Draft:European Project for Interreligious Learning

The European Project for Interreligious Learning (EPIL) is an international association under Swiss law established in 2002 and officially registered in 2005, aimed to facilitate encounters between women of Muslim and Christian backgrounds from different countries in Europe, Middle East and Asia. EPIL is a women’s association that keeps viewpoints and contributions of women in focus. It grew out of a cooperative project between the World Council of Churches and the Protestant Academy Boldern in Zurich, as well as many other nongovernmental organizations, religious communities, universities and institutes from: Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Turkey.

EPIL program

The EPIL program is a two-year study-course which focuses on bringing young women, from different countries, ages, professions and different Muslim and Christian backgrounds, together in a process of dialogue and Convivencia (living together). It harnesses the potential of religion to create an everyday culture of peace and social harmony, emphasizing the role of women in that process. It is an educational process created to train participants in understanding and managing religious diversity in order to build equitable and peaceful communities.

During the 20 years of its work, EPIL run a successful educational program, EPIL Study Course I, II, III, IV and V supported by a broad spectrum of donors from European countries and Japan. EPIL brought together women from Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Turkey.

The study course consists of five modules. Activities within each module include thematic lectures and group work, visits to educational centers and organizations which actively shape present day life, visits to religious communities in each country, meetings with prominent women – peace builders, participating in organized public events – panel discussions, written work publication, etc.

The main focus of EPIL philosophy leans on religiously plural societies where the traditional concept of "mission" needs to be redefined, so that instead of focusing on conversion or hierarchical relation, its mission is reimagined as "witnessing" through presence, dialogue and shared life. EPIL educational projects show how interreligious learning becomes meaningful through embodied experience, mobility, and encounters across different cultural and religious context.

EPIL Activities

EPIL was presented to a broader public at several international gatherings, such as:

• the 9th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 2006 in Porto Allegre in Brazil;
• the General Assembly of the Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women in 2010 in Loccum, Germany;
• the World YWCA International Women’s Summit in 2011 in Zurich, Switzerland;
• the 10th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 2013 in Busan, South Korea;
• the Conference of European Women Theologians IKETh in 2013 in Vienna, Austria;
• the International Conference on Regional Dialogue on Defying Violent Extremism, in 2015 in Sarajevo.

EPIL also issued a book in April 2015 titled Towards a Pedagogy of Religious Diversity edited by EPIL’s co-founders and honorary presidents Reinhild Traitler and Teny Pirri-Simonian, which is a presentation and a reflection of EPIL’s pedagogy and overall work.

EPIL Board

EPIL is governed by EPIL Assembly and EPIL Board as an executive body. Alongside EPIL Board is an international coordinator.

EPIL Presidents: Sabiha Husic (2015-2019), Martina Heinrichs (2019-2023)

EPIL Honorary Presidents: Reinhild Espiritu Traitler, Tenny Pirri Simonian

EPIL International Coordinator: Halima Husic (2014-2023)

EPIL Board members: Sabiha Husic,M.Sc., Manuela Kalsky,Ph.D, Rev. Barbara Heyse-Schaefer, MA, Emel Topçu, Ph.D., Rev. Wies Houweling (2015-2019); Sabiha Husic,M.Sc., Martina Heinrichs, Rev. Barbara Heyse-Schaefer, Emel Topçu, Ph.D., Catharina Gyarmathy associate to the Board (2019-2023)