Department of Education Director for the Center of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Brenda Girton-Mitchell will participate in a panel discussion at the second annual Hindu American Seva Charities Conference on Friday, July 29 in Washington, D.C. Girton-Mitchell will discuss the launch of the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge and its potential for fostering civic engagement in a session titled Youth: Ambassadors of Hope, Dharma and Seva. The conference, aimed at engaging youth in public service, will last through the weekend.
Since his inauguration, President Obama has emphasized interfaith cooperation and community service as an important way to build understanding between different communities and contribute to the common good. The President’s Interfaith and Community Service Challenge is an initiative inviting institutions of higher education to commit to a year of interfaith cooperation and community service programming on campus.