NEWS RELEASE

                From The Global Institute for Religious and Cultural Diplomacy (GIRCD)

www.TheGIRCD.org

GIRCD ANNOUNCES 2011 PLANS AND PROJECTS

          January 17, 2010 – Raleigh, NC - The Global Institute for Religious and Cultural Diplomacy (GIRCD) today announced its formal opening and its plans and projects for 2011 and 2012. Founder Davis E. (Dee) Froeber was named CEO. GIRCD was formed by Froeber in May of 2010 to utilize the power of faith-based citizen diplomacy to help nations, organizations and individuals understand, appreciate, and reconcile multi-faith religious and cultural differences by creating and organizing interfaith dialogues and people-to-people cultural exchanges. Three others were instrumental in GIRCD’s formation. Mr. Jeff Wood is serving as Vice President for Programs and Exchanges and brings significant experience in international relations and Chinese studies. Ms. Sandra Haskins, Consultant for Project Development and Execution, and Mr. Al Haskins, Senior Project Advisor, have been working along with Wood and Froeber since 2008 to develop present day initiatives.

“This new organization was founded based upon the team’s success in building strategic relationships locally, nationally and internationally and in planning and implementing influential international events,” Froeber said.  “We spent the final quarter of last year formalizing operations and structure and strengthening our international contacts so that we can make a strong start in the New Year. In addition, we have been formalizing our business and operational plan, recruiting the initial members of our Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, and working with the IRS to receive our designation as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization to assist in our fund raising efforts,” he said.

Froeber founded GIRCD based upon his thirty-year career serving as Minister to Internationals at Forest Hills Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC, where he built long-term trusted relationships with national level political and religious leaders from the United States, China, the Middle East, and North Africa. In 2008 and 2009, Mr. Froeber led bi-lateral exchanges of Chinese and U.S, multi-faith religious leaders, the first exchanges of this kind in Sino-U.S. history. Among other topics, these exchanges involved national level religious and political leaders in dialogue about the positive benefit of religion in society and the relationship of religion and government.

The 2008 multi-faith delegation of China’s religious leaders met with U.S. religious leaders and political leaders including members of Congress, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and with former President Jimmy Carter. A delegation of U.S. multi-faith religious leaders traveled to China in 2009 meeting with China’s Buddhist, Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, and Taoist leaders as well as China’s Minister of Religion, Wang Zuoan, and Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi.

“GIRCD has been created to serve as a nation-to-nation bridge between national level religious and political leaders, religious and cultural organizations, and citizen-to-citizen,” Froeber said. “Thus far we have been able to bring together influential Sino-U.S. leaders for dialogue about critical issues. One of our goals is to foster improved relations between China and the U.S. Dialogue is a path to this goal.”

“We have already begun planning for several important exchanges with religious and political leaders in China and the U.S. later this year and into 2012,” he said, “that will focus on the role of Christianity in both nations including its function in providing social services. People-to-people and cultural exchanges are also being planned.” Froeber further commented, “And we are greatly encouraged by both the volunteer and financial contributions for this important effort from our supporters. We are confident that GIRCD will play an important part in encouraging dialogue and spreading peace and understanding in the world.”

More information can be found on The Global Institute for Religious and Cultural Diplomacy’s website at: www.TheGIRCD.org.