"A LECTURE ON INTERFAITH DIALOGUE"

Location: ASU Discovery Building - Room 250
Date & Time: April 28, 2008, Monday - 5:30pm

Fellowship of Faiths & Cultures Club and Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue presented a lecture by distinguished scholar Thomas Michel, S.J., the director of the Jesuit Secretariat for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome, Italy, and currently a Woodstock International Fellow at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., on "The Contribution of Interreligious Dialogue to Peace Building" on April 28, 2008 at ASU. Although he is known for his numerous scholarly articles on Christian-Muslim Relations, his talk was more into the practical side of the subject. Michel opened his lecture by telling his personal stories in various Muslim lands and his close interactions with Muslims emphasizing those experiences to be much worthier than a Ph.D degree in their depth. Michel's personal level of interfaith dialogue was encouraging for the listeners, whose questions and comments include those among many: "How do you think we can foster interfaith activities on personal level?", "How is it possible to present a better Muslim image when the mass media is working for the opposite and when it is much more powerful?" When Michel was questioned how he feels about his own Christian faith was influenced after many years spent in Muslim cultures, Michel's answer was an eye-opening mark as well as surprising for the audience: "I believe I am a better priest now." The lecture was both informative and spiritually motivating and it was hardly closed due to the number of questions raised. Thomas Michel was presented a certificate by FFC president at the end of the lecture.

Some photos taken during the event