St. George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral welcomes Kosovo-Macedonian Islamic scholars and clerics

St. George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral welcomes Kosovo-Macedonian Islamic Scholars and Clerics

BOSTON, MA [Albanian Archdiocese]—Saint George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral welcomed 16 Islamic scholars and clergy on Friday, March 14, 2008 for a visit and discussion on the role of interfaith dialogue in a democratic society. The group from Kosovo-Macedonia are in the U.S. as guests of the Institute for Training and Development (ITD) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

The primary goal of the three-week Kosovo-Macedonia project is the development of a sustained, international and inter-institutional dialogue on the practice of Islam in an open, diverse, democratic society. This project is intended to introduce the Kosovo and Macedonian participants and their American counterparts to the practice of Islam in one another’s countries, considering the political, social, and economic context, in order to enhance communication and mutual understanding. The project is funded in part by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs in Washington, D.C. and the McDonald Center for the Sutdy of Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. The group was received at the Cathedral by the Very Rev Arthur Liolin, Dr. Neka Doku, Mr. Agron Gjerazi and Mr. Mark Kosmo.