Ep. 8: Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi - Grassroots to Global Change for Religious Freedom

LYNC INTERVIEW Elsanousi

Jessica: You are watching LYNC interview. I'm Jessica Eturralde. In a world increasingly divided by differences, how do we create lasting peace and understanding across faith communities? Today we'll hear from someone who has dedicated his life to that mission. mission. We are honored to welcome Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi global leader in peace building. Multifaith dialogue and a current commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Freedom. As the executive director of the Network for Religious and traditional peacemakers, Dr. Elsanousi bridges grassroots efforts with international initiatives to foster sustainable peace. Welcome, Dr. Elsanousi.

Dr. Elsanousi: Thank you.

Jessica: Dr. Elsanousi, you are known for bridging religious divides, advising on international religious freedom policy, and supporting grassroots peace efforts, and with a background

In Islamic law and Interreligious engagement, you combine theological insight with diplomatic skills, prevent conflict, and strengthen religious freedom worldwide. So to begin, may you share how your personal story and faith each shape the way you build religious freedom?

Dr. Elsanousi: Thank you so much and thank you to you Jessica, for this interview as well as of course to the LYNC audience. I'm familiar with LYNC the organization and the good work that you do.

So we definitely appreciate that. It's always I say that my personal. Upbringing and story shaped my way of not only thinking but also the way that I continue to engage in advancing and promoting religious freedom for everyone, everywhere all the times.

I grew up in, in a family that's very devout my faithful mother and fathers and siblings and the whole village that I was raised in, they were, are very committed believers. And I think that. Commitment and the believing in God and love of neighbor and all of that actually contributed significantly in my upbringing as well as in my interest in not only pursuing, I.

Theological studies, of course in Islamic faith, but also looking into how I can implement the teaching of the sacred of the scripture in term of extending and building bridges with others who are not necessarily affiliate with your own faith.

We have a clear teaching from the Islamic sources that telling us that we have to build bridges. We know that from our own teaching that if God wills, he would have brought he would have, made all of us in the same shape and the same language in the same culture and religions, but I.

For for God himself. That is he made us as different, right? And that is just to further know the science of God and his existence. And that's why all of these teachings actually helped me as I continue to pursue my education. I, as I continue to build bridges and and that basically developed to my interest in further working on this field of religious freedom and interfaith their lock.

Jessica: I see. Thank you for sharing that, Dr. Elsanousi. As someone with the builders approach, what has it been like to serve on us on an institution legally mandated for advocacy?

Dr. Elsanousi: I'm blessed to be serving on USCIRF right now - United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

It's a commission that's an independent. It is bipartisan. It is a commission that basically provide recommendations to policy makers to work with countries so that we can further advance and promote religious freedom. It is a challenging, of course to look into violation of religious freedom and to work with different countries around the world.

To help them, how they can improve religious freedom in their countries. In the same time, we also wanted to support those marginalized communities, those persecuted communities on the ground.