NYU Conference Considers How to Bridge the Divide Between the United States and the Muslim World Through Arts and Ideas, June 6-7

New York University’s Center for Dialogues will present “Bridging the Divide between the United States and the Muslim World through Arts and Ideas,” Saturday, June 6 (9 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Sunday, June 7 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge (333 Adams Street/Subways: Street A, C, F [Jay Street/Borough Hall]; 2, 3, 4, 5 [Borough Hall]; M, R [Lawrence Street/Metro Tech]).

Conference attendance is by invitation only. Reporters interested in attending must RSVP to James Devitt, NYU’s deputy director for media relations, at 212.998.6808 or james.devitt@nyu.edu. For a complete schedule of sessions and speakers, contact Andrea Stanton, assistant director, Center for Dialogues, at stanton@centerfordialogues.org.

The academic, cultural, and policy conference brings together approximately 50 artists, producers, religious and community leaders, scholars, and policy makers from the Muslim world, the United States, and Europe. Participants will discuss three broad themes: “The World of the Artist,” which examines artists’ place in the Muslim world and their access to audiences and venues; “Art and Social Commentary,” which considers art’s power to transform as well as to critique; and “Cultural Exchange,” which investigates how to harness cultural capital through cultural exchanges and suggests new arenas for U.S. cultural diplomacy towards the Muslim world. The conference will blend performance, panelist presentations, and group discussions to spark conversations about how the rich expressive arts of Muslim cultures might re-invigorate relations with the Muslim world.

The conference is part of “Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas,” a June 5-14 festival at venues throughout New York City. Co-sponsored by Asia Society, BAM, and the NYU Center for Dialogues, artists and speakers from around the globe will gather for performances, films, exhibitions, talks, and other events, ranging from the traditional (calligraphy, storytelling, and Sufi devotional voices) to the contemporary (video installations and Arabic hip-hop). For more on “Muslim Voices,” go to http://www.muslimvoicesfestival.org/

Editor’s Note:
New York University’s Center for Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The West emerged from the tragedy of September 11th, which highlighted the need for greater communication among and about the United States, Europe, and the Muslim world. The Center was founded as a forum for constructive debate among the various religious, intellectual, economic, and political sectors of American, European, and Islamic societies. It brings contentious issues between the Islamic world and the West into a more rational plane and promotes this approach to a wide audience, including the important constituencies of policy and decision-makers, policy analysts, the media, and educational institutions. The Center is located at 194 Mercer Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10012. For more, go to www.centerfordialogues.org.