Inaugural Johannes Lähnemann Interfaith
Peacebuildung Education Lecture
Building Effective Resilience in Troubled Times. Interfaith Women Peacebuilders
Prof. Dr. Azza Karam
The Annual Johannes Lähnemann Interreligious Peacebuilding Education Lecture was established in 2023 as a joint project by the the Academy for Judaic, Christian and Islamic Studies and the Oxford Interfaith Forum.
On February 10, 2024, at the Taylor Institution Library in Oxford, England, Professor Dr. Azza Karam delivered the Inaugural Lecture entitled Building Effective Resilience in Troubled Times. Interfaith Women Peacebuilders.
Professor Azza Karam’s lecture delves into the profound intersections of faith, resilience, and women’s roles in building peace. Drawing from her extensive experience, she highlights the critical importance of recognizing the often-unseen contributions of women in diverse religious communities worldwide. Through personal anecdotes and scholarly insights, she delineates the complexities of interfaith dialogue and the challenges women face in navigating spaces traditionally dominated by men. Emphasizing the need for courage and resilience in the face of adversity, Dr. Karam calls for a reevaluation of traditional power structures to fully embrace the transformative potential of women’s leadership in fostering social cohesion and peace-building efforts globally.
Prof. Dr. Azza Karam is Secretary General Emerita of Religions for Peace International in NY and currently a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism as well as President and CEO of Women’s Learning Partnership.
During the event in Oxford, Prof. Dr. Johannes Lähnemann, to whom the lecture is dedicated, also introduced his latest book during an interview with Dr. Reinhard Krauss, the Executive Director of the Academy for Judaic, Christian and Islamic Studies. In his book entitled Interreligious Learning and Peace Education. A History of Religions for Peace, Dr. Lähnemann demonstrates how religious communities and public education play vital roles in fostering interreligious understanding and peace by promoting respect, cooperation, and shared human values to counter division and hatred.