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As our nation marks 250 years since its founding, all of us at the Intercultural Networks Group (ING) join millions of Americans in celebrating the remarkable achievements of the United States and the enduring ideals upon which it was built. We are proud to be Americans, and grateful for what this nation has contributed to its citizens and to the world over two and a half centuries.
A Founding Framework for Liberty
The Constitution and the Bill of Rights established an extraordinary framework for liberty, freedom of conscience, equal opportunity, and representative government. America became a place where immigrants from every corner of the globe, including the parents of ING’s founder, could pursue safety, opportunity, and the promise of a better life.
The United States has fostered innovation, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and religious freedom on a scale unmatched in history. Our nation has never been perfect, but its founding principles have inspired each generation to expand the promise of liberty and justice to more people. That commitment to becoming a more perfect Union remains one of America’s greatest strengths.
Our Mission at ING
ING’s mission has always been rooted in these enduring American values. For more than three decades, we have worked to strengthen religious freedom by promoting religious literacy, meaningful interreligious engagement, and greater understanding across differences. We believe Americans are strongest when they understand one another, not despite our diversity, but because of it.
Through educational programs in schools, universities, healthcare systems, corporations, law enforcement agencies, and government institutions, we seek to replace stereotypes with knowledge, fear with understanding, and division with constructive dialogue. This work is grounded in the conviction that constitutional freedoms flourish when citizens have both the knowledge and the skills to engage one another respectfully across lines of faith, culture, ethnicity, and worldview.
Introducing the Civic Pluralism Speakers Bureau
As part of this commitment, ING is proud to announce the launch of our new Civic Pluralism Speakers Bureau, a national initiative dedicated to strengthening civic understanding, constitutional literacy, democratic participation, and America’s long tradition of pluralism. This new Bureau was made possible thanks to a grant from Interfaith America. The panelists are all from Interfaith America’s Interfaith Civic Pluralism Fellowship.
Civic pluralism recognizes that our differences need not divide us; rather, they become a source of strength when united by a shared commitment to constitutional principles and the common good. The Bureau will bring together experts from diverse backgrounds to help communities explore the foundations of religious liberty, civic responsibility, civil discourse, and democratic citizenship.
To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, we are also releasing a special recorded panel discussion in which distinguished leaders reflect on the meaning of civic pluralism in our constitutional democracy and the responsibilities we share in preserving it. View the recorded video of the panel titled American Pluralism in Practice: How Diverse Communities Strengthen Our Democracy.
Work That Still Lies Ahead
Celebrating our nation’s founding also invites us to reflect honestly on the work that still lies ahead.
America’s story is one of extraordinary progress and continual growth. Protecting civil rights, ensuring equal opportunity, and expanding access to quality education remain among our most important responsibilities.
It is equally important to teach the full story of America, one that recognizes the contributions of Native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, and countless other communities whose sacrifices, talents, and leadership have shaped our country.
These histories do not compete; together they form the rich tapestry of the American experience. When every community can see itself reflected in our national story, we strengthen both our democracy and our sense of shared belonging.
Looking Toward America’s Next Chapter
America’s greatest achievements have never been inevitable. They have depended on citizens willing to defend constitutional freedoms, reject prejudice, welcome newcomers, and invest in future generations. The principles of liberty, equality before the law, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and peaceful civic participation require continual stewardship. They are strengthened when we educate rather than divide, listen rather than dismiss, and recognize the dignity inherent in every person.
As ING looks toward America’s next chapter, we remain optimistic about our nation’s future. Every generation inherits the responsibility to preserve the values that have allowed this diverse nation to flourish while continuing to improve upon them. America’s greatest strength lies not only in its diversity, but in its ability to unite people of different backgrounds around a shared constitutional vision of freedom, dignity, opportunity, and justice.
On this historic milestone, we renew our commitment to advancing religious literacy, strengthening civic pluralism, fostering meaningful engagement across communities, and helping build institutions where every person can participate fully and contribute their gifts to the common good.
From all of us at the Intercultural Networks Group, Happy 250th Anniversary, America.
May the next 250 years reflect an even deeper commitment to liberty, justice, religious freedom, equal opportunity, and the shared humanity that has always been at the heart of the American experiment.
To learn more about ING, request a seminar, or bring the Civic Pluralism Speakers Bureau to your community, visit www.ing.org or email us at Mail@ing.org.