Asia
South Asia is home to some of the most religiously diverse countries in the world. However, intercommunal tensions have escalated into acts of violence, such as the attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday 2019. KAICIID facilitates exchanges among religious leaders and faith-based organizations in South and South-East Asia, which are designed to help communities find common solutions to shared problems, such as violent extremism, intercommunal conflict, marginalisation and displacement.
KAICIID’s programmatic work engages religious actors in dialogue, builds their capacity to promote inclusive peace and promotes their collaboration with policymakers and civil society leaders to foster social cohesion.
The Centre’s flagship Fellows programme has trained numerous religious leaders and dialogue practitioners from the region, both through the international programme and the South-East Asia regional cohort.
KAICIID has also convened Buddhist and Muslim leaders to engage in dialogues addressing hate speech, protection of holy sites, and inclusive education.
Social Media Programme
The spread of hate speech and misinformation has fuelled violent conflict across Asia. KAICIID’s Social Media as a Space for Dialogue programme seeks to harness the power of social media for good, by teaching religious actors to use their influential platforms to spread peace, recognise early warning signs of violence online and smooth intercommunal tensions through dialogue.
Collaboration with ASEAN
KAICIID is proud to partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, equipping religious leaders and policymakers with the transformative power of dialogue. Together we have organized online dialogue sessions for government officials which support conflict prevention and resolution, as well as highlighted the promotion of tolerance, respect for religions, and the resolution of differences and dispute through peaceful means. KAICIID has also supported the ASEAN Youth Interfaith Camp.
