The Chicago Council on Global Affairs Task Force on Religion and the Making of U.S. Foreign Policy released its 99-page report on February 23rd, titled, Engaging Religious Communities Abroad: A New Imperative for U.S. Foreign Policy. The task force for the report included input from 32 experts including former government officials, religious leaders, heads of international organizations and scholars; the year-long consultation identifies global religious patterns and strategic challenges for the United States and recommends strategies for foreign policy.
President Obama in his historic speech given at the famous Cairo University Cairo, Egypt has reminded that “Regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations–to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God…”
Representatives said for too long the government has ignored the fact that religion plays a large role in the lives of the people its officers interact with overseas.
It is imperative that representatives of America engage with local religious communities and receive training on how to relate to these religious groups in order to fulfill its foreign interests, the task force said.
