Carol Ferrara is a Research Fellow for the Contending Modernities project funded by CURA and the Kroc Institute for Peace at Notre Dame. Carol has been carrying out research in Paris, Lyon and Lille, France over the past 15 months. The following photos are from Bob Hefner’s visit to Paris in early October 2014.
Carol Ferrara with Antoine Arjakovsky, co-Director of Collège des Bernardins’ research department “Société, Liberté, Paix” The Collège’s research branch “Société, Liberté, Paix” focuses on the intersection of religion and politics, seeking new solutions for peace building and the establishment of politically just democratic regimes.
Father Christophe Roucou in front of his office at the Service Nationale pour les relations avec Islam (SRI) in Paris. Father Roucou has been the Catholic Church’s appointed Director of SRI since 2006. In this role, he is responsible for maintaining and building relationships with Muslim leaders throughout France and for fostering amicably engaged relations between Muslims and Catholics. Carol has had the opportunity to work with Father Roucou over the past year on numerous occasions, from visits to Catholic schools to national level interreligious dialogues.
Carol Ferrara with Ghaleb Bencheikh in his office at private high school Foyer de Cachan just outside of Paris. Mr. Bencheikh is the Chair of World Religions for Peace, anchor for the weekly France 2 television program about Islam, and frequent interlocuteur in interreligious dialogue in France. Both Father Roucou (above) and Mr. Bencheikh were in attendance at the 4th Annual Forum Islamo-Chrétien at the end of November in which Carol took part. The Forum, this year held in Lyon, France, is a chance for French Muslim and Christian leaders to come together to discuss pressing issues, problems, and solutions, as well as to brainstorm progress and steps toward better dialogue and relationships between the two religious groups throughout France.
