Brief Bio

DR. FRANK KAUFMANN Dr. Frank Kaufmann is executive director of the Inter-Religious Federation for World Peace (IRFWP), editor in chief of Dialogue and Alliance (a scholarly journal on religion and peace), and editor in chief of The New World Encyclopedia (a values based, general knowledge encyclopedia). Dr. Frank Kaufmann has worked in the area of religion and conflict resolution for over 30 years in over 65 countries, often in the most contentious and challenging circumstances.

His peace missions have taken him to areas of conflict, including Israel and Palestine, Croatian Refugee Camps, the Eritrea-Ethiopia border, Hindu-Muslim conflict zones in India and Kashmir, revolutionary centers of southern Philippines, the Gulf, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. Dr. Kaufmann has worked with major religious figures from around the world, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Greek Orthodox Patriarch (Dimitrios), Pope Shenuda of Cairo, Grand Muftis of Syria, Yemen, Israel and Gaza, Major Rabbis and religious figures throughout Israel, major Protestant and Catholic leaders, leaders from the Russian, Greek and Syrian Orthodox churches, and major international figures from Buddhism, Hinduism and other world traditions. He teaches World Religions, Church History, Religion and Conflict Resolution, and other courses at New York area Universities and Seminaries, and maintains a vigorous public speaking schedule on issues related to peace and conflict resolution. Dr. Kaufmann is widely published and a known speaker on matters explaining religious dimensions of contemporary affairs. He is the author of The Foundations of Modern Church History, and editor of a number of works on religion and peace including Christianity in the Americas, Religion and the Future of Southern Africa, and Religion and Peace in the Middle East. Dr. Kaufmann was nominated for the for the prestigious, international Guru Nanak Interfaith Award. Nominees include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a former Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, US Senators Charles Schumer and Norm Coleman, academics Rabbi David Rosen, Dr Martin Marty, and others. On January 15, 2009, Dr. Kaufmann was appointed to the board of advisors for the Wholistic Peace Institute, and the Institute's Nobel Peace Laureate Centers.