Interfaith in Track II diplomacy, global politics and the Middle East-Asia relations

Written By Nazhath Faheema

I met Dr. N. Janardhan, a Senior Research Fellow in the Asia Programme at Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. We had a good chat about Track II diplomacy, the case of interfaith as a soft tool in diplomatic relations, the elements of identity politics and, in this regard, the recent developments in the Middle East (ME) region. Many things Dr. Janardhan shared opened up my critical thinking on these topics. I also learnt about some of the developments in ME-Asia relations since 2015. This enjoyable crash course has given me so much to think about how interreligious dialogue can help bridge communities worldwide.

Dr. Janardhan previously served as a political analyst in government and private institutions in the United Arab Emirates. He is an expert in partnerships between the countries of the Gulf and Asia. He also trains young diplomats on Asian foreign policies.

Visit https://www.agda.ac.ae to learn about Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.

PS: I also loved that they dedicated a part of their exhibit on women in diplomacy!

Nazhath Faheema

Nazhath Faheema, a Singaporean Muslim of Indian descent, actively promotes interfaith dialogue. She holds a full-time position at an NGO where she focuses on organizing interfaith charity events. Additionally, she plays an active role in community development, particularly in developing youth leadership to foster social harmony.

Furthermore, Nazhath serves as an external lecturer at ESSEC Asia Pacific in Singapore. She teaches students from Europe and Asia regions on "Race & Religion in Singapore" and "Islam in Singapore."

Nazhath earned her Master of Science in Asian Studies from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She also holds a certificate in the Comparative Study of Religions in Plural Societies. Her research interests span various areas, including youth interfaith movements in Southeast Asia, Jewish-Muslim relations, interactions between Muslim-majority states and Israel, and interreligious dialogue in diplomacy.

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