GCIV hosted Ms. Ahdielah Edries of Australia April 15-18, 2008. Ms. Edries is president of the Islamic Council of Western Australia and principal of the Australian Islamic College. She is the first woman to hold both of these positions, and has a passion for involving her diverse student body in a number of interfaith initiatives. She traveled to the U.S. under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program to discuss diversity issues, youth programs, and interfaith cooperation with her professional counterparts.

Her time in Atlanta was filled with opportunities to meet professionals in her field and learn about their work in the United States. First she met with Imam Plemon El-Amin at the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam. They discussed the Masjid’s interfaith efforts and Muslim-American advocacy. Next she met with Ms. Tayyibah Taylor, publisher and editor of Azizah Magazine. They talked about Muslim women's portrayal in the media and Azizah’s efforts to show the diversity of Muslim women. After this meeting Ms. Edries participated in a GCIV Global Lunch Forum, where she spoke with GCIV and community members about her work in Australia. Participants enjoyed the chance to learn about Ms. Edries’ work in Australia and had an engaging discussion. After this community event, she went to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site to learn more about the legacy of one of Atlanta’s most famous citizens.

The next day Ms. Edries started her meetings with a visit to Faith and the City. Executive Director Doug Gatlin discussed his organization’s efforts to promote cooperation among Atlanta's diverse racial and religious groups. Next our guest went to the CNN International Headquarters, where she received a VIP tour and got a behind the scenes look at how the news is made. Her last professional appointment was a trip to the Mohammed Schools of Atlanta, where she met with members of the administration to discuss the school’s curriculum. After her professional meetings were completed, Ms. Edries went to dinner with a group of GCIV members at Mosaic Mediterranean Restaurant. She enjoyed the meal and conversation on her last evening in Atlanta.

Ms. Edries spent time in Washington, DC, New York City, Atlanta, and Indianapolis while participating in the International Visitor Leadership Program. GCIV was honored to host her in Atlanta and to arrange her professional program. We hope that her experiences here gave her a first-hand view of the diversity, youth, and interfaith programs thriving in the United States, and are grateful for the opportunity to hear about her work in these areas. We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.