Daisy Khan delivers remarks at the Global Ties U.S. 2024 National Meeting. Both photos by Kristoffer Tripplaar
Daisy Khan, Doctor of Ministry, leads the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), a New York City-based NGO advancing Muslim women’s rights to foster peacebuilding, gender equality, and human dignity. A recipient of the Global Ties U.S. 2024 Citizen Diplomat Award, Daisy also serves as a resource for International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) delegations visiting New York City, and over the last 10 years, has met with numerous IVLP groups focused on minority issues, women and gender, Islam, countering violent extremism, and other topics. We spoke with Daisy about civic engagement, being an activist for peace and women’s rights, and the value of people-to-people exchange.
In your remarks at the 2024 National Meeting, you spoke about becoming “an ambassador for my faith,” and told your personal story from being a young immigrant, to a nonprofit leader, to an activist for peace and women’s rights. How does citizen diplomacy fit in?
As an immigrant, when I took the oath of citizenship, I pledged to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America. In the aftermath of 9-11, I felt a strong sense of duty to engage in work of national importance as a citizen diplomat.
You work with the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in New York City. How has being a resource for the IVLP shaped your organization? What have you learned from meeting international visitors?
Engaging in a two-way exchange with American Muslims and thought leaders from around the world has profoundly enriched our organization. The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) provides WISE with opportunities to connect, engage in meaningful dialogues, and exchange ideas with IVLP delegates.
Daisy (left) receives the Citizen Diplomat Award from her nominator Oliver Wilcox.
What does receiving the Global Ties U.S. Citizen Diplomat Award mean to you?
For over 25 years, I have served as a citizen ambassador advancing U.S. values and interests without an official title or portfolio. The recognition I’ve received from Global Ties U.S. for this work is deeply rewarding, and I hope it inspires others to do the same.
While WISE is focused primarily on advancing Muslim women’s rights, you also have a broader vision of inter-faith and cross-cultural dialogue. How do you see the nationwide Global Ties Network advancing these objectives?
The IVLP facilitates an open forum where delegates receive unfiltered information about the successes and challenges people in the United States face. Through face-to-face conversations, trust is built, and connections are forged between this vast network of delegates and U.S. counterparts of all religions and walks of life.
Your organization’s change theory centers on collaboration, education, communication, and action. Can you share how this framework guides your work and helps you to put diplomacy into action?
WISE employs a holistic four-pronged approach to achieve lasting social change. Our goal is to empower Muslim women, bridge cultural gaps, and foster a more equitable society. Through dialogue and educational awareness, WISE put diplomacy in action by promoting shared U.S. and Islamic values of social justice and gender equality among IVLP delegates and Muslim women leaders.
In your view, what is the role of citizen diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges in tackling global challenges?
When U.S. foreign policy faces challenges to unfolding world events, citizen diplomats play a critical role in preserving the core values of the United States. The one-on-one dialogue between thought leaders at the grassroots level paves a way forward for safeguarding and amplifying these values for the future.