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Audrey E. Kitagawa, J.D.
President and Founder
"In the seemingly ordinariness of daily living is the power of transformation. Individual transformation arises out of awareness, and a willingness to change to become a better person right where we are. We each have personal responsibility and collective responsibility to make positive changes here and now."
Background
Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi is a British scholar and religious leader with a research interest in Islamic philosophy, mysticism, and comparative religion. In particular, he focuses upon the concept of “love” theoretically and applies his insights as a practitioner of theology to expound upon the values and thought-system of Shi’ism and Islam on one hand and to undertake interfaith dialogue and peace building through civil society engagement on the other. Fluent in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, Imam Razawi is the Chief Imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society in the United Kingdom and an Associate at the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. His work constructively engages issues of contemporary social affairs as a passionate civic member and active Muslim interlocutor at the local, national, and international levels.
Locally, besides undertaking bridge-building and engaging communities across faith and non-faith traditions, Imam Razawi founded the first Shia-Sunni Alliance in Scotland to promote ecumenical dialogue and good-will, has partnered with twelve national charities across Scotland, and is a Global Ambassador for “Glasgow the Caring City.” Nationally, he served as an advisor on the United Kingdom’s Independent Sharia Review commission, participates as a member of the Oxfam Zakat Advisory Panel, and has frequently led prayer at national religious services including the Commonwealth service in Westminster Abbey. Internationally, Imam Razawi is a member of multiple international organizations and non-governmental bodies including the European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL), the United National global Steering Committee for the Prevention of Genocide, the Global Sustainability Network (GSN), and the advisory board of the Islamic Reporting Initiative (IRI). In April 2017, he partook in an historic private meeting at the Vatican of four senior British imams with the Pope to discuss interfaith pluralism, coexistence, and reconciliation. With years of experience in the field of minority affairs, he has also represented Muslim communities in EC countries and has since been working to support minority Christians in the Middle East.
Academically, following his studies in theology and jurisprudence, Imam Razawi is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at Glasgow University where he is writing his doctoral thesis on the philosophical and mystical thought of 12th century Muslim scholar and poet Ibn Arabi. Imam Razawi is also a Visiting Scholar at the Strathclyde Business School in Scotland. His work with Harvard University contributes to scholarship and practice on interfaith dialogue and sectarian de-escalation in addition to advancing research on the history and thought of religious mysticism from a comparative perspective.
Social
Background
Audrey E. Kitagawa, JD, is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, the President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, the former Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations.
She is a United Nations Representative for the United Religions Initiative, and Chair Emerita of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, A Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. She has been enstooled into the royal family as the Nekoso Hemaa, (i.e. Queen Mother of Development), of Ajiyamanti in Ghana, West Africa, and has a school which she helped to build named after her in her African name, the Nana Ode Anyankobea Junior Secondary School.
She wrote the chapter, Crossing World Views, The Power of Perspective in the Hawaii Japanese American Experience, which was published in a book about multiculturalism, communication and Asian women entitled, Learning In The Light. Her chapter, Globalization As The Fuel For Religious And Ethnic Conflict has been published in the book, Globalization And Identity, Cultural Diversity, Religion and Citizenship. Her article, The Role Of Identity In The Rise And Decline of Buddhism In Hawaii, The 50th State Of The United States Of America, has been published in Sambodhi, a Buddhist Journal. She published articles in World Affairs The Journal Of International Issues, entitled, The Power of Om: Transformation of Consciousness, and Practical Spirituality. She wrote the chapter, The US In Foreign Affairs: Source of Global Security, Or Source of Global Fear? in the book, America & The World The Double Bind. She is currently writing a chapter on Space Ethics for a legal, academic book on Space Law.
She has been listed in Who's Who Of American Law, Who's Who Of American Women, Who's Who In America, Who's Who In The World, and Prominent People of Hawaii. She is the recipient of the Medal “Pride of Eurasia” and a Diploma from the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University for her outstanding contribution to the development of spiritual culture and education in Eurasia. She is the recipient of the Spirit of the UN Award which is given to outstanding individuals who have demonstrated the vision and spirit of the United Nations as expressed through the UN Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She was conferred an Honorary Interfaith Minister degree by the New Seminary.
“For us to truly understand the Absolute requires also for us to begin to understand one another”
Biography
Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi is a British scholar and religious leader with a research interest in Islamic philosophy, mysticism, and comparative religion. In particular, he focuses upon the concept of “love” theoretically and applies his insights as a practitioner of theology to expound upon the values and thought-system of Shi’ism and Islam on one hand and to undertake interfaith dialogue and peace building through civil society engagement on the other. Fluent in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, Imam Razawi is the Chief Imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society in the United Kingdom and an Associate at the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. His work constructively engages issues of contemporary social affairs as a passionate civic member and active Muslim interlocutor at the local, national, and international levels.
Locally, besides undertaking bridge-building and engaging communities across faith and non-faith traditions, Imam Razawi founded the first Shia-Sunni Alliance in Scotland to promote ecumenical dialogue and good-will, has partnered with twelve national charities across Scotland, and is a Global Ambassador for “Glasgow the Caring City.” Nationally, he served as an advisor on the United Kingdom’s Independent Sharia Review commission, participates as a member of the Oxfam Zakat Advisory Panel, and has frequently led prayer at national religious services including the Commonwealth service in Westminster Abbey. Internationally, Imam Razawi is a member of multiple international organizations and non-governmental bodies including the European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL), the United National global Steering Committee for the Prevention of Genocide, the Global Sustainability Network (GSN), and the advisory board of the Islamic Reporting Initiative (IRI). In April 2017, he partook in an historic private meeting at the Vatican of four senior British imams with the Pope to discuss interfaith pluralism, coexistence, and reconciliation. With years of experience in the field of minority affairs, he has also represented Muslim communities in EC countries and has since been working to support minority Christians in the Middle East.
Academically, following his studies in theology and jurisprudence, Imam Razawi is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at Glasgow University where he is writing his doctoral thesis on the philosophical and mystical thought of 12th century Muslim scholar and poet Ibn Arabi. Imam Razawi is also a Visiting Scholar at the Strathclyde Business School in Scotland. His work with Harvard University contributes to scholarship and practice on interfaith dialogue and sectarian de-escalation in addition to advancing research on the history and thought of religious mysticism from a comparative perspective.
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