“A Day of Discussion about Religion and Violence: America and the Middle East”

Panel 1: Foreign Policy in the Middle East -- Fostering Violence or Helping to Create Understanding between Religions?

·        Dr. Jon Armajani, (Moderator) Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

·        Ms. Asla Aydintasbas, U.S. Correspondent for the Turkish newspaper Sabah and a Fellow at the Western Policy Center

·        Ms. Hebba El-Shazli, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI)

·        Dr. Omer Taspinar, Adjunct Professor of Middle East Studies, Johns Hopkins (SAIS) and Co-Director of the Brookings Institute Project on Turkey

Panel 2: The Dangers of anti-Semitism and anti-Islamic Sentiment in a Democracy

·        Mr. Jason Isaacson, American Jewish Committee, Director of Government and International Affairs

·        Dr. Katharina VonKellenbach, (Moderator) Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

·        Mr. Nawar Shora, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Legal Advisor, Director of Law Enforcement Outreach Program