From Mali to Mindanao, the impact of turmoil and conflict in the Muslim world has far-reaching repercussions on international security and the global economy. As the United States and its allies continue their campaign against terrorism, it is key that long-term nonviolent options for preventing and combating international terrorism be made available to policymakers in the United States and beyond. To address these challenges and the range of political, social, economic, and religious issues that have come to light in the wake of September 11, the United States Institute of Peace has established the Special Initiative on the Muslim World.

About the Special Initiative

• Learn more about the background, goals, work, and staff of the Special Initiative on the Muslim World.

Current Projects

• Through working groups, education and training activities, and informal "Track II," or unofficial, activities, the Special Initiative on the Muslim World acts as a bridge between academia and the policy community and provides a valuable forum for discussion for foreign affairs policymakers from the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Public Events

• Bringing together experts from around the United States and abroad, the Institute has convened numerous public events relating to the Muslim world.

Publications and Online Resources

• Over the years, the Institute has built an impressive foundation of reports, books, and other publications on a range of topics related to the Muslim world including: Islam and democracy, human rights, terrorism and political violence, religion and peacemaking, ethnic conflict, and Islamic extremism.

Photos:

Top: A white pigeon rests on a rooftop as Muslim pilgrims below perform the sunset prayers around the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest shrine, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2000. (AP/Wide World Photos)

Bottom: U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad talks about the challenges ahead for Afghanistan at an Institute conference. (Photo by Bill Fitz-Patrick)