Institute for Global Engagement (IGE)

IGE encourages governments to protect religious freedom (top-down engagement) and equipping citizens to exercise that freedom responsibly (bottom-up engagement). IGE's religious freedom programs are rooted in long-term relationships and practical agreements with government officials, policymakers, and faith communities in the United States and in each of the countries where we work. These agreements create mechanisms for respectful and open dialogue about the proper role of religion in each of these societies, as well as practical projects that promote respect and reconciliation.IGE has worked in some of the most complex contexts including: Iraq, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Central Asia, and South Africa. Our engagement strategy is both innovative and singular. We work closely with governments and influential scholars to advance the view that religious freedom - properly implemented - can be a critical component of social and political stability. Effective and sensitive management of religious activity by states can serve as an antidote against some forms of religious extremism, and can help governments to build bridges with disaffected minority communities. Through its quarterly journal, The Review of Faith and International Affairs (to-date the only journal focused exclusively on this topical nexus), its Center for Women, Faith, & Leadership, and other research and education initiatives, IGE inspires and equips leaders working for positive relationships between religion and public life worldwide.