"The Role of Interfaith Dialogue in Peacebuilding & Women Empowerment"

HIGHLIGHTS from the UN Symposium:

"Peace, dignity and respect for others are the core values common to all the world's great religions."

"Peace, dignity and respect for others are the core values common to all the world's great religions."

"I commend the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Peace Islands Institute for organizing today's symposium on these important goals. It is a fitting way to commemorate World Interfaith Harmony Week."

"There are numerous inspiring examples, including Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, who brought together Muslim and Christian women in an effective peace movement in Liberia."

H.E. Ban Ki-Moon

Secretary-General of the United Nations

"No sustainable development is possible without strong & empowered women"

"Female genital mutilation has survived for centuries & must be stopped. Islam doesn't endorse this inhumane practice."

H.E. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu

Secretary-General of the OIC

"Faith based organizations reach more people around the world...; women are often the backbone of these organizations."

"Positive change requires everyone's involvement including faith based organizations to advance gender equality & women's empowerment."

H.E. Lakshmi Puri

Assistant Secretary Genera

Deputy Executive Director of the UN Women

"Both interfaith dialogue and women empowerment have been among the priority issues for the OIC and Secretary - General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu."

"I believe that we cannot continue to discuss peacebuilding and empowerment of women in the absence of the civil society."

H.E. Ufuk Gokcen

Permanent Observer of the OIC Mission to the UN

"The important key areas of this event are cooperation, education and empowerment. Cooperation is important due to its need for mutual understanding among all persons of the different religion, ethnics and culture."

H.E. Henry Leonard MacDonald,

Permanent Representative of Suriname to the UN

"It is very important to pay close attention on UN initiatives on global women empowerment. It is regrettable at this point that women empowerment and rights are been still discussed at this present time of civilization."

H.E. Osama Abdelkhalek

Deputy Permanent Representative of Egypt to the UN

"We must include women and faith based groups in the secular intergovernmental process."

"If we can entrust our families to women why can't we entrust our societies to them?"

H.E. Usman Sarki

Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN

"Kazakhstan is committed to moral development of boys and girls. Political process works with religious leaders."

H.E. Akan Rakhmetulin

Deputy Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN

"We can't talk about empowering women without talking about empowering men."

Ms. Joyce Dubensky

CEO of Tanenbaum Center

"There are three waves in Women Empowerment Movements, which are: basic rights for women and children; essentialist definitions of femininity and diversity of cultural, religious, national backgrounds which puts women back at the focus."

Dr. Alp Aslandogan

President, Alliance for Shared Values

"You can't empower people when you have negative thoughts about their beliefs."

CEO/Founder of Kuki Ndiho Foundation

Rwandan Genocide Survivor

"Interfaith uses principles embedded in faith traditions as a motivator for addressing common social problems."

"Interfaith dialogue helps build a coherent society by bringing together communities to solve problems we all share."

"The term 'religious leader' should not be limited to clergy because that focus sometimes excludes women."

Dr. Sarah Sayeed

Program Associate, Interfaith Center of New York

"We all want principled collaboration between religious entities and UN member states."

"Let's put problems on the table and let religious leaders see what assets they uniquely bring."

Dr. William F. Vendley

Secretary-General of Religions for Peace

"We've spearheaded interreligious dialogue among women at the UN long before it was popular."

Ms.Salma Kader

President of US Federation for Middle East Peace

"Today's symposium, once again, made it abundantly clear that governments and civil society leadership go hand-in-hand. This will help us build the supportive measures needed to create peaceful co-existence"

Mr. Mehmet Kilic

Director of Center for Global Affairs

Peace Islands Institute