A Note About Cindy
By Daniel Terris, Ph.D., Founding Director, International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life at Brandeis University and Dean of the Al-Quds Bard College of Arts and Science
When the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life was founded in the mid-1990s, we decided early on that we wanted to be engaged in the work of healing divisions between peoples in conflict. How lucky we were to find Cindy Cohen to lead our efforts in planning for a longtime engagement in the field of what we then called "coexistence." Beginning in 1997, Cindy brought to the Center her deep experience in working in divided communities and her brilliant intellectual approach informed by her doctoral studies in the field of education. Tangible, carefully constructed plans emerged from Cindy's tactful consultations and deep conversations with scholars and practitioners in the coexistence field, broadly defined. She laid the groundwork for a brand-new Master's program in Coexistence and Conflict at Brandeis (still going strong under the auspices of the Heller School). She took a leading role in an international fellowship program that brought together an extraordinary group of activists from Israel/Palestine, Sri Lanka, the Balkans, and South Africa. And she began programming that would eventually lead to her pathbreaking work as a global leader in the field of Peacebuilding and the Arts.
What sets Cindy apart from almost everyone I know, personally and professionally, is her extraordinary capacity for empathy. I cannot think of anyone else I know who is able to enter so fully into the perspectives of others, suspending judgment in the service of a depth of understanding that in turn informed her work as a teacher, a practitioner, and a leader. This does not mean that Cindy does not have strong convictions or feelings -- she most certainly has a sophisticated and piercing moral compass that guides her. But she has the rare capacity to use her life experience and the wisdom and feelings of others (from every part of society and the globe) to inform her way of being.
I am sure that there are many others who can tell the story of Cindy's singular contributions to building -- perhaps even creating -- the global field of Peacebuilding and the Arts. Her leadership of the field is always characterized by an understanding that true progress requires a collective process where the ability to shape future directions is genuinely shared among partners, including those far from the traditional centers of power. The success of her endeavors has built on her full-fledged commitment to the spirit of creative collaboration.
Those of us who count Cindy among our close friends are also fortunate that she brings to our friendships the same qualities that she brings to her professional work. For more than a quarter-century I have been bolstered by Cindy's wise counsel, supportive concern, and devoted loyalty. As she enters a new phase of her work and life, I salute her with love and gratitude.