In Asia: Weekly Insight and Features from Asia

In March, USAID and The Asia Foundation co-hosted a regional conference on “The Role of Religious and Community Leaders in Advancing Development in Asia.” The conference provided a forum where over 70 religious and community leaders from 14 countries could share their views and experiences from their respective countries. “We have people from so many different religious backgrounds and so many different countries talking together in partnership with the U.S. government about religion and development,” explains Ari Alexander, deputy director of the Center for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives, in this new video in which participants share their perspectives. “For the first time in my life,” says Buddhist Maha Vihara Committee Member N.B. Dayananda, “I have come upon a scene where I have a fresh hope.”