The chair, which is under the university’s School of International Service, seeks to enhance the understanding of Islam among ordinary Americans and policy makers as well as promoting and engaging in interfaith dialogue through academic work, public speaking, the arts and the media. The program has made a major impact on policy makers, think tanks, the media, students and ordinary people all over the world, especially in the US.
In 2007, Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation supported The Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies with $45,000 for an administrative and research assistant to support interfaith, government and academic projects. A subsequent $100,000 contribution was also made later on.
Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation works internationally to tackle poverty, provide rapid aid in cases of natural disasters, and provide women and youth in the MENA region with economic and educational opportunities through strategic philanthropic investments in projects.
The foundation also reframes perceptions of Islam and the West through dialogue, programs and educational centers around the world to promote a greater understanding between different faiths.
