President Heidi Hadsell, along with a group of students and staff, will be in Washington, D.C., the week of Sept. 19 to facilitate and participate in the International Higher Education Interfaith Leadership Forum and the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge.

The forum gathers about 60 international participants from 31 countries to share and learn from each other prior to participating in the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge on Sept. 22 and 23 at Gallaudet University.

Participants for the Interfaith Leadership Forum include academics, university faculty, students and community activists. Several former International Peacemaking Program students from Hartford Seminary will attend the forum.

Activities include a tour of the East Wing of the White House, followed by a Q&A with White House staff and a group picture. After lunch at Georgetown University, President Hadsell will be one of a group of speakers making opening remarks.

Discussions include “The Interreligious Imperative: International Lessons from KAICIID Dialogue Centre” and “Institutionalizing Interreligious Cooperation through Diplomacy.”

The forum, according to organizers, has a goal of gathering “leaders from around the world to network and share experiences with each other and their counterparts in the United States.”

The forum is supported by the International Shinto Foundation, The White House, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of State. Program implementation and support is provided by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University and by Hartford Seminary.