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IF YOU'D like to sign onto the pledge, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your name and affiliation as it should appear.

The ACCESS 20/20 Weekend Civility track brought together dozens of emerging leaders of different ethnic and religious backgrounds from the U.S. and abroad in order to discuss the troubling rise in “uncivil” political discourse, and to provide hands-on training in how to engage in civil exchange and even disagreement. The conference aimed to sow the seeds for a reversal of current trends, which reward divisive political rhetoric and punish those who attempt to moderate the conversation.

The conference goal was also action-oriented: almost 100 people signed a "civil engagement pledge" -- a copy of which is below. We'll be listing the signatories shortly. We hope that the pact will have a longer life, with participants going to organizations to which they belong in order to encourage them to sign on as well.

Civil Engagement Pledge

I am committed to creating, growing and sustaining multicultural societies, and cross-cultural personal relationships, that celebrate dialogue and a plurality of perspectives;

I believe in the importance of sustained and resilient engagement, including through strong and passionate debate, about issues that matter to us as members of local, national and global communities; such debate must take place in an atmosphere of mutual respect;

I challenge myself and my interlocutors to distinguish words that are used to share and express ideas, regardless of their popularity, from those that prevent dialogue and incite hatred or violence;

I affirm my commitment to stand against stereotyping and discrimination when it targets other groups and people as I would if my own community were targeted;

I pledge to uphold these principles within my own life in order to lead by example and to promote them through the organizations with which I work, and I will encourage others to do so as well.

SIGNATORIES’ names will be listed shortly; affiliations will be noted for identification purposes only.

See the genesis of the Pledge on our wiki-site: http://accesscivility.wikispaces.com/

Learn more about the Civility track of the ACCESS 20/20 Weekend in the concept paper and by downloading the  program of the conference.

To foster the discussions, strenghten the ties made during the 20/20 Weekend, we have created a google group where participants can share ideas, collaborate/support one another and keep updated on the adoption of the pledge by each organizations. If you are interesting in joining the group, please email Rebecca Neuwirth at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In cooperation with:

The Baptist Joint Committee * Hillel * The National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)  *
*Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) *
* NetIP * Office of Black Ministry of the Archdiocese of New York *
* OCA *Rock The Vote * Roosevelt Institute Campus Network*
* SALDEF * World Council of Religious Leaders *