International Center for Religion & Diplomacy Email Format
International AffairsDistrict of Columbia, United States11-50 Employees
International Center for Religion & Diplomacy operates in the international affairs arena with the goal of aligning religious considerations with political processes to support peacebuilding. It notes that violent conflict often persists beyond formal government channels when religious, ethnic, and tribal identities drive the violence. Rather than supplanting traditional diplomacy, ICRD leverages its specific capabilities to engage the core beliefs that underpin identity-based conflicts. The organization targets communal conflicts in contexts where U.S. strategic interests align, where it has trusted relationships to draw upon, where religious actors are actively contributing to violence or are not effectively engaged in peace efforts, and where the conflict area is underserved and capable of broader benefit. ICRD pursues four core objectives: reduce religion’s role as a driver of conflict, increase the capacity and number of religious peacemakers, expand the involvement of religious clergy and laity in peacemaking, and raise policymakers’ awareness of the potential contributions of religious peacemakers. Based in Washington, DC, the group describes itself as a small to mid-sized organization within international affairs, dedicated to bridging religious considerations with international politics to advance peacemaking.