1. It is proposed that there be established within the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Sarajevo a Department of Interreligious Dialogue whose purpose will be the research into and teaching of the major religions of the area in a scholarly and dialogue-oriented manner. Its teaching will be designed to reach all the University students, while at the same time focusing especially on training future secondary and primary school teachers. The program will likewise include the training for and granting of advanced degrees, including the Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor Habilitation. The Department of Interreligious Dialogue will also collaborate with other departments and universities, nationally and internationally, as well asDin ways compatible with a state universityDwith interested religious higher-education faculties training clergy.

2. Such a Department of Interreligious Dialogue would contribute fundamentally to the long-term existence and flourishing of the religiously-ethnically pluralistic civilization of Bosnia-Hercegovina. It has been shown by the research of Professor Gordon Allport of Harvard University that religious and other kinds of prejudice never yield unless, and except in the degree that, the "object" of prejudice is intimately encountered specifically in the area of prejudice. In the case of Bosnia-Hercegovina this means that Bosnians must learn to know each other specifically in what makes them different from each other: Especially as Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox, Jews, and also as agnostic/atheistic humanists.

3. The establishment of such a Department of Interreligious Dialogue would also contribute fundamentally to the rise of Bosnia-Hercegovina like a Phoenix out of the ashes of internecine war, thus giving that horror a meaning for the future. Its success would likewise provide a beacon of light to the other countries of the former Yugoslavia, and indeed to the rest of Eastern Europe, which also faces the specter of religious and other fratricidal hostility and violence.

1. The Department of Interreligious Dialogue goes beyond the older scholarly tradition of comparative religion. The latter by its very nature focuses its studies on religions as, as it were, dead objects under a microscope. Interreligious dialogue, on the other hand, makes use of the results of comparative religion studies as well as all methods of studying religion in order to focus on the religions as they are lived and, by its dialogic nature, help to effect change that simultaneously deepens and enriches each religion and opens them to each other.

2. Religion is here understood, in brief, as "an explanation of the ultimate meaning of life, and how to live accordingly, based on an understanding of the Transcendent." Those explanations which are not based on an understanding of the Transcendent, e.g., secular humanism, fulfill a similar function as do religions in human life, and thus as "functional religions" are included in the dialogue.

3. Interreligious dialogue is a conversation on a religious subject between those of different religions, the primary purpose of which is to learn, that is, to change and grow in the perception and understanding of reality, and then to act accordingly.

4. The scholarly study of religion employs all the methods of the humanities (e.g., scriptural, philosophical, literary, historical studies) and social sciences (e.g., sociological, psychological, anthropological, economic studies), striving to be as objective as possible within the acknowledged natural limitations of the human mind.

5. Besides pursuing its own scholarly research and publishing, and consequent mentoring of students toward advanced degrees in the study of religion, including the Ph.D. and D. Habil., the faculty of the Department of Interreligious Dialogue will take special care to provide courses for the entire university faculty and student body. It will at the same time provide courses and a program for the training of primary and secondary education teachers.

6. Because of the essential value of the separation of religion from the state (though with the full participation of religious institutions in public life), a state university cannot be responsible for the training of clergy. However, since the University of Sarejevo should be as cooperative with religious institutions as far as is compatible for a state university, the Department of Interreligious Dialogue will also collaborate in appropriate ways with religious institutions, including religious higher-education institutions training clergy, thereby making the Department of Interreligious Dialogue's dialogic and irenic orientation available to the future clergy of Bosnia-Hercegovina.

7. The usual language of instruction will be Bosnian, but the majority of the faculty should have the ability to, and in fact occasionally, offer instruction in either English or German. This will enhance the dialogue of faculty and students of the University of Sarajevo with the international scholarly world outside of its language area. Since the Chair of International Visiting Scholars will be especially open to scholars teaching in either English or German, it is vital that the faculty and students be used to the frequent instructional offerings of the regular faculty in those languages.

The Department of Interreligious Dialogue will have the following faculty chairs, with appropriate teaching assistants, secretarial and other support:

1. Chair in Interreligious Dialogue & Global Ethics
2. Chair in Religion and Peace-making
3. Chair in Religious Education
4. Chair in Islam
5. Chair in Catholicism
6. Chair in Orthodoxy
7. Chair in Judaism
8. Chair of International Visiting Scholars


IV. Initial Selection of Faculty

1. The initial choice of faculty of the new Department of Interreligious Dialogue is absolutely critical. Such departments are rare in the world, and completely non-existent outside of North America (though several departments in America possess the reality, e.g., Temple University Department of Religion, none have the name of Interreligious DialogueDthis will be a break-through at the University of Sarajevo). Since the initial faculty will set the entire future of the Department, the first faculty members must have both the highest scholarly competence and at the same time be oriented toward and experienced in interreligious dialogue. Finding, or perhaps first seeing to the training of, such faculty members will require the collaboration of scholars already thus trained and experienced.

2. Consequently, the international "Commission for Bosnia in Dialogue" will in cooperation with the Bosnian organization "Zayedno" search for such faculty candidates and propose to the University qualified scholars for appointment to the appropriate departmental chairs.

3. The "Commission for Bosnia in Dialogue" is an international organization of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scholars of religious studies within the "Institute for Interreligious, Intercultural Dialogue," a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Federal Government and headquartered at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122 (Tel: 215-204-7210; FAX: 215-204-4569; E-mail: dialogue@vm.temple.edu), President Prof. Leonard Swidler, Vice-President Prof. Paul Mojzes.

Library holdings in the field of religious studies at the University of Sarajevo will be surveyed, and a list of essential books, periodicals, films and other materials will be established with the help of scholars in the various fields. Then a purchasing plan along with housing and cataloguing, etc. will be set upDefforts will also be exerted to gather as many of the needed materials by donation as possible. Nevertheless, clearly substantial planning and purchases will be necessary.

If at all possible, endowed chairs should be set up. Funding for each chair will require at least $50,000 each, plus an endowment of $1,000,000 for administration, logistical support, publications and conferences. An additional endowment of $500,000 will be needed for initial and ongoing library purchases. To initiate the project, a total of $2,500,000 will be sought from a variety of sources.