3FF Director builds Transatlantic links as an Ariane de Rothschild fellow

Twenty-three social entrepreneurs with plans to make a lasting impact on society recently got together for a two week course in New York, as part of the prestigious Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship. One of the fellows, selected out of more than 500 applicants, was Stephen Shashoua, Three Faiths Forum’s Director.

The Fellowship breaks new ground in international and intercultural cooperation by establishing a network of mainly Muslim and Jewish leaders from various fields from the the United States, United Kingdom and France. Through their new connections, network members gain access to knowledge and experience of different faiths and cultures, and are able to share insights on how to build organisations that effectively bring about social change.

Over the course of the two weeks workshops were run by Columbia University Business School and the Cambridge Humanities Programme. Themes included religion, dialogue and business, ranging from “The Arab-Israeli Conflict” and “Secularisation” to “Managing the Press”.

Stephen commented: “Learning about the history of Zionism and the relationships of the people under the Ottoman rule, combined with solid business support structure made for an incredibly enriching experience”. He said through the program he has been able to strengthen trans-Atlantic ties between people who can act together to address social and political issues and promote positive news stories about community relations that aren’t heard enough.