CFR Religion and Foreign Policy

Laura Cristina Dib, Venezuela program director at the Washington Office on Latin America, and Antonio Gallardo, bishop-elect of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, discuss how religious communities, leaders, and institutions are shaping public discourse around the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela, as well as the broader implications for human rights and democratic governance in the country. Roxanna Vigil, international affairs fellow for national security at CFR, moderates the discussion. 

Diana S. Gerson, associate executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, Mary Graw Leary, professor of law at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, and Shadi Kourosh, associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, discuss cross-sector efforts to combat human trafficking. Rachel Vogelstein, associate professor of professional practice and director of the Institute of Global Politics Women’s Initiative at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, moderates the discussion. 

Judy Malana, chaplain and captain in the U.S. Navy, Anna Page, chaplain and captain in the U.S. Army, and Sarah Schechter, retired chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, discuss religious engagement within the U.S. military. Wayne MacRae, retired chaplain and captain in the U.S. Navy, moderates the discussion. 

Subindra Bogati, founder and chief executive of the Nepal Peacebuilding Initiative, and Meghan Nalbo, Nepal country representative at the Asia Foundation, discuss how the appointment of Nepal’s interim prime minister, alongside the recent Gen Z–led protests, is reshaping the country’s governance, democratic institutions, and development. Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at CFR, moderates the discussion. 

Musimbi Kanyoro, chair of the United World Colleges international board, and Olivia Wilkinson, senior fellow with the Faith and Global Health Initiative of the Georgetown University Global Health Institute, discuss how religious communities and civil society advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Azza Karam, founding president and CEO of Lead Integrity, moderates the conversation. 

Thomas J. Reese, senior analyst for Religion News Service; Stephen Schneck, commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; and George Weigel, senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, discuss Pope Leo XIV’s foreign policy priorities during his first 100 days and the Vatican’s evolving role in international diplomacy. Claire Giangravé, Vatican reporter for Religion News Service, moderates the conversation. 

Ilia Delio, founder of the Center for Christogenesis and a Franciscan sister of Washington, DC, and Noreen Herzfeld, the Nicholas and Bernice Reuter professor of science and religion at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, discuss how religious worldviews and spiritual traditions can inform global AI policy and explore the role of faith leaders in shaping inclusive, ethical, and internationally responsible governance of artificial intelligence. 

Amelia Marchand, executive director of the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation, explores the intersection of Indigenous faith and climate action, discussing the role of faith-based Indigenous leaders in combating environmental challenges and advancing sustainable solutions for future generations.

Peter Casarella, professor of theology at Duke Divinity School, and Cecilia González-Andrieu, professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University, discuss the geopolitical and cultural influence of the pope, the challenges and opportunities the Catholic Church faces in addressing international issues, and the global religious leadership of Pope Francis.

Elliott Abrams, CFR senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies, and Elliot Cosgrove, rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue, will discuss the evolving role of the Jewish diaspora in shaping U.S. policy towards the Middle East, the challenges of fostering unity within the Jewish community, and the broader implications for international relations. Asher Lopatin, rabbi of Kehillat Etz Chayim, will moderate the discussion.

Adelle M. Banks, projects editor and national reporter for Religion News Service, and Adam Nicholas Phillips, chief strategy officer and chief of staff at Interfaith America, discuss the evolving role of religious constituencies in U.S. politics, as well as the intersection of religion with key political and social issues in the lead up to the 2024 election.

Salam al-Marayati, president and cofounder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Nazita Lajevardi, associate professor of political science at Michigan State University, discuss the domestic and international policies that affect and matter to American Muslim communities, as well as the diversity, trends, and priorities of the bloc.

Stephen Schneck and Eric Ueland, commissioners of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), will join Elizabeth Cassidy, senior strategic advisor of USCIRF, to present the key policy recommendations of the USCIRF 2024 annual report and the foreign policy implications of international religious freedom today.  USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad; makes policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress; and tracks the implementation of these recommendations. USCIRF’s nine Commissioners are appointed by either the president or congressional leaders of each political party, and are supported by a non-partisan professional staff. 

Lisa Curtis, senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at Center for a New American Security, and Milan Vaishnav, senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discuss the geopolitical implications of India’s general elections and the influence of religion on politics in India. Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and adjunct senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, moderates the discussion.