WESLEY GRANBERG-MICHAELSON, AUTHOR, VISITING SCHOLAR

As Christians in America and around the world prepare to celebrate Christmas, host Carol Castiel talks with Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, distinguished visiting scholar at the Library of Congress, about his forthcoming book, “The Journey of World Christianity.” Granberg-Michaelson tells Castiel that one out of every four Christians in the world lives in Africa, and that Brazil has more Catholics and Pentecostals than any other country in the world. He also discusses how the growing number of Christian immigrants living in America and Europe --- from Africa, China and Latin America --- influence the practice of Christianity, which gives rise to what he calls the “non-western church in a post-Christian West.”

KWASI BOSOMPEM, FOUNDER OF LET'S GO AFRICA FOUNDATION

A conversation with KWASI BOSOMPEM, founder of the Let’s go Africa Foundation, a US-based non-profit dedicated to promoting gender equity and improving the lives of disadvantaged youth in inner cities in Africa and the United States. A native of Ghana, Kwasi talks with host Carol Castiel about the recent election results in Ghana, the work of his foundation, and how Diaspora communities in America can help to promote development “back home.”

YOUSSEF AMRANI, MOROCCO'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

YOUSSEF AMRANI, Morocco’s Deputy Foreign Minister, sits down with host Carol Castiel to preview the objectives of the upcoming strategic discussions between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and H.M. King Mohammed VI, which will include talks about Syria, Mali and the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate. Morocco hosts the fourth “Friends of Syria” meeting in Marrakech, which Secretary of State Clinton will also attend. J. PETER PHAM joins Carol in the second half to offer observations and analysis about Morocco’s political transition and role in the region.

HASSAN MNEIMNEH, GERMAN MARSHALL FUND OF THE U.S.

HASSAN MNEIMNEH, an expert on Middle East history and Islamist movements at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., analyzes with host Carol Castiel the growing influence of Islamist parties, the significance of the Egyptian – brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the implications of unresolved divisions among the Palestinians, the conflict in Syria, and the roles of the United States, Iran and Turkey in shaping the region.

SAFINEZ BOUSBIA, DIRECTOR OF EL GUSTO

On this edition of Press Conference USA, Carol Castiel speaks with SAFINEZ BOUSBIA, the director of an award-winning documentary, EL GUSTO, which recounts the story of a group of Muslim and Jewish musicians torn apart by Algeria’s war of independence 50 years ago and reunited recently by their common passion for the music “chabbi.”

JOHN WITTE, LEGAL SCHOLAR

Is there a place for family law systems such as Sharia, Halacha and Canon Law in liberal democracies? John Witte, specialist in legal history, marriage law and religious liberty tells host Carol Castiel that the answer is a qualified, but resounding yes, and provides concrete examples in the United States, the UK and Canada. Either way, Witte says that this will be one of the most hotly debated and politicized issues in America in the coming years. Listen for more on Press Conference USA, this Saturday and Sunday on the Voice of America!

JESSICA MATHEWS, PRESIDENT OF CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTL. PEACE

Host Carol Castiel sits down with JESSICA MATHEWS, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the domestic and international policy implications of a second Obama term. Mathews is cautiously optimistic that a comprehensive and balanced deal on deficit reduction might be achieved and says the world is seeking “consistency” and leadership from President Obama on a range of foreign policy challenges from Iran’s nuclear program to Sino-US relations.