STUDENT FORUM
The Baskerville Institute invites submissions for its Undergraduate Student Forum titled “Building a Better Future: Learning to Build Peace Through Dialogue and Understanding,” scheduled for February 22, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah. This forum will explore the crucial role of dialogue and understanding in fostering peace and reconciliation, engaging participants in discussions on the challenges and opportunities of building bridges among diverse communities, promoting intercultural understanding, and addressing the root causes of conflict. The top three applicants will receive full travel expenses to attend the “Diplomacy of the Heart: Building Bridges for Peace in Central Asia and the Middle East” event in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from April 27 – 29, 2025.
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STUDENT FORUM
The Baskerville Institute invites submissions for its Undergraduate Student Forum titled “Building a Better Future: Learning to Build Peace Through Dialogue and Understanding,” scheduled for February 22, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah. This forum will explore the crucial role of dialogue and understanding in fostering peace and reconciliation, engaging participants in discussions on the challenges and opportunities of building bridges among diverse communities, promoting intercultural understanding, and addressing the root causes of conflict. The top three applicants will receive full travel expenses to attend the “Diplomacy of the Heart: Building Bridges for Peace in Central Asia and the Middle East” event in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from April 27 – 29, 2025.
Dr. Stephen Baskerville
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DIPLOMACY OF THE HEART
Diplomacy of the Heart Conference:
Fostering Understanding Through
Empathy, Dignity, and Respect
Building Skills for Respectful Disagreements
Develop Cultural Literacy: Educate yourself about the cultural background, history, and values of those you might converse with. This helps avoid misunderstandings and fosters respect for different perspectives.
Develop Religious Literacy: Educate yourself about the core beliefs, practices, and history of major world religions. Look for shared values and principles across cultures or faiths, such as social justice, peacebuilding, environmental care, or promoting human dignity. Educate yourself about the core beliefs, practices, and history of major world religions. Look for shared values and principles across cultures or faiths, such as social justice, peacebuilding, environmental care, or promoting human dignity.
Acknowledge Knowledge and Express Empathy: When you hear a logical or interesting point, acknowledge it respectfully. Empathy goes beyond mere sympathy; it’s an active engagement with others’ perspectives, even when they differ from your own.
Practice Reflective Listening: Briefly rephrase what you heard from the other person to ensure understanding. This demonstrates that you are paying attention and trying to see things from their perspective.
Validate Their Emotions: Let the other person know their feelings are heard and understood. Phrases like “It sounds like you’re feeling…” or “That must be frustrating” can help build trust and rapport.
Focus on Solutions, Not Blame: Instead of dwelling on who is to blame, work together to brainstorm solutions that address everyone’s concerns.
Practice Gratitude: Expressing gratitude for the other person’s willingness to engage in a difficult conversation can go a long way in fostering a positive atmosphere.
Agree to Disagree: Not every conversation will end in complete agreement. However, you can still maintain respect and understanding for the other person’s perspective.
April 27- 29, 2025
Continental Hotel
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
For more information about this conference, reach out to Darian Ferry: dferry795@gmail.com
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DIPLOMACY OF THE HEART
Diplomacy of the Heart Conference:
Fostering Understanding Through
Empathy, Dignity, and Respect
Building Skills for Respectful Disagreements
Develop Cultural Literacy: Educate yourself about the cultural background, history, and values of those you might converse with. This helps avoid misunderstandings and fosters respect for different perspectives.
Develop Religious Literacy: Educate yourself about the core beliefs, practices, and history of major world religions. Look for shared values and principles across cultures or faiths, such as social justice, peacebuilding, environmental care, or promoting human dignity. Educate yourself about the core beliefs, practices, and history of major world religions. Look for shared values and principles across cultures or faiths, such as social justice, peacebuilding, environmental care, or promoting human dignity.
Acknowledge Knowledge and Express Empathy: When you hear a logical or interesting point, acknowledge it respectfully. Empathy goes beyond mere sympathy; it’s an active engagement with others’ perspectives, even when they differ from your own.
Practice Reflective Listening: Briefly rephrase what you heard from the other person to ensure understanding. This demonstrates that you are paying attention and trying to see things from their perspective.
Validate Their Emotions: Let the other person know their feelings are heard and understood. Phrases like “It sounds like you’re feeling…” or “That must be frustrating” can help build trust and rapport.
Focus on Solutions, Not Blame: Instead of dwelling on who is to blame, work together to brainstorm solutions that address everyone’s concerns.
Practice Gratitude: Expressing gratitude for the other person’s willingness to engage in a difficult conversation can go a long way in fostering a positive atmosphere.
Agree to Disagree: Not every conversation will end in complete agreement. However, you can still maintain respect and understanding for the other person’s perspective.
April 27- 29, 2025
Continental Hotel
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
For more information about this conference, reach out to Darian Ferry: dferry795@gmail.com
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WELCOMING A NEW PROJECT MANAGER
Meet Leslie Rodriguez-Diaz
The Baskerville Institute is excited to announce Leslie Rodriguez-Diaz as the new Project Manager this summer, succeeding Delara. Leslie, who interned with us last year, displayed exceptional project coordination skills and a collaborative spirit. She is enthusiastic about engaging with the team and exploring growth opportunities. We anticipate her leadership will bring renewed energy and insight, and we look forward to her contributions. Please join us in welcoming Leslie back!
leslier1012@gmail.com
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WELCOMING A NEW PROJECT MANAGER
Meet Leslie Rodriguez-Diaz
The Baskerville Institute is excited to announce Leslie Rodriguez-Diaz as the new Project Manager this summer, succeeding Delara. Leslie, who interned with us last year, displayed exceptional project coordination skills and a collaborative spirit. She is enthusiastic about engaging with the team and exploring growth opportunities. We anticipate her leadership will bring renewed energy and insight, and we look forward to her contributions. Please join us in welcoming Leslie back!
leslier1012@gmail.com
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WELCOMING DELEGATIONS FROM UZBEKISTAN AND KYRGYZSTAN
The Baskerville Institute partnered with the Stirling Foundation to host two delegations from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The event aimed to foster cultural exchange and strengthen economic ties between Central Asia and the United States.
Baskerville Institute, together with the Kyrgyzstan delegation and the Stirling Foundation, gathered at World Trade Center Utah.
The Baskerville Institute and the Uzbekistan delegation met at the Institute’s downtown Salt Lake City offices.
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WELCOMING DELEGATIONS FROM UZBEKISTAN & KYRGYZSTAN
The Baskerville Institute partnered with the Stirling Foundation to host two delegations from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The event aimed to foster cultural exchange and strengthen economic ties between Central Asia and the United States.
Baskerville Institute, together with the Kyrgyzstan delegation and the Stirling Foundation, gathered at World Trade Center Utah.
The Baskerville Institute and the Uzbekistan delegation met at the Institute’s downtown Salt Lake City offices.
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BASKERVILLE INSTITUTE DIGITAL FRIENDSHIP
Visit the BIDF platform and explore its features. It is a digital platform that connects to online courses offered by American universities. BIDF does not offer these courses itself, but our platform makes it possible for prospective Iranian students in Iran to search for information to help them tailor their educational needs and find essential information.
Click here to browse the pages of BIDF and see the difference we can make by strengthening friendships through education.
WWW.DIGITALIRAN.ORG
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BASKERVILLE INSTITUTE DIGITAL FRIENDSHIP
Visit the BIDF platform and explore its features. It is a digital platform that connects to online courses offered by American universities. BIDF does not offer these courses itself, but our platform makes it possible for prospective Iranian students in Iran to search for information to help them tailor their educational needs and find essential information.
Click here to browse the pages of BIDF and see the difference we can make by strengthening friendships through education.
WWW.DIGITALIRAN.ORG
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ESSAY FROM OUR SPORTS AMBASSADOR
The Role of Taekwondo Coaches in
Communicating with Students
By Sam Hesam Rezaei
Coaches are considered reliable figures in children’s lives. They are not only sport activity instructors but also life counselors to their students, helping them build meaningful, constructive, and fulfilling lives. Therefore, students look up to them as leaders and role models. Students often feel more comfortable and open when communicating with their sports coaches, as they perceive fewer barriers compared to school teachers. Drawing from my experience in teaching, instructing, and coaching since the age of fifteen, I’d like to share some key topics that Taekwondo coaches should prioritize to have a positive impact on their students’ lifestyles and individual development.
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ESSAY FROM OUR SPORTS AMBASSADOR
The Role of Taekwondo Coaches in
Communicating with Students
By Sam Hesam Rezaei
Coaches are considered reliable figures in children’s lives. They are not only sport activity instructors but also life counselors to their students, helping them build meaningful, constructive, and fulfilling lives. Therefore, students look up to them as leaders and role models. Students often feel more comfortable and open when communicating with their sports coaches, as they perceive fewer barriers compared to school teachers. Drawing from my experience in teaching, instructing, and coaching since the age of fifteen, I’d like to share some key topics that Taekwondo coaches should prioritize to have a positive impact on their students’ lifestyles and individual development.
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MEET OUR NEW INTERN
DARIAN FERRY
Darian Ferry is a Baskerville Institute Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 intern. He is a senior at Brigham Young University, where he will graduate in Bioinformatics with a minor in Middle East Studies. Darian loves Persian language and culture ever since he served a Persian-speaking ecclesiastical mission in San Diego. He is excited for this opportunity to help out the often misunderstood Iranian community by promoting US-Iranian relations and awareness.
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MEET OUR NEW INTERN
MEET OUR FALL 2024 – SPRING 2025 INTERN:
DARIAN FERRY
Darian Ferry is a Baskerville Institute Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 intern. He is a senior at Brigham Young University, where he will graduate in Bioinformatics with a minor in Middle East Studies. Darian loves Persian language and culture ever since he served a Persian-speaking ecclesiastical mission in San Diego. He is excited for this opportunity to help out the often misunderstood Iranian community by promoting US-Iranian relations and awareness.
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ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS:
THE SUCCESSES OF OUR FORMER INTERNS
We are proud of the achievements of our former interns. We have seen them go on to great things, both in their professional and personal lives. They have made us proud to be a part of their journey.
LESLIE RODRIGUEZ-DIAZ
FALL 2023 – SPRING 2024
Congratulations to Leslie on her graduation from the University of Utah, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Middle East Studies! She has now embarked on her graduate studies at Westminster University.
THURMAN LINCOLN
SUMMER 2024
Congratulations to Thurman on his recent marriage! This winter, Thurman will be graduating from BYU with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Services. Starting in Fall 2025, Thurman will be starting law school at BYU!
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ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS:
THE SUCCESSES OF OUR FORMER INTERNS
We are proud of the achievements of our former interns. We have seen them go on to great things, both in their professional and personal lives. They have made us proud to be a part of their journey.
LESLIE RODRIGUEZ-DIAZ
FALL 2023 – SPRING 2024
Congratulations to Leslie on her graduation from the University of Utah, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Middle East Studies! She has now embarked on her graduate studies at Westminster University.
THURMAN LINCOLN
SUMMER 2024
Congratulations to Thurman on his recent marriage! This winter, Thurman will be graduating from BYU with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Services. Starting in Fall 2025, Thurman will be starting law school at BYU!
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BASKERVILLE INSTITUTE
SUMMER READING LIST
From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship
by John Marks
For aspiring social entrepreneurs, John Marks’ book, From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship, offers invaluable insights. Marks, co-founder of the renowned peacebuilding organization Search for Common Ground (nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018), shares hard-won lessons from decades of experience.
He explains how he turned the challenges of implementing ambitious visions into tangible realities, highlighting the importance of understanding and navigating diverse cultural contexts. Whether you’re launching a small-scale project or a global initiative, Marks’ book provides essential guidance for navigating the complexities of social change.
Article Recommendation:
“Why Iranian Leaders Have Preferred U.S. Republican Presidents”
by John Limbert
“Iranian leaders have tended to prefer Republican U.S. presidents who have historically sought transactional deals, delivered on arms sales, and refrained from punishing human rights abuses in the region.”
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BASKERVILLE INSTITUTE
SUMMER READING LIST
The Global Politics of Interreligious Dialogue:
Religious Change, Citizenship, and Solidarity in the Middle East
by Michael D. Driessen
For aspiring social entrepreneurs, John Marks’ book, From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship, offers invaluable insights. Marks, co-founder of the renowned peacebuilding organization Search for Common Ground (nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018), shares hard-won lessons from decades of experience.
He explains how he turned the challenges of implementing ambitious visions into tangible realities, highlighting the importance of understanding and navigating diverse cultural contexts. Whether you’re launching a small-scale project or a global initiative, Marks’ book provides essential guidance for navigating the complexities of social change.
Article Recommendation:
“Why Iranian Leaders Have Preferred U.S. Republican Presidents”
by John Limbert
“Iranian leaders have tended to prefer Republican U.S. presidents who have historically sought transactional deals, delivered on arms sales, and refrained from punishing human rights abuses in the region.”
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CHECK US OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Make sure to follow the Baskerville Institute on our social media to stay up to date with world news, our events, and what we are working on!
Follow Us On:
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CHECK US OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Make sure to follow the Baskerville Institute on our social media to stay up to date with world news, our events, and what we are working on!
Follow Us On:
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DONATE
Your tax-deductible donation to the Baskerville Institute will help us build bridges between Americans and Iranians. Support our Baskerville Digital Friendship program, you can help to ensure that future generations of students from both countries have the opportunity to learn about each other’s cultures and histories and to build relationships that will last a lifetime. Education is a powerful tool for breaking down barriers and building understanding between cultures.
Send your check to this address: 350 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, Suite #407
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DONATE
Your tax-deductible donation to the Baskerville Institute will help us build bridges between Americans and Iranians. Support our Baskerville Digital Friendship program, you can help to ensure that future generations of students from both countries have the opportunity to learn about each other’s cultures and histories and to build relationships that will last a lifetime. Education is a powerful tool for breaking down barriers and building understanding between cultures.
Send your check to this address: 350 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, Suite #407
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THE BASKERVILLE INSTITUTE
Transforming Friendships Across Borders into Engines of Prosperity and Goodwill
The Baskerville Institute is dedicated to promoting, enhancing, and strengthening the bond of friendship between the people of Iran and the people of the United States. By recognizing and incorporating the critical role of people-to-people friendship between Americans and Iranians, we can open the doors for conversations and collaborations that go beyond the state level. With over a century of friendship between them, this history of friendship provides an opportunity to constructively re-imagine, rebuild, and foster bridges to deepen understanding and connections.
The cultural connections between the United States and Iran run deep. Howard C. Baskerville, who sacrificed his life for Iranian constitutionalism in 1909, bestowed to posterity a model of friendship that is relevant today because it provides an alternative to the mutual satanization and perpetual conflict that has defined U.S.-Iran relations since 1979.
The Baskerville Institute builds on its namesake’s legacy to promote understanding and respect between Americans and Iranians. It runs a lecture/webinar series, hosts a digital archive, supports research fellows and student interns, publishes a newsletter and translation projects, organizes cultural exhibitions and educational programs, and otherwise facilitates bridge-building between Americans and Iranians. The non-profit Baskerville Institute is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and draws on the experiences and expertise of individuals around the United States and across the world.
Newsletter designed and edited by Delara Hosseini (dhosseini@baskervilleinstitute.org) & Leslie Rodriguez-Diaz (leslier1012@gmail.com)
THE BASKERVILLE INSTITUTE
Transforming Friendships Across Borders into Engines of Prosperity and Goodwill
The Baskerville Institute is dedicated to promoting, enhancing, and strengthening the bond of friendship between the people of Iran and the people of the United States. By recognizing and incorporating the critical role of people-to-people friendship between Americans and Iranians, we can open the doors for conversations and collaborations that go beyond the state level. With over a century of friendship between them, this history of friendship provides an opportunity to constructively re-imagine, rebuild, and foster bridges to deepen understanding and connections.
The cultural connections between the United States and Iran run deep. Howard C. Baskerville, who sacrificed his life for Iranian constitutionalism in 1909, bestowed to posterity a model of friendship that is relevant today because it provides an alternative to the mutual satanization and perpetual conflict that has defined U.S.-Iran relations since 1979.
The Baskerville Institute builds on its namesake’s legacy to promote understanding and respect between Americans and Iranians. It runs a lecture/webinar series, hosts a digital archive, supports research fellows and student interns, publishes a newsletter and translation projects, organizes cultural exhibitions and educational programs, and otherwise facilitates bridge-building between Americans and Iranians. The non-profit Baskerville Institute is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and draws on the experiences and expertise of individuals around the United States and across the world.
Newsletter designed and edited by Delara Hosseini (dhosseini@baskervilleinstitute.org) & Leslie Rodriguez-Diaz (leslier1012@gmail.com)