for the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism network (Amman, Jordan in 2009 and 2011) and the Oslo Freedom Forum (Oslo, Norway in 2011 and 2012,) and gave multiple conferences and seminars, including in Stanford, Harvard, Tufts, Georgetown, and other universities, and spoke publicly about the Arab Spring, Freedom of Speech, Secularism and individual freedoms in the Muslim world in various international venues in Europe, the Middle East, India and North America. he was also recognized by fellowships in Newsweek (New York, 2005 and 2008) and the Los Angeles Times (LA, 2005), and was invited twice to tour the US by the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (2000, 2008). Early in his career, he was awarded “Best Investigative Journalist in Morocco” at age 22 by the National Syndicate of Moroccan Press. 

Ahmed holds an MPhil (eq. French “DEA”) in Political science from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (aka “Sciences Po”) in Paris, a master’s degree in development economics from The Sorbonne, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Paris VIII University. 

Ahmed also served as Communications and Media adviser to Morocco’s Secretary of State for Environment (1998). A dual Moroccan-American citizen, he lived in Casablanca (Morocco,) Palo Alto (California,) Washington D.C. and New York, and currently resides in Paris.

 



Ahmed and I have known each other for over a decade, working together with the Human Rights Foundation and consultations over MENA affairs.  He has been a warm friend and valuable mentor to my community, especially its students. We share a passion for vibrant democracy. I admire his courage and integrity and value his friendship — Sherman

In Warren, R.I., new millennial-owned manufacturer is latest to bring metal fabrication back to US

The newest endeavor of my magnificent daughter-in law, Kelly Ward.

Read more here highlighted in the Boston Globe!

Ward’s Manufacturing is a new metal fabrication business which fiber laser cuts and CNC press brake bends custom metal parts. We are a woman-owned, family business with equipment that can handle thick cuts, tight tolerances, and unique metals, all manufactured in Rhode Island. 

Their launch event, taking place on March 27, 2024, plans to follow this schedule:

  • Meet Kelly and Kiffin Ward, sibling co-founders who grew up in Rhode Island and are passionate about supporting manufacturing in their state

  • A congressional delegation will give remarks

  • See a demonstration of our state-of-the-art fiber laser cutter and computer numerical control (CNC) press brake

  • Connect over drinks and light refreshments with key stakeholders in Rhode Island’s manufacturing ecosystem

Sara Terry

Sara Terry is a documentary photographer and filmmaker whose work in recent years has focused on class and economic equity. She is a Guggenheim Fellow in Photography, a member of VII Photo and a Sundance Documentary Fellow. Her most feature-length documentary, A Decent Home, explored the wealth gap through the landscape of mobile home parks and aired on PBS in March 2023.  Terry began her career as a print reporter for The Christian Science Monitor, where she also helped start the Monitor's public radio show. She moved from there into freelance magazine writing, with her work appearing in The New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, Boston Globe Magazine and other publications. She was also a frequent guest host for the national public radio, To the Point. She picked up a still camera in the late 1990s at a time when she lost her faith in words and never looked back.

Her early photography work, covering post-conflict Bosnia (“Aftermath: Bosnia’s Long Road to Peace”) led her to create The Aftermath Project, a grant-making photography non-profit based on the idea that “War is only half the story.” The Aftermath Project has been giving grants to photographers working in post-conflict settings around the world since 2007. She led three Aftermath photography workshops for students from the Institute for Global Leadership in Uganda, India,  Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and Houston, Texas.
One of her most recent ongoing projects is 1in6by2030. 

What if Regulation Makes the AI Monopoly Worse? by Bhaskar Chakravorti

Apart from being artificial intelligence’s breakout year, in the race to steer the technology’s development, 2023 was also the year when the AI community splintered into various tribes: accelerationists, doomers, and regulators.

By year’s end, it seemed as if the accelerationists had won. Power had consolidated with a handful of the largest of the Big Tech companies investing in the hottest of start-ups; generative AI products were being rushed out; and doomers, with their dire warnings of AI risks, were in retreat. The regulators were in hot pursuit of the accelerationists with uncharacteristic agility, unveiling bold regulation proposals and, with a year of many elections and an anticipated surge in AI-powered disinformation ahead, corralling bills to rush into law.

Ironically, though, the regulators may have added to the wind on the backs of the accelerationists: New regulations may inadvertently add to the accelerationists’ market power.

How can it be that regulators tasked with preserving the public interest could take actions that might make matters worse? Do we now need different regulations to rein in an even more powerful industry? Are there creative alternatives for safeguarding the public interest?

Consider, first, the reasons why the AI industry is already primed for concentration.

Felix Bhattacharya

I am a current Junior at Tufts University pursuing a degree in International Relations and Civic Studies. While I was originally born in Newton, Ma — I moved to Berlin, Germany when I was 6 and grew up there most of my life. I moved back to the US for high school, and lived in Pittsburgh, PA for those four years. Being half-German and half-Indian, I have always loved to travel and explore the world. Academically, I have found a profound interest in international law and its purpose, as well as AI and how we will have to assess both its potential and risks.

Outside of class, I play tennis, act on the stage, and compete on the Tufts Mock Trial team. This past summer, I worked in Berlin on a new global forum called Berlin Global Dialogue — which brought together leaders from the public and private sector. I love finding opportunities for dialogue across different opinions, and believe dialogue and collaboration can lead to a better understanding of the world and its primary issues.

My love for theatre and tennis, have taught me about teamwork and collaboration — the importance of trusting your partner, whether it be on the stage or courts with partners or in everyday life. My life experiences have taught me to never make assumptions about individuals and always trying to enter a conversation with an open mind.

Learning more about the IGL and its mission, through taking EPIIC (‘23) and being the Vice-President of Tufts Amnesty International, has shown me the power of a wide international network. I joined Trebuchet as an intern to learn more about the power of collaboration and dialogue, and how it can help make the world a better place.

I am a rising junior at Princeton University pursuing a degree in sociology with minors in cognitive science and creative writing. I was born and raised in New York City before briefly living in Cambridge, Massachusetts towards the end of high school.

David Rubin

I am a rising Senior at Dartmouth College studying International Relations and Geography. My time in school has focused on subjects of nuclear non-proliferation and geopolitical conflict with my regions of interest being the Middle East and Russia. At Dartmouth, I have been named a War and Peace Fellow at the Dickey Institute of International Understanding.

These academic interests and a family connection led me to Sherman, who introduced me to Trebuchet and Student Pugwash USA. With Sherman’s guidance, I have created a Pugwash Student organization at Dartmouth with the goal of creating a community to reflect and discuss subjects of Nuclear and advanced weaponry technologies and their implications on geopolitics. Our meetings involve dissecting publications put forward by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists or the International Security Journal, in addition to exploring recent headlines surrounding International Security and WMDs.  Our group is currently 25 strong and highly motivated!

I am also involved with the Dartmouth varsity Squash team. As a returning senior and 4 year varsity letter winner, I will be at the helm of the team next year as one of its captains.

As a dual citizen of America and France, the ability to navigate two languages and cultures is my strong suit. In the spring of 2021, I took a gap year to live in Paris, where I worked as a paralegal at Gobert et Associes, a French real estate law firm. My duties at the firm involved judicial research and the management of dozens of British homeowners in France participating in a class action suit. This opportunity provided me the opportunity to navigate a fully professional francophone environment.

With my head now geared towards the foreign service, being a member of the Trebuchet team is an honor. The Trebuchet’s goals of creating meaningful dialogues amongst people of various opinions and backgrounds is essential to tackling multinational issues. I look forward to furthering these dialogues and to growing the Trebuchets vast network of avid and like-minded individuals.