Message from the Founder

Salam: Greetings of Peace

We all witnessed the uprisings and declarations of peace and freedom throughout the Middle East and North Africa that captured the attention of the international community more than a decade ago.   The millions of Arab youth and adults who marched the streets of the Arab capitals are a testament to the notion that individuals can bring about lasting change through massive mobilization and nonviolent strategies and actions. Behind the efforts of these millions, are activists, professionals and advocates who have spent their lives in preparation for these days and events. The experiences and stories of such activists and practitioners of peacebuilding and social change should guide and motivate us to further connect with each other to learn and advance the work for peace everywhere. It is essential that Muslim and non-Muslim communities alike unite in efforts to ensure that people all over the world are empowered to have their voices heard by their governments, emphasizing that peaceful and nonviolent means are effective and powerful tools to cause positive change.

The daily work of the Salam Institute for Peace and Justice aims to support local capacities for peace. The Salam Institute recently conducted civic education projects in several African countries, Chad, Niger, and the Arab world, bringing together community members, educators, youth, and religious leaders alike. Throughout each of these efforts, individuals expressed their need for additional resources in the peacebuilding field, opportunities for capacity building, ways to share their experiences and advocate for their rights; and, finally, forums to reflect on their journeys for peace and change. The need for such interaction among peace practitioners and activists in various Muslim and Arab communities has been documented extensively in numerous publications by the Salam Institute (See our publication list).

As we renew our efforts to activate and engage the Muslim Peacebuilding Network, we invite you to learn more about the Salam Institute’s contribution to the field of peacebuilding within and between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. We encourage you to join us in our efforts to build and foster lasting relationships among all peace workers in the Muslim world.

We look forward to further development with our network members. The Salam Institute relies on cooperation with our partner organizations and suggestions from the field to improve our work. Together, Muslim and non-Muslim peacebuilders can work toward building the capacity of local initiatives to ensure that basic human rights are upheld throughout the world.

Salam, Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Ph. D.