LYN Community Corp

Kazakhstan (Funded via Templeton Trust Grant)On March 16th and 17th, 2022 LYNC convened a first-of-its-kind Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy Training Program in Shymkent for the Kazakhstani government and law enforcement officials despite delays due to the pandemic, internal instability, and geopolitical challenges. Fifty-seven participants ranging from prosecutors, law enforcement officers, religious affairs officials, Muslim imams, Orthodox priests, and evangelical pastors acquired knowledge based on applicable case studies of American, England, Indonesian, and Vietnamese reforms and implementation best practices. This program, one of the roadmap milestones of the MOU between the Kazakh Committee on Religious Affairs and LYNC signed during last year's International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., marks a series of notable firsts: This was the first time a training program on religion had ever been held involving local law enforcement agencies, religious communities, and international organizations. This was the first time the government, an international NGO and a local civil society organization partnered to deliver a religious freedom certificate training on religious literacy. This training also marks the first time a prominent local expert on Religion and a Rule of Law (Roman Podoprigora, Caspian University) was invited within his country to share his knowledge with the law enforcement officials. Finally, for the first time, a local Muslim imam and Christian pastor co-moderated each session of the certificate course, serving as an ideal model for constructive engagement and relationship-building that could be replicated in other regions of the country and beyond.During September 2022, LYNC organized and participated in the "Religion and Rule of Law Certificate Program" (RROL) certificate training in Almaty in partnership with BYU International Center for Law and Religion Studies. There were 57 participants comprised of representatives of the government, law enforcement and religious community leaders. The majority of the participants were alumni from LYNC's previous activities such as 2021 Multi-Faith Retreat and 2022 Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy certificate course in Shymkent. This repeat attendance demonstrates a deepening commitment of the various leaders to expanding their own religious freedom toolkit and knowledge foundation of best practices.LYNC also organized and participated in the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions (The Congress) held in Nur-Sultan on September 14-15, 2022. The purpose of the Congress is to reintroduce the language of peace and reconciliation to a world ravaged by conflict and suffering. It also seeks to highlight religion as a tool to help defuse tensions. The event brought together an unprecedented number of attendees and set a record in comparison to all previous congresses since its inception in 2003. There were 60 delegations from 50 countries totaling 370 people. LYNC President, Wade Kusack, was a panel participant at one of the sessions called "The Role of Education and Religious Studies in Respectful Coexistence of Religions and Cultures, and in Strengthening Peace and Harmony," where roughly one hundred delegates were present.Furthermore, LYNC organized a trip to Kazakhstan, where Mr. Kusack signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding with Caspian University in Almaty, creating a framework for the development of a Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy curriculum. This, planning to be an advanced training, which will be supported by the Kazakhstan government and the best local and international experts and will provide government employees involved in religious affairs with unique and essential knowledge.Mr. Kusack held several meetings during the trip, including with the Chair of the Committee on Religious Affairs Yerzhan Nukezhanov, Muslim Spiritual Board member and the Grand Mufti of Kazakhstan advisor Bijigit Koshiev, Head of the N. Nazarbayev Center Bulat Sarsenbayev, the US Ambassador to Kazakhstan Daniel Rosenblum, and his political advisor Maria Smith. These meetings aimed to maintain strong partnerships and engage stakeholders for the upcoming multi-faith relationship-building retreat.Finally, LYNC participated in the IRF Summit in Washington DC, where Mr. Kusack presented the LYNC-Kazahkstan model during one of the sessions and had the opportunity to connect with other organizations and individuals working towards promoting and building religious freedom. Overall, LYNC's achievements during this reporting period demonstrate the organization's commitment to developing Covenantal Pluralism in modern Kazakhstani society and preparation of the next step of engagement.

Uzbekistan LYNC and the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) collaborated with the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies under the Uzbek President to host the "Dialogue of Declarations" event from May 16-20, 2022, in Uzbekistan. This landmark initiative aimed to uphold and promote the freedom of belief universally. Activities were conducted in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara, gathering an international group of religious leaders and freedom experts from various countries for discussions with Uzbek officials and community figures. These talks focused on utilizing Uzbekistan's historical role in contributing to global educational and theological thought.Significant religious declarations were discussed, leading to the adoption of the Bukhara Declaration, which staunchly supports the right to religious freedom and calls for educational programs to encourage multi-faith dialogue, enhance tolerance, and protect places of worship.Following the declaration, LYNC and IGE also held training programs on religion and the rule of law, cross-cultural religious literacy, and multi-faith relations in partnership with various institutions for local officials and religious leaders. The delegation visited religious heritage sites and engaged with the U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan.The event, which continued the collaborative efforts with Uzbekistan initiated in 2018 to strengthen religious freedom, received substantial attention from local media, highlighting its significance and impact.

Ukraine In 2022, LYNC continued to provide vital critical care needs within Ukraine and increased its activities as a result of the February 24th invasion and subsequent, ongoing war. In-country, LYNC provided funds for emergency evacuation transport, the rehabilitation of an orphanage to increase capacity for IDPS, food and emergency items for multiple IDP centers and Mercy Houses and other related critical needs. Serving the arriving Ukrainian refugee population in Germany, LYNC provided food and emergency goods through local partnerships. In May 2022, LYNC launched a trauma healing project for refugees, providing funding through donors and strategic leadership.