2013 Featured Speakers
Guest Speaker: Eboo Patel
Patel’s core belief is that religion is a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He’s inspired to build this bridge by his faithas a Muslim, his Indian heritage, and his American citizenship. He has spoken about this vision at places like the TED conference, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the Nobel Peace PrizeForum, as well as college and university campusesacross the country. He has written two books about interfaith cooperation, Acts of Faith and Sacred Ground. Some people ask if Patel ever stops talking about interfaith. If it’s any indication, his 5-year-old son can define interfaith cooperation.
Closing Speaker: Jamil Khoury
Jamil Khoury is Founding Artistic Director of Silk Road Rising. Khoury’s plays focus on Middle Eastern themes and questions of Diaspora. He is particularly interested in the intersections of culture, national identity, sexuality, and class.Khoury holds an M.A. degree in Religious Studies from The University of Chicago Divinity School and a B.S. degree in International Relations from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He is a Kellogg Executive Scholar (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University) and has been awarded a Certificate of Professional Achievement in Nonprofit Management. Khoury is the 2010 recipient of the 3Arts Artist Award for Playwriting.