A special virtual conference to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.

14 Jul 2020

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To Register https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dq52ri3fRaObOaJwZRYRmQ

Presenters Include

H.E. Ambassador Robert Hunter

Robert E. Hunter was the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO under President Clinton (’93-’98), and represented the U.S. to the Western European Union. He was the principal architect of the “New NATO”, leading the North Atlantic Council in implementing decisions of the 1994 and 1997 NATO Summits. Ambassador Hunter led the Council in obtaining major air-strike decisions for Bosnia, securing approval for Implementation Force and Stabilization Force. He served on Secretary Cohen’s Defense Policy Board and was Vice Chairman of the Atlantic Treaty Association (’98-’01).

During his extensive career in the public sector, he served as Special Advisor on Lebanon to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Lead Consultant to the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America (the Kissinger Commission. During the Carter Administration, Ambassador Hunter served on the National Security Council staff as Director of West European Affairs (’77- ’79), and later as Director of Middle East Affairs (’79- ’81). He was a member of the U.S. negotiating team for talks on the West Bank and Gaza, directed the 1978 NATO Summit, and was the principal author of the Carter Doctrine for the Persian Gulf. He also served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Senator Edward M. Kennedy (’73- ’77) and foreign and domestic policy advisor to Vice President Hubert Humphrey. He served on White House staff (health, education, welfare, labor) in the Johnson Administration (’64- ’65) and in the Navy Department on the Polaris Project. Has written, lectured, and broadcast extensively on foreign affairs and national security issues.

Ambassador Hunter was a Senior Fellow at the Overseas Development Council (’70- ’73), Research Associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London (’67- ’69), and Director of European Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Twice recipient of Department of Defense Medial for Distinguished Public Service, decorated by Hungarian, Lithuanian and Polish governments, and received Leadership Award of the European Institute.

H.E. Dr. Mustafa Ceric
Grand Mufti Emeritus of Bosnia

Dr. Mustafa Ceric is considered one of the most influential Muslim leaders of current times. A native to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dr. Ceric graduated from the Gazi Husrevbeg Madrasa in Sarajevo and received a scholarship to Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. After his schooling in Egypt, he returned to Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he became an Imam. In 1981, he accepted the position of Imam at the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) of Greater Chicago in Northbrook, Illinois and settled in the United States for several years. He learned English and earned a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago in Islamic Studies before renown Muslim scholar Fazlur Rahman. When he finished his studies at the University of Chicago, Dr. Ceric returned in 1986 to his homeland to become a practicing Imam in a learning center in Zagreb, Croatia. In 1991, he accepted the offer to teach at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC-IIUM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. While in Malaysia, Dr. Ceric was elected in 1993 in absentia as the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, the Supreme Head of Islamic Community of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He returned in May 1993 to the besieged city of Sarajevo, which lasted from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 (1,425 days). Dr. Ceric assumed the tenure of Grand Mufti of Bosnia and held it for twenty years, which is the longest tenure of any in the history of this unique spiritual institution in Europe. He was elected the youngest Grand Mufti of Bosnia as well. Thus, Dr. Ceric led the Islamic Community in Bosnia as the Supreme Head, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, 1993-2012 in war and in peace making a great impact on domestic as well as international issues regarding truth, justice, peace and reconciliation.

After leaving the office of the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Dr. Ceric was visiting professor at the World Islamic Sciences and Education University (WISE), Amman, Jordan 2012-2014.

Dr. Ceric is an advocate of cross-cultural engagement as well as a peace activist. In 2003, he received the UNESCO Peace Award together with Cardinal Etchegaray. In 2006, he issued the "Declaration of European Muslims" to the European Union stating that European Muslims are dedicated to the common values of law, tolerance, democracy and human rights, the value of life, faith, freedom, property, and dignity. In 2008, Dr. Ceric led the Muslim delegation of the "A Common Word" initiative to the Vatican, which included a meeting with the Pope.

Dr. Ceric is currently the President of the World Bosniak Congress as well as an active member in many local and international scientific organizations and societies such as: The Inter-religious Council of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Executive Committee of the European Council of Religious Leaders, International Commission for Peace Research, UNESCO.

Dr. Mirsad Kriještorac

Mirsad Kriještorac holds a PhD in Political Science from Florida International University's School of International and Public Affairs, where he is also an Adjunct Professor teaching classes on Nationalism and Ethnicity as well as classes on International Protection of Human Rights, and he has published works on these topics.

Dr. Kriještorac is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the Broward College and a Research Fellow at the Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies at the FIU Green School of International and Public Affairs. Dr. Kriještorac’s research interests include nationalism, identity, conflict and peace studies in comparative politics. His main regional concentration is on SE Europe and the MENA region, and is also following the ongoing changes in ethnic relations in the U.S. He is currently revising his manuscript on nationalism and the development of the modern Bosniak identity, under review by the publisher.

Event Date: 
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Institution(s): 
Sponsored By: 
US Muslim Council
Location: 
Online Conference