On Saturday, May 23, 2026, HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership (HJI) held its 50th Commencement in New York City to celebrate the class of 2026. Dr. Andrew Wilson, Professor of Scriptural Studies, served as Mace Bearer and led the procession into the room where the graduation ceremony was to take place. HJI President, Dr. Thomas Walsh, gave the opening remarks, welcoming all graduating students, friends, and family in attendance for this special occasion. Following the opening remarks was the invocation offered by Imam Alhassan Kamagtey, Resident...

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate during HJI’s 2026 Commencement Ceremonies held on May 23, 2026, at 481 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY. What follows is the Commencement Address of Dr. Swett. What a pleasure it is for me to be with you today and to receive an honorary doctorate from this wonderful institution. There are few moments in life as exhilarating, hopeful, and, yes, even a little bittersweet as a graduation ceremony. It is the occasion when intellectual passion, hard work, late nights, financial sacrifice, doubt and belief, ambition, and...

Congratulations to our graduates. We are very proud of you. What you have accomplished is quite significant, and I hope that fact becomes clearer and clearer to each of you as your journey in life unfolds. Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, we are honored that you are here with us today. You delivered a brilliant and memorable commencement address, addressing topics of profound significance. Thank you for all that you have done and will do for the protection of human rights and religious freedom. And, Hon. Amb. Richard Swett, thank you for being here with us today to offer congratulatory...

On Friday, May 8, 2026, Dr. Drissa Kone, faculty member at HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership, launched his book titled Towards the Construction of the Ivorian Nation: Myth or Reality, published in French by Éditions Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The event took place at the Multipurpose Hall of the Permanent Mission of Côte d’Ivoire to the United Nations in New York, bringing together members of the African diaspora in the New York area. The event was sponsored by the Consul General of Côte d’Ivoire in New York, His Excellency Inza Camara, with the support of His...

HJI’s Faculty Roundtable Series for this month occurred on May 14 at 7:00 pm ET, The Role of Religious Leaders in Addressing Global Conflict, and was presented by Dr. Drissa Kone, Associate Professor of Ministry and Conflict Resolution. Throughout the world, there are numerous conflicts, including Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Mali and Nigeria. While we may consider such conflicts are fundamental geopolitical, there are multiple factors at play; some political, some economic, some ethnic, and some religious.  In this webinar attention will be given the role role that...

On May 7, 2026, the Office of the Provost invited all to attend the program, “HJI Graduating Students Introduce Their Doctoral Dissertations and Master Thesis,” to celebrate the scholarly and professional achievements of our graduating students. This forum serves as a showcase for students to present brief overviews of their final academic work. While participation is optional for our graduates, we are delighted to feature six of our students who will be sharing their culminating projects, including: MA in Religious Studies Lorraine Moffat Baughman “How do spiritually...

HJI’s Faculty Roundtable Series continued on Thursday, April 30, at 7:00 PM ET with “Korea and the Epic of Chosen Han People,” presented by Dr. Thomas Selover, Adjunct Professor of Asian Religion at HJI. Hosted by HJI President Dr. Thomas Walsh, this webinar will explore the historical, cultural, and spiritual significance of Korea through Dr. Selover’s research and teaching. Dr. Thomas Selover, as an HJI Faculty member and an expert in the Religions of East Asia, taught a course on the Korean Epic in the Fall semester of 2025.  In this webinar, he will share...

Watch the Recording HJI held a special event on April 16, introducing the newly published volume: Threats to Religious Freedom: Root Causes and Paths ForwardEdited by Massimo Introvigne and Thomas WalshPublished by HJI Press in collaboration with CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions) This important work brings together leading scholars, practitioners, and advocates to examine the growing challenges to religious freedom around the world. Through diverse perspectives, the book explores how stigma, misinformation, legal pressures, and ideological forces contribute to the...

What inspired you to apply to HJI and your program? What do you most appreciate about being a student at HJI? I was working with the FFWPU in Atlanta Georgia, prior to 1994 and felt it would be beneficial to attend the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS), which is now known as HJI (HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership). At the time I was meeting with Christian Clergy and also representatives of different cultures and religions and believed additional study would help in my ability to communicate. UTS was offering relevant courses, such as the study of...