UN officials hail role of cultural, religious dialogue in advancing peace, development

United Nations officials today highlighted the important role played by the initiative known as the Alliance of Civilizations in building bridges to peace, especially amid the current instability in many parts of the world, as they kicked off a global forum in Bali, Indonesia.

“The Alliance is here for you to serve as a soft power tool for conflict prevention, reconciliation, and to advance sustainable development,” said the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48590#.VAK7tvng0k0

Detroit Welcomes US Muslim Convention

Attracting Muslims from around the world to the Motor City, the Islamic Society of North America has brought its 51st annual convention to Detroit for the first time, in an event expected to attract more than 20,000 attendants.

"Welcome to Detroit, the Comeback City. We are proud to have one of the nation's largest Muslim communities," Michigan's own Governor Rick Snyder said in the inaugural session, welcoming all attendants, OnIslam.net correspondent reported.

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/476861-detroit-welcomes-us-muslim-convention.html

Cardinal Dolan makes first visit to NYC mosque, meets with Staten Island Muslim leaders

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, made his first visit to a mosque in New York City and it was the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in Tompkinsville where he met with Muslim and other faith leaders.
The cardinal spent more than two hours touring the mosque and the Miraj Islamic School and having lunch with about 40 clergy and laity.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/06/cardinal_dolan_visits_first_mo.html#/0

Jordan's Muslims, Christians unite against extremism

Organised by the Jordan Interfaith Co-existence Research Centre (JICRC), Lebanon's Noursat satellite channel and the Global Forum for Moderation, the rally brought together diverse participants to condemn bloodshed in the region, organisers told Al-Shorfa.
Christians and Muslims reject violence, extremism and terrorism, said Islamic thinker Hamdi Mourad.

"We in Jordan are a model of co-existence and cohesion and reject all the forms of terrorism and extremism," he said in a speech at the end of the march.

http://al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/meii/features/2014/08/29/feature-02