https://www.cfr.org/ Religion and Foreign Policy, a Council on Foreign Relations podcast. en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:26:50 -0400 https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20260331_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20Faith%20and%20Democracy%20in%20Venezuela_OTR.mp3 Laura Cristina Dib, Venezuela program director at the Washington Office on Latin America, and Antonio Gallardo, bishop-elect of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, discuss how religious communities, leaders, and institutions are shaping public discourse around the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela, as well as the broader implications for human rights and democratic governance in the country. Roxanna Vigil, international affairs fellow for national security at CFR, moderates the discussion.  40a6d441-206c-4448-98db-087c552e8ae0 Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:00:42 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/combating%20human%20trafficking%20audio.mp3 Diana S. Gerson, associate executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, Mary Graw Leary, professor of law at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, and Shadi Kourosh, associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, discuss cross-sector efforts to combat human trafficking. Rachel Vogelstein, associate professor of professional practice and director of the Institute of Global Politics Women’s Initiative at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, moderates the discussion.  eb6e2d7b-8a8e-4e58-a0b8-795db229f5f7 Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:43:08 EST CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/1.22.26%20RFP%20Webinar%20Audio.mp3 Judy Malana, chaplain and captain in the U.S. Navy, Anna Page, chaplain and captain in the U.S. Army, and Sarah Schechter, retired chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, discuss religious engagement within the U.S. military. Wayne MacRae, retired chaplain and captain in the U.S. Navy, moderates the discussion.  8704efc0-49ab-4316-942a-03b7a3b08de9 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:30:53 EST CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar%20Gen%20Z%20and%20Democracy%20in%20Nepal%20Audio.mp3 Subindra Bogati, founder and chief executive of the Nepal Peacebuilding Initiative, and Meghan Nalbo, Nepal country representative at the Asia Foundation, discuss how the appointment of Nepal’s interim prime minister, alongside the recent Gen Z–led protests, is reshaping the country’s governance, democratic institutions, and development. Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at CFR, moderates the discussion.  d7396dac-e006-4c29-85d9-3abe7d9e3913 Wed, 08 Oct 2025 13:56:05 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20250909_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20Sustainable%20Development%20Goals%20and%20Faith-Based%20Leadership_OTR%20%281%29_3.mp3 Musimbi Kanyoro, chair of the United World Colleges international board, and Olivia Wilkinson, senior fellow with the Faith and Global Health Initiative of the Georgetown University Global Health Institute, discuss how religious communities and civil society advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Azza Karam, founding president and CEO of Lead Integrity, moderates the conversation.  322ab2e3-e165-4568-b8c2-5b5b2d670f83 Wed, 27 Aug 2025 11:13:12 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20250812_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%27s%20First%20100%20Days_OTR.mp3 Thomas J. Reese, senior analyst for Religion News Service; Stephen Schneck, commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; and George Weigel, senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, discuss Pope Leo XIV’s foreign policy priorities during his first 100 days and the Vatican’s evolving role in international diplomacy. Claire Giangravé, Vatican reporter for Religion News Service, moderates the conversation.  75574ed4-32b3-43ea-b5ec-d445aa03a088 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 11:06:44 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20250617_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20AI%27s%20Religious%20and%20Policy%20Implications_OTR.mp3 Ilia Delio, founder of the Center for Christogenesis and a Franciscan sister of Washington, DC, and Noreen Herzfeld, the Nicholas and Bernice Reuter professor of science and religion at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, discuss how religious worldviews and spiritual traditions can inform global AI policy and explore the role of faith leaders in shaping inclusive, ethical, and internationally responsible governance of artificial intelligence.  3f213fa1-fb7c-4ead-949c-07e23dbf9163 Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:59:24 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/4.30%20Indigenous%20Faith%20and%20Climate%20Policy%20Audio.mp3 Amelia Marchand, executive director of the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation, explores the intersection of Indigenous faith and climate action, discussing the role of faith-based Indigenous leaders in combating environmental challenges and advancing sustainable solutions for future generations. 4b90ea04-7a17-42fc-9ec5-423fd790b979 Wed, 23 Apr 2025 11:05:01 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20241217_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20The%20Pope%20and%20International%20Relations_OTR_0.mp3 Peter Casarella, professor of theology at Duke Divinity School, and Cecilia González-Andrieu, professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University, discuss the geopolitical and cultural influence of the pope, the challenges and opportunities the Catholic Church faces in addressing international issues, and the global religious leadership of Pope Francis. c6b465ad-418e-4e9a-9bb4-72408b38cf43 Tue, 03 Dec 2024 09:27:01 EST CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20241120_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar%20Jewish%20American%20Perspectives%20on%20U.S.%20Foreign%20Policy_OTR.mp3 Elliott Abrams, CFR senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies, and Elliot Cosgrove, rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue, will discuss the evolving role of the Jewish diaspora in shaping U.S. policy towards the Middle East, the challenges of fostering unity within the Jewish community, and the broader implications for international relations. Asher Lopatin, rabbi of Kehillat Etz Chayim, will moderate the discussion. e6c5db16-aa3d-4b7b-9068-eee3aae346ba Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:21:29 EST CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20241016_ReligionintheUS2024Election_OTR.mp3 Adelle M. Banks, projects editor and national reporter for Religion News Service, and Adam Nicholas Phillips, chief strategy officer and chief of staff at Interfaith America, discuss the evolving role of religious constituencies in U.S. politics, as well as the intersection of religion with key political and social issues in the lead up to the 2024 election. 167db7d6-1451-4a5f-810d-5e01790679c0 Wed, 02 Oct 2024 11:14:55 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20240918_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar%20Muslim-American%20Perspectives%20on%20U.S.%20Foreign%20Policy_OTR_1.mp3 Salam al-Marayati, president and cofounder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Nazita Lajevardi, associate professor of political science at Michigan State University, discuss the domestic and international policies that affect and matter to American Muslim communities, as well as the diversity, trends, and priorities of the bloc. bf637aa2-ec55-4dca-b2a0-ccb971a10cf9 Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:56:32 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20240604_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20USCIRF%202024%20Annual%20Report%20on%20International%20Religious%20Freedom_OTR_0.mp3 Stephen Schneck and Eric Ueland, commissioners of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), will join Elizabeth Cassidy, senior strategic advisor of USCIRF, to present the key policy recommendations of the USCIRF 2024 annual report and the foreign policy implications of international religious freedom today.  USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad; makes policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress; and tracks the implementation of these recommendations. USCIRF’s nine Commissioners are appointed by either the president or congressional leaders of each political party, and are supported by a non-partisan professional staff.  28b18802-7902-4523-b51a-50c1d7735941 Tue, 28 May 2024 14:42:19 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20240515_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20India%27s%202024%20General%20Elections_OTR.mp3 Lisa Curtis, senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at Center for a New American Security, and Milan Vaishnav, senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discuss the geopolitical implications of India’s general elections and the influence of religion on politics in India. Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and adjunct senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, moderates the discussion. f75aa5d2-5f32-44dd-9f27-13babd2730b4 Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:46:05 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20240312_Religion%20and%20Foreign%20Policy%20Webinar-%20Conflict%20Resolution%20in%20Armenia%20and%20Azerbaijan_OTR.mp3 42c9acea-b43f-4151-b041-5763f4126b09 Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:57:06 EST CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20231003_Social%20Justice%20Webinar%20Global%20LGBTQ%2B%20Rights_OTR.mp3 6c23ec74-8484-4768-bfc7-6877c84f6f39 Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:28:12 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/20230914_SocialJusticeWebinar_OTR.mp3 a3b9799d-0cec-4a48-87e0-7b1ec6940993 Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:57:47 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/7.26.23%20RFP%20Webinar%20Audio.mp3 2d88e642-72f6-422f-80ff-2a85b4bc4b9b Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:03:54 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/6.28.23%20RFP%20Webinar%20Audio.mp3 38997755-5b59-4d4e-ad9d-24bb37ea8afc Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:04:21 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy https://cfr-org-prod-media-files/audio-files/3.23.23%20RFP%20Webinar%20Audio%20-%20Religion%20and%20Technology.mp3 5cfb5355-6570-407e-bad3-c84fd89aef5c Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:44:57 EDT CFR Religion and Foreign Policy