On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the Centre of Christian-Muslim Understanding & Partnership (CCMUP) welcomed an international delegation from Initiatives of Change-Africa / Moral Rearmament-Egypt during their conference in Egypt, titled “Healing and Sustainability: Innovative Approaches to Building Resilient and Peaceful Communities in Africa.”
The delegation was led by Mme. Nagia Sai’d, the leader of Initiatives of Change (IofC) in Egypt, which has been active in the country for 36 years. Representatives from IofC branches across Africa, including Tanzania, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa, attended the meeting.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Anderson, Director of Academic Studies, and Mr. Kareem Gerges, Director of International Partnerships & Communications, warmly received the delegation on behalf of CCMUP. Discussions were insightful and focused on exchanging knowledge, sharing expertise, and exploring the complex challenges facing African nations in peacebuilding and interfaith relations.
About Initiatives of Change (IofC)
Initiatives of Change is a global movement of people from diverse cultures and backgrounds committed to societal transformation through changes in human motives and behavior, starting with themselves—a vision closely aligned with CCMUP’s mission.
IofC’s Vision: A just, peaceful, and sustainable world where every individual, guided by conscience, contributes uniquely to addressing world needs.
IofC’s Mission: To inspire, equip, and connect people to address global challenges through trust-building, ethical leadership, and sustainable living.
IofC’s approach centers on personal transformation as a means of addressing global issues such as poverty, conflict, and environmental degradation, believing that fear, hate, greed, and indifference perpetuate injustice while compassion, courage, and creativity drive positive change.
IofC’s Key Initiatives:
1. Healing for National Reconciliation in South Sudan
2. Initiative for Land, Lives, and Peace
3. Asia Plateau, India: A global hub for ethical leadership training
With a legacy spanning over 80 years, IofC has roots in the work of Frank Buchman, an American Lutheran minister whose vision for divine purpose and societal change inspired the organization. Founded as the Oxford Group in the 1920s and later renamed Moral Re-Armament in 1938, the organization adopted its current name, Initiatives of Change, in 2001.
This visit inaugurated a relationship between CCMUP and IofC, united by their shared dedication to peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and ethical leadership. Both organizations remain committed to fostering resilience and sustainable peace across African nations, guided by a mutual belief in the transformative power of individual and collective action.
