Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding

The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) is an interfaith institution based at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Washington.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding
Named afterAl-Waleed bin Talal
Formation1993
TypeNon-profit
PurposeInterfaith relations
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
Location
Region served
United States
Websitecmcu.georgetown.edu

Overview

The institution was founded at Georgetown University in 1993 as the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. It is housed within the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.[1]

In 2005, a wealthy Saudi prince and businessman, Al-Waleed bin Talal in 2005, gave $20 million to the Center to promote interfaith understanding and the study of Islam and the Muslim world.[1] The center was renamed in his honor.[1][2] The $20 million gift was the second-largest ever given to the Georgetown at that point.[1] Bin Talal simultaneously gave $20 million to Harvard University's interdisciplinary Islamic studies program and $15 million to establish American studies programs at the American University in Beirut and American University in Cairo.[1]

The founding director of the center was John Esposito.[3] Esposito was succeeded by John O. Voll.[4]

The Center is co-publisher (with the UK's Birmingham University Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations) of the journal Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations.[5]

In 2008, Republican U.S. Representative Frank Wolf questioned the prince's gift, and whether the center had ever been critical of the Saudi government.[6]

References
  1. Caryle Murphy, Saudi Gives $20 Million to Georgetown, Washington Post (December 13, 2005).
  2. Rafferty, Steve (January 12, 2006). "Saudi Prince Gives GU $20M". The Hoya.
  3. Press Release: Georgetown University Receives $20 Million Gift From Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal To Expand Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding Archived 2006-09-04 at the Wayback Machine, December 12, 2005. Accessed 24 November, 2014
  4. Center Profile: Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (2005), Pluralism Project at Harvard University.
  5. Center for Muslim–Christian Understanding
  6. Strauss, Valerie (February 15, 2008). "$20 Million Saudi Gift Is Questioned". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
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