Michelle R. Kimball received her BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz, with honors. She pursued graduate studies in Near Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley and received her MA from UC Santa Barbara. She compiled the book, Muslim Women Throughout the World, an annotated bibliography, and has written articles on Rumi, Suhrawardi, Islamic spirituality, and women in Islam.

Kimball founded the International Peace Project, and in the 1990’s she took up the cause of the plight of the Iraqi people, especially children, suffering under sanctions and bombardment. She made an aid trip there with 80 others, to show support and deliver medicines, while risking imprisonment. Kimball wrote articles about her experiences, including, “Let the Children Live,” and made media appearances, gave lectures and organized many events focusing on global peace initiatives.

Kimball lectured at interfaith gatherings with fellow Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist colleagues, and hosted Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Gabriel Kassab and organized events to support his work in Iraq. She is one of the first signatories to “A Common Word Between Us and You,” an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, calling for peace and understanding. She produced a CD of mystical chants dedicated to world peace. While committed to working for peace, she hosted Senegalese Presidential candidate, Shaykh Abdoulaye Dieye who introduced her to the work of Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba.

Her other interests are in health and design. She is also the author of Tropics Alive: Living Cuisine.

www.peacemakerforourtime.com