Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Bahaidar, the Chief Executive Officer of IQRA FM, has been selected as Kenya’s sole delegate to participate in the United States’ prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).
He joined 29 other global leaders in a high-level exchange on Religious Freedom and Interfaith Dialogue.
The three-week program, running from July 26 to August 16, 2025, is organized and fully sponsored by the U.S. Department of State through the American Embassy.
It brings together thought leaders, policymakers, and change-makers from 30 countries across five continents to explore pathways toward promoting freedom of religion or belief, strengthening interfaith cooperation, and fostering peaceful coexistence.
Dr. Bahaidar’s selection comes as a profound recognition of his quiet but impactful leadership in promoting religious understanding in Kenya through IQRA FM, one of the country’s leading faith-based broadcasters.
“This conference provides a platform for global solidarity and a renewed commitment to building bridges where walls have long stood,” said Dr. Bahaidar after arriving in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Bahaidar is widely regarded as a calm yet courageous voice in Kenya’s complex socio-religious landscape. Under his stewardship, IQRA FM has become a sanctuary for inclusive conversations, addressing everything from spiritual tolerance to youth empowerment and gender dignity — all through the lens of faith and shared humanity.
His work has drawn local and international praise for upholding the values of religious pluralism, amplifying marginal voices, and resisting polarization through principled, people-centered programming.
“Let our efforts be altars, not stages. Let us serve, not to be seen — but to make a difference,” he said, reflecting the deep sense of purpose that anchors his work.
During the IVLP program, Dr. Bahaidar will travel through Washington, D.C., Milwaukee, Detroit, Manchester, Salt Lake City, and Dallas.
He will engage in site visits, institutional dialogues, and policy roundtables with religious leaders, government officials, civil society organizations, and fellow participants — exploring models of religious liberty and civic inclusion in a multicultural society.
The program’s broader goal is to strengthen international networks and promote best practices that protects the right to belief — and unbelief — in all its forms.
“This is not just a journey across American states,” said Dr. Bahaidar, “It’s a journey into the soul of shared humanity.”
Among the 30 countries represented in the 2025 cohort are Saudi Arabia, Poland, Iraq, Vietnam, India, Finland, and Armenia. Dr. Bahaidar carries with him not just Kenya’s flag, but the stories of countless people who strive for understanding in a climate of division.
His participation underscores the critical role Kenyan civil society leaders play in global conversations around tolerance, peacebuilding, and interfaith collaboration.
“Recognition means little unless it translates into responsibility,” he said. “We must keep reminding the world: faith is not a fault line — it’s a foundation.”
The International Visitor Leadership Program is the U.S. State Department’s premier professional exchange initiative. Since 1940, it has hosted more than 200,000 emerging leaders from around the world, including over 300 current or former heads of state and government.
Participants are selected by U.S. embassies for their leadership potential and contributions to positive change in their countries.
