Obama Pressed to Appoint an Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC
31 March 2010
A joint letter, co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) and Freedom House and signed by more than 25 organizations and individuals, was delivered yesterday to President Obama urging him to immediately fill the still-vacant position of U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom and to make this appointment in conjunction with the announcement of a U.S. strategy for promoting freedom of religion worldwide.
The ambassadorship, created by law in 1998, has remained empty since the advent of the Obama Administration, though it is critical to the promotion of religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy, according to the signatories to the letter. The group requested that the administration make it an urgent priority to fill the position with a person who is expert in both religion and foreign policy. Additionally, they urged the President to adhere to the legislation by appointing an ambassador who reports directly to the Secretary of State, as do other ambassadors-at-large.
To view a copy of the letter click here.
“President Obama’s Cairo speech included a remarkably substantive case for religious freedom,” said Dennis R. Hoover, editor of IGE’s journal, The Review of Faith & International Affairs. “What is needed now is a more comprehensive integration—intellectually and institutionally—of religious freedom strategy into the mainstream of U.S. foreign policy. To begin, the President should act quickly to appoint and empower a highly qualified Ambassador-at-Large.”
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What is IGE?
The Institute for Global Engagement is a think-and-do tank at the forefront of the emerging field of religion and global affairs. IGE recognizes that in many of today’s most urgent global issues, religion is part of the problem—but it can also be a vital part of the solution. Through cutting-edge research, education, diplomacy, and partnerships, IGE cultivates a world in which religion, freedom, and security go hand in hand. IGE’s relational diplomacy works through local partners to break down barriers of misunderstanding and transform volatile environments of religious conflict into sustainable environments for religious freedom.
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