Human Fraternity Fellows Program
Inspired by the Document on Human Fraternity, signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Al-Tayeb in 2019, the Human Fraternity Fellowship equips participants with practical skills to advance peace, justice, and interreligious solidarity in their communities—on campus and beyond.
The 2025 Human Fraternity Fellowship will give a select group of 10 students from diverse international backgrounds the opportunity to engage with their peers through virtual dialogues and an in-person study tour in Jakarta, Indonesia, from August 10 through 16, 2025.
Throughout the summer of 2025, fellows will engage in virtual sessions focused on developing the skills and practice of dialogue across religious and cultural differences. The program will explore principles of dialogue and their application in concrete contexts, ensuring that fellows not only gain theoretical knowledge but also valuable practical experience.
The fellowship will culminate in a week-long study tour in Jakarta, Indonesia, organized in partnership with the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. During the study tour, fellows will receive further training in dialogue, with a focus on gaining the skills necessary to become effective facilitators of interreligious and intercultural dialogue. The study tour is also an opportunity to connect with students from diverse backgrounds and faiths, as well as high-level policymakers, religious figures, community leaders, and Zayed Award for Human Fraternity honorees. Upon returning to their campuses, fellows will be prepared to lead dialogue initiatives, helping to foster inclusive communities and bridge divides in their local contexts.
In September 2022, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University, the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, and the Muslim Council of Elders hosted a gathering of more than 40 students from 17 nationalities and multiple religious traditions in Washington, DC, to discuss the Document on Human Fraternity as it relates to the challenge of building more inclusive campus communities.
Building on the gathering and its lessons, the partners launched the Human Fraternity Dialogues in February 2023, virtually convening students around the world for 90-minute conversations (in English) about human fraternity and how to build interreligious solidarity in their local communities.
The creation of the Human Fraternity Fellows Program marked the next phase of this work. The 2023-2024 Human Fraternity Fellows Program enabled a select group of 13 talented students who participated in the Human Fraternity Dialogues to engage together online and to convene for a study tour and in-person dialogue in Abu Dhabi in February 2024. The fellows worked to diagnose obstacles to inclusive campus communities, identify existing positive practices, and develop concrete proposals for advancing a "culture of encounter" (Pope Francis) that might be implemented within and across universities around the world.
Eligibility
The program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Application Requirements
All materials should be uploaded via the application form.
1. CV/resume, no more than two pages (in PDF format)
2. A two-three minute audio or video self-introduction in English in response to the prompt: "Briefly introduce yourself and share why you would like to participate in the Human Fraternity Fellows Program." (Acceptable file formats include MP4, MOV, and MP3.)
3. Statement of Purpose in 500-700 words (in PDF format)
The application process for the 2025 Human Fraternity Fellows program is now open. The submission deadline is May 16, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Read more about the 2023-2024 cohort.
Human Fraternity Fellows Program Subprojects Slider
Human Fraternity Fellows
This map highlights the countries of the 2023-2024 Human Fraternity Fellows. Learn more about the fellows by clicking on each highlighted country.