The White House, with the Corporation for National and Community Service, is launching the United We Serve campaign, urging Americans to make community service a national priority this summer. As we know, interfaith service can strengthen our communities even more powerfully, as President Obama reminded us in his Cairo Address. This is our time to improve our communities, and demonstrate the impact of interfaith service to the world. We need you to:

• Visit Serve.gov and the our tools page to find resources that will help you plan effective interfaith service events, and connect with others in the movement!

• Plan or find service events to participate in. Serve.gov has tools to help you find service events right where you live, if you can’t plan them yourself.

• Tell us your stories. Telling President Obama your story of interfaith service through serve.gov is one of your most powerful tools to advocate for the role of young people and diverse faith communities in our nation’s service. Tell President Obama your story at serve.gov, or email Hannah McConnaughay at hannah@ifyc.org for any assistance.

The United We Serve campaign ends on September 11th - but the call to serve will continue. This summer, let us prove that as Americans, and as diverse people of faith, United We Serve.

As a bridge-builder in the interfaith youth movement, the Interfaith Youth Core would like to continually provide you with up-to-date tools and resources. Check this section every Thursday for an updated resource for you to use on your campus or in your community!

Hearing the Call Across Traditions: Readings on Faith and Service Released!
The Illinois Humanities Council, Interfaith Youth Core, and Project on Civic Reflection are proud to announce the release of their collaborative book, Hearing the Call Across Traditions. This book contains a rich selection of short readings—prose, verse, and sacred text—from some of the great faith traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as secular writings. These selections and accompanying discussion questions are designed to explore the connections between faith, service, and social justice using the themes: “Why do I serve?” “Whom do I serve?” and “How do I serve?”

Click here to purchase.

United We Serve Interfaith Event.doc
HighSchoolInterfaithWork101Publicity.doc
HighSchool InterfaithWork101FAQ.doc
Building Your Interfaith Council Part 2.doc
Building Your Interfaith Council Part 1.doc
Social Media 101. Collaborating.docx
Social Media 101. Activating.doc
Social Media 101. Sharing.doc
Social Media 101. Engaging.doc
Social Media 101. Listening.doc
Dialogue on Shared Values- Healing and Reconciliation.doc
Filming the Movement.doc
Photograph the Movement with Your Phone.doc
Faith and Globalisation Discussion Guide.doc
Feature films that showcase interfaith relations and religious encounters.doc
Bringing Children Together Through the Arts.doc
MLK Day of Service Curriculum.doc
Secularism Good for the Soul Discussion Guide.doc
How to Make a Strong Pitch to a Funder.doc
Response to Mumbai Talking Points.doc
Interfaith “Show and Tell” Resource.doc
Practices for Effective Media #2.doc
Deep Listening Exercise Resource.doc
Practices for effective media.doc
Cities of Light Discussion Guide.doc
Glossary of Terms.doc
Interview Your Faith Hero.doc

For more resources, visit the Tools tab!

Opportunities with Interfaith Youth Core

Funding Opportunities

Further Education Opportunities

Contests

Opportunities with Interfaith Youth Core

Religious Pluralism in Your School: A Two Day Workshop for Educators

How do I engage religious diversity in the classroom? While many educators feel that they must avoid topics of religion in school, religious diversity plays an obvious and important role in local and global contexts. The Interfaith Youth Core and Global Youth Leadership Institute invite educators from secondary schools to a two-day working group examining the best way to address religious diversity in secondary schools. The workshop will take place at the Francis Parker High School in Chicago, IL on June 18-19, 2009. The trainings will be facilitated by IFYC and GYLI staff and will include assessments to analyze religious pluralism in schools, creation of an individual action plan, networking and sharing best practices, and a special presentation by Dr. Eboo Patel. For more information or to register, please visit www.ifyc.org/events/teachers_workshop or email Mary Ellen Giess (maryellen@ifyc.org).

Submit to the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue

Josh Stanton, former IFYC Fellow and now Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue is pleased to issue a Call for Submissions. Click here for more information.

Funding Opportunities

Summer Institute on Islam, Intercultural Relations, and Leadership (SIIIRL)
The SIIIRL will be held June 28 – July 17, 2009 in New Haven, CT and will provide three intensive weeks of rigorous academics, unique cross-cultural immersion experiences, and opportunities for collaboration with scholars and practitioners. The final deadline for applications is April 15, 2009.

Do Something and Grammy Foundation
Young People to Use Music to Improve Communities. $25,000 in Key Change Grants to young people who have an idea or existing project that uses music to make a difference in their local and/or global community.

Further Education Opportunities

Inter-Faith Studies Masters Programme
If you wish to deepen your understanding of inter-faith relations, you may be interested in our designated post-graduate degree in ‘Inter-Faith Studies’. This innovative Taught Masters is offered by the Centre for Inter-Faith Studies at the University of Glasgow in the UK.

Institue on Christian-Muslim Relations.pdf
Institute on Christian-Muslim Relations Workshop
A joint project of Hartford Seminary and Georgetown University, the workshop will take place at Georgetown University from June 14-20, 2009.

Oxfam America CHANGE Initiative
US based college students entering their sophomore or junior year can take advantage of Oxfam America's leadership training and become skilled and knowledgeable agents of change. The CHANGE Initiative exposes students to the international development issues that direct Oxfam's work. CHANGE Leaders use their skills and insight to run Oxfam campaigns on their campuses and in their local communities.

Global Citizen Year
Global Citizen Year is building a new generation to lead the fight against global poverty. By engaging Fellows in a transformative bridge year of global engagement we ensure that students develop the civic savvy and global fluencies they need to approach college, their careers and their lives with perspective, purpose and passion. Through an intensive, nine month program that maps to a school year, Fellows develop the critical knowledge, skills and perspectives for a life of engaged global citizenship.

Apply for The Chicago School Freedom Fellowship!
The Freedom Fellowship is an opportunity for young people to get paid to learn about social justice and work with other youth from across the city to take action. The program features a six-week summer leadership institute, monthly activism trainings and support for the development of an action plan throughout the year. The program is open to youth ages 14 - 17 as of June 1, 2009.
The deadline for application is: May 1st, 2009.

Take Classes at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago!
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) has drawn on Chicago’s many cultures and various faith communities to teach Christian leaders how to articulate and live out our Christian convictions while striving to understand, respect and learn from the faiths of others.

Courses offered: Toward Understanding Islam, History of Islamic Religious Thought, History of Christian-Muslim Relations, Bible and Qur’an, Religions in Dialogue, Islam Today, Travel Seminar to the Middle East, Arabic language, and other electives
For more information: (773) 256-0700

Muslim Public Affairs Council Summer Internships
Are you, or someone you know, interested in working for the Muslim American community, bridging the gap between Muslims Americans and decision makers, understanding how policy gets shaped, and gaining experience in the non-profit sector? Applications for MPAC's Summer 2009 Internship Program in Washington, DC, New York City, NY and Los Angeles, CA are now available online.
Deadline: April 14, 2009

Ignite Change Now! Global Youth Assembly
The Ignite Change Now! Global Youth Assembly 2009 (GYA) is a vibrant social forum for 1000 Canadian and international youth between the ages of 16-28 to learn about and promote human rights and sustainable communities. From July 30th-August 2nd, 2009, youth will come together for four days of world-class keynotes, interactive workshops and break-outs, a hip hip summit, soccer tournament and more. The GYA 2009 will focus on bridging diversity and strengthening youth capacity to become active members in their communities.

Master of Arts in Interreligious Dialogue Catholic Theological Union of Chicago (CTU) has a unique Masters of Arts program in Interreligious Dialogue designed for students from the three Abrahamic faith traditions.

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, is an interfaith professional association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and in public relations. For a scholarship application to attend, please call Shirley Struchen at (212) 870-2985 or e-mail sstruchen@rcn.com.

Certificate Course in Interfaith Conflict Resolution
This is one in a series of online courses developed by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) to make its conflict management expertise and experience available to the widest possible audience.

National Young Leaders Conference
(NYLC) is designed to instruct and enrich promising students in a hands-on, experiential atmosphere while preparing them for a lifetime of leadership.

Young People For (YP4)
YP4 is a strategic long-term leadership development program that identifies, engages and empowers young progressive leaders to effect social change in their communities.

Contests

Hands Along the Nile 2009 Essay Contest!
Enter to win up to $5,000!
HANDS is an American 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that is committed to building bridges between the people of Egypt and the US. Eligible entrants are registered full-time or part-time graduate or undergraduate students in the fall of 2009 at any accredited college or university in the United States.

CALL FOR PAPERS AND PROGRAM PROPOSALS
National Faith, Justice, and Civic Learning Conference June 25-27, 2009 DePaul University Chicago, IL.