"Allah is one, He is the only one, He created everything…" We grow up singing songs praising Allah (Swt), we go to classes discussing the attributes of Allah (Swt) and then when it comes to the reality of our lives, we forget about it in our daily search for success. We all want success, but how do we plan on getting it if we don't ever stop and reflect on the one-ness of Allah (swt)? Let us join in and discuss how we can all purify our hearts and ease our minds with sincerity towards Allah in everything we do."
Cultural and Religious Pluralism Today: Building Civility & Unity
Posted by Muslim Student Association on Friday, August 19, 2011
Under: Events
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 to Sun, Sep 11, 2011 - All Day
September 8, 2011
7:00-9:00 p.m.
The Role of Youth in Building Pluralistic Society
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by Office of Spiritual Life, Westminster College; and the Inclusion Center, Westminster College
Young leaders from Salt Lake City will share their perspectives on how to share power, resources, and accountability in a pluralistic society. School and college environments honor religious diversity, and the panelists at this event will share their ideas about how different groups of youth can respectfully coexist in a community while maintaining their individual ethnic and religious identities. Their personal stories will explore social norms and encourage audiences to discuss their roles in these norms and how to assess them to create an inclusive and just community. A public reception will follow.
Speakers:
Brina Apineru, West High School
Anwar Arafat, Muslim Students Association
Kim Cheney, Westminster College
Sam Jones, Academy For Math, Engineering & Science (AMES)
Samah Safiullah, Highland High School
Welcome: Debbie Ehrman, Associate Director for Library Experiences, The City Library
Introduction: Kilo Zamora, Inclusion Center
Moderator: Jan Saeed, Office of Spiritual Life, Westminster College
September 9, 2011
7:00-9:00 p.m.
Out of Cordoba, film screening and Q&A with filmmaker Jacob Bender
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by Interreligious Engagement Initiative, Utah Valley University; and the Tanner Humanities Center, University of Utah.
Enjoy a free screening of Out of Cordoba, a feature-length documentary exploring issues important to religious pluralism, and stay for an intimate discussion with director Jacob Bender. A public reception will follow.
About Out of Cordoba:
The documentary film Out of Cordoba explores some of the most vexing questions of our time: Is there a “clash of civilizations” between the West and the Islamic world? Are Jews and Muslims eternal enemies, incapable of peaceful coexistence? Does religious faith lead inevitably to xenophobia and violence? Out of Cordoba confronts these issues through an exploration of the lives and writings of the two most important thinkers to emerge from medieval Muslim Spain: Averroes the Muslim, and his Jewish counterpart, Rabbi Moses Maimonides. The 82-minute film explores the legacy of these two philosophers, as well as their contemporary importance for interfaith relations, and especially for Muslims, Jews, and Christians struggling against religious extremism.
Welcome: Gail McCulloch, Librarian, Salt Lake City Public Library
Moderator: Dr. Iqbal Hossain, President of the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake
About Jacob Bender:
Jacob Bender is a documentary filmmaker, video producer, photographer, graphic designer, and interfaith consultant. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Bender was one of the initiators of interfaith dialogue with the American Muslim community. He has spoken dozens of times at mosques and at large gatherings of Muslims in the United States, particularly at the conventions of the Islamic Society of North America, the largest Muslim organization in the US.
September 10, 2011
12:00-2:00 p.m.
Keynote Address: The Challenge of Religious Pluralism and Democratic Citizenship Today
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by the Interreligious Engagement Initiative, Utah Valley University; and the Utah Humanities Council.
In the aftermath of the Cold War, some observers spoke optimistically of an "end to history" made possible by a global agreement on the values of liberal democracy and market capitalism. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the outbreak of ethno-religious conflicts and an upsurge in terrorist violence in parts of the world led other observers to more pessimistic conclusions, some warning of a clash of civilizations pitting a secular democratic West against non-Western rivals. In this presentation, Hefner will survey recent developments in religion and politics around the world, including the United States, to suggest that there is no end to history and no easy agreement on how to live together as democratic citizens in religiously plural societies. At the same time, he will present recent developments that provide clues and hope about what kind of the political arrangements are best suited to promote democratic citizenship in a world both deeply pluralistic and vibrantly religious.
Boxed lunches will be provided by Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.
Speaker: Robert Hefner, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs (CURA), Boston University
Welcome: Beth Elder, Director, Salt Lake City Public Library
Introductory Remarks & Moderator: Dr. Brian Birch, Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Engaged Learning and Professor of Philosophy, Utah Valley University
About Robert Hefner:
Hefner is Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs (CURA) at Boston University. At CURA, he has directed the program on Islam and civil society since 1991; coordinated interdisciplinary research and public policy programs on religion, pluralism, and world affairs; and is currently involved in comparative research on citizenship and the challenge of pluralism in Muslim-majority and Western societies. He is a regular consultant on religion and world affairs for government and the media, and has written seven major policy reports, authored or edited 16 books (including Remaking Muslim Politics: Pluralism, Contestation, Democratization), and has directed and organized several research projects and international conferences.
2:00-6:00 p.m.
Eid al-Fitr Celebration
Lower Urban Room
Eid al-Fitr, which literally means “the feast of breaking the fast,” marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Eid al-Fitr is a time for fellowship, to come together as a community and renew friendships and family ties. The City Library's Eid al-Fitr celebration will include crafts, a magician, and henna tattoo painting.
2:00-3:30 p.m.
The Role of Interfaith Leaders in Building Religious Pluralism and Ethical Unity
Main Library Auditorium
This session will call upon members of various religious faiths to explore those commonalities within their own traditions that help foster a society in which all traditions and cultures can live in peace and harmony. How do we foster and create a peaceful society that recognizes and respects all our diversity?
Panel Members:
Alan Scott Bachman, Chair, Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable
Jerry Hirano, Salt Lake Buddhist Temple
Maysa Kergaye, Islamic Speakers Bureau
Indra Neelameggham, Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple
Moderator: Rev. Canon W. Ivan Cendese, Ph.D., Executive Director, Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable
3:45-5:15 p.m.
Men are from Mecca and Women are from Medina with Baba Ali: Comedy
Main Library Auditorium
YouTube sensation Baba Ali, touches up on the differences between men and women and provides insight on how understand, respect and appreciate their differences in a marriage.
Introduction: Aden Batar, Vice President, Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake
Eid al-Fitr Presentation: Iqra Academy of Utah
Moderator: Zuhaib Alam, Muslim Students Association
About Baba Ali:
The year's most promising Muslim comedian, Baba Ali, takes a lighthearted approach toward Muslim-based entertainment, cutthing through the muck of grandstanding and politicizing issues by simply telling it like it is. The sharp-witted style takes a realistic look at the everyday issues Muslims are confronted with, but instead of mocking Islam, he uses a comical approach that hits the mark with almost every viewer, without using offensive material. Baba Ali’s videos have been viewed online more than 10 million times, and his work has been featured by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, USA Today, and BBC. Learn more at http://www.comedianbookings.com/comedians/comedian-baba-ali-appearance-booking-agent.php
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Pluralism and Civility: The Role of Religion in Building Ethical Unity
Main Library Auditorium
Civility can be understood as the civic expression of the Golden Rule, a version of which is found in all major faith traditions. So in spite of significant cultural and doctrinal differences, a shared commitment to civility by religious groups can be an important underpinning for building ethical unity across all of their differences. The panel members will address this important role of civility from the perspective of their respective religious traditions.
Panel Members:
Rabbi Joshua M Aaronson, Temple Har Shalom, Park City
Pastor Scott Dalgarno, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, PC(USA)
Brian Farr, Member, LDS Church; President, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy
Imam Muhammed Shoayb Mehtar, Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake
Reverend Langes J. Silva, JCD, Judicial Vicar & Vice-Chancellor, Diocese of Salt Lake City
Moderator: Dr. Muriel Schmid, University of Utah
Introductory Remarks: John Kesler, Director of the Utah Civility and Community 2011 Initiative
7:00 p.m.
Public Reception
Urban Room
Mingle with fellow attendees at an informal reception. Refreshments provided by the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.
September 11, 2011
1:15-3:00 p.m.
Lessons of Tolerance: How to Build Ethical Unity
Main Library Auditorium
Tolerance entails sensitivity to others' points of view. The goal of achieving ethical unity is not to develop a consensus on itemized moral and ethical issues; it is rather to avoid marginalizing the weak and the under-represented and to provide dignity and space to those we disagree with, including groups advocating atheism or agnosticism. There must also be an economic imperative for an ethical system to be sustainable over the longer term. The present knowledge-based economic system must, therefore, be transitioned to its logical end—a wisdom-based system. The important role of our respected community leaders, scholars, rabbis, pastors, monks and imams, is to join hands and provide ethical guidance to our future inventors, scientists, venture capitalists, and political leadership to make that transformation happen.
Panel Members:
Dr. Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Middle East Center, University of Utah
Dr. Charles Randall Paul, the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy
Richard Scott, Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College
Benan Zahawi, Alrasool Islamic Center
Kilo Zamora, Inclusion Center, Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Welcome: Debbie Ehrman, Associate Director for Library Experiences, Salt Lake City Public Library
Invocation: Lacee Harris, Spiritual Leader, Northern Ute/Northern Paiute
Moderator: Dr. Reaz Chaudhuri, University of Utah
3:15-4:45 p.m.
Strong People Don’t Need Strong Leaders: Building Movements from the Bottom-Up
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by the Interreligious Engagement Initiative, Utah Valley University; and the Utah Humanities Council.
Many members of the American Civil Rights movement were deeply committed to the principle that pluralistic values are most likely to thrive in societies where everyday citizens are deeply involved in civic life rather than depending on leaders, even democratically elected ones. This talk will examine the thinking and work of these activists, including the impact they had on other democratizing movements (such as the student power movement, the anti-war movement, the Chicano and Native American movements, and modern feminism) resulting in a society that gave more space to previously excluded groups. This talk will also explore contemporary forms of the politics of empowerment, some of them directly traceable to the Civil Rights movement. A public reception will follow.
Speaker: Charles M. Payne is the Frank P. Hixon Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago
Introduction: Dr. Leslie Kelen, Center for Documentary Arts
Responses: Rev. France Davis, Calvary Baptist Church
About Charles M. Payne:
Payne is the Frank P. Hixon Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. His interests include urban education and school reform, social inequality, social change and modern African American history. His most recent books are So Much Reform, So Little Change (Harvard Education Publishing Group, 2008) which examines the persistence of failure in urban schools, and an anthology, Teach Freedom: The African American Tradition of Education For Liberation (Teachers College Press, 2008), which is concerned with Freedom School-like education. With the support of the Carnegie Scholar’s Program, he is doing a study of how school reform dialogue in other countries compares to the American situation.
http://www.slcpl.org/events/view/619
September 8, 2011
7:00-9:00 p.m.
The Role of Youth in Building Pluralistic Society
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by Office of Spiritual Life, Westminster College; and the Inclusion Center, Westminster College
Young leaders from Salt Lake City will share their perspectives on how to share power, resources, and accountability in a pluralistic society. School and college environments honor religious diversity, and the panelists at this event will share their ideas about how different groups of youth can respectfully coexist in a community while maintaining their individual ethnic and religious identities. Their personal stories will explore social norms and encourage audiences to discuss their roles in these norms and how to assess them to create an inclusive and just community. A public reception will follow.
Speakers:
Brina Apineru, West High School
Anwar Arafat, Muslim Students Association
Kim Cheney, Westminster College
Sam Jones, Academy For Math, Engineering & Science (AMES)
Samah Safiullah, Highland High School
Welcome: Debbie Ehrman, Associate Director for Library Experiences, The City Library
Introduction: Kilo Zamora, Inclusion Center
Moderator: Jan Saeed, Office of Spiritual Life, Westminster College
September 9, 2011
7:00-9:00 p.m.
Out of Cordoba, film screening and Q&A with filmmaker Jacob Bender
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by Interreligious Engagement Initiative, Utah Valley University; and the Tanner Humanities Center, University of Utah.
Enjoy a free screening of Out of Cordoba, a feature-length documentary exploring issues important to religious pluralism, and stay for an intimate discussion with director Jacob Bender. A public reception will follow.
About Out of Cordoba:
The documentary film Out of Cordoba explores some of the most vexing questions of our time: Is there a “clash of civilizations” between the West and the Islamic world? Are Jews and Muslims eternal enemies, incapable of peaceful coexistence? Does religious faith lead inevitably to xenophobia and violence? Out of Cordoba confronts these issues through an exploration of the lives and writings of the two most important thinkers to emerge from medieval Muslim Spain: Averroes the Muslim, and his Jewish counterpart, Rabbi Moses Maimonides. The 82-minute film explores the legacy of these two philosophers, as well as their contemporary importance for interfaith relations, and especially for Muslims, Jews, and Christians struggling against religious extremism.
Welcome: Gail McCulloch, Librarian, Salt Lake City Public Library
Moderator: Dr. Iqbal Hossain, President of the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake
About Jacob Bender:
Jacob Bender is a documentary filmmaker, video producer, photographer, graphic designer, and interfaith consultant. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Bender was one of the initiators of interfaith dialogue with the American Muslim community. He has spoken dozens of times at mosques and at large gatherings of Muslims in the United States, particularly at the conventions of the Islamic Society of North America, the largest Muslim organization in the US.
September 10, 2011
12:00-2:00 p.m.
Keynote Address: The Challenge of Religious Pluralism and Democratic Citizenship Today
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by the Interreligious Engagement Initiative, Utah Valley University; and the Utah Humanities Council.
In the aftermath of the Cold War, some observers spoke optimistically of an "end to history" made possible by a global agreement on the values of liberal democracy and market capitalism. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the outbreak of ethno-religious conflicts and an upsurge in terrorist violence in parts of the world led other observers to more pessimistic conclusions, some warning of a clash of civilizations pitting a secular democratic West against non-Western rivals. In this presentation, Hefner will survey recent developments in religion and politics around the world, including the United States, to suggest that there is no end to history and no easy agreement on how to live together as democratic citizens in religiously plural societies. At the same time, he will present recent developments that provide clues and hope about what kind of the political arrangements are best suited to promote democratic citizenship in a world both deeply pluralistic and vibrantly religious.
Boxed lunches will be provided by Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.
Speaker: Robert Hefner, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs (CURA), Boston University
Welcome: Beth Elder, Director, Salt Lake City Public Library
Introductory Remarks & Moderator: Dr. Brian Birch, Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Engaged Learning and Professor of Philosophy, Utah Valley University
About Robert Hefner:
Hefner is Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs (CURA) at Boston University. At CURA, he has directed the program on Islam and civil society since 1991; coordinated interdisciplinary research and public policy programs on religion, pluralism, and world affairs; and is currently involved in comparative research on citizenship and the challenge of pluralism in Muslim-majority and Western societies. He is a regular consultant on religion and world affairs for government and the media, and has written seven major policy reports, authored or edited 16 books (including Remaking Muslim Politics: Pluralism, Contestation, Democratization), and has directed and organized several research projects and international conferences.
2:00-6:00 p.m.
Eid al-Fitr Celebration
Lower Urban Room
Eid al-Fitr, which literally means “the feast of breaking the fast,” marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Eid al-Fitr is a time for fellowship, to come together as a community and renew friendships and family ties. The City Library's Eid al-Fitr celebration will include crafts, a magician, and henna tattoo painting.
2:00-3:30 p.m.
The Role of Interfaith Leaders in Building Religious Pluralism and Ethical Unity
Main Library Auditorium
This session will call upon members of various religious faiths to explore those commonalities within their own traditions that help foster a society in which all traditions and cultures can live in peace and harmony. How do we foster and create a peaceful society that recognizes and respects all our diversity?
Panel Members:
Alan Scott Bachman, Chair, Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable
Jerry Hirano, Salt Lake Buddhist Temple
Maysa Kergaye, Islamic Speakers Bureau
Indra Neelameggham, Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple
Moderator: Rev. Canon W. Ivan Cendese, Ph.D., Executive Director, Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable
3:45-5:15 p.m.
Men are from Mecca and Women are from Medina with Baba Ali: Comedy
Main Library Auditorium
YouTube sensation Baba Ali, touches up on the differences between men and women and provides insight on how understand, respect and appreciate their differences in a marriage.
Introduction: Aden Batar, Vice President, Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake
Eid al-Fitr Presentation: Iqra Academy of Utah
Moderator: Zuhaib Alam, Muslim Students Association
About Baba Ali:
The year's most promising Muslim comedian, Baba Ali, takes a lighthearted approach toward Muslim-based entertainment, cutthing through the muck of grandstanding and politicizing issues by simply telling it like it is. The sharp-witted style takes a realistic look at the everyday issues Muslims are confronted with, but instead of mocking Islam, he uses a comical approach that hits the mark with almost every viewer, without using offensive material. Baba Ali’s videos have been viewed online more than 10 million times, and his work has been featured by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, USA Today, and BBC. Learn more at http://www.comedianbookings.com/comedians/comedian-baba-ali-appearance-booking-agent.php
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Pluralism and Civility: The Role of Religion in Building Ethical Unity
Main Library Auditorium
Civility can be understood as the civic expression of the Golden Rule, a version of which is found in all major faith traditions. So in spite of significant cultural and doctrinal differences, a shared commitment to civility by religious groups can be an important underpinning for building ethical unity across all of their differences. The panel members will address this important role of civility from the perspective of their respective religious traditions.
Panel Members:
Rabbi Joshua M Aaronson, Temple Har Shalom, Park City
Pastor Scott Dalgarno, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, PC(USA)
Brian Farr, Member, LDS Church; President, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy
Imam Muhammed Shoayb Mehtar, Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake
Reverend Langes J. Silva, JCD, Judicial Vicar & Vice-Chancellor, Diocese of Salt Lake City
Moderator: Dr. Muriel Schmid, University of Utah
Introductory Remarks: John Kesler, Director of the Utah Civility and Community 2011 Initiative
7:00 p.m.
Public Reception
Urban Room
Mingle with fellow attendees at an informal reception. Refreshments provided by the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.
September 11, 2011
1:15-3:00 p.m.
Lessons of Tolerance: How to Build Ethical Unity
Main Library Auditorium
Tolerance entails sensitivity to others' points of view. The goal of achieving ethical unity is not to develop a consensus on itemized moral and ethical issues; it is rather to avoid marginalizing the weak and the under-represented and to provide dignity and space to those we disagree with, including groups advocating atheism or agnosticism. There must also be an economic imperative for an ethical system to be sustainable over the longer term. The present knowledge-based economic system must, therefore, be transitioned to its logical end—a wisdom-based system. The important role of our respected community leaders, scholars, rabbis, pastors, monks and imams, is to join hands and provide ethical guidance to our future inventors, scientists, venture capitalists, and political leadership to make that transformation happen.
Panel Members:
Dr. Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Middle East Center, University of Utah
Dr. Charles Randall Paul, the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy
Richard Scott, Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College
Benan Zahawi, Alrasool Islamic Center
Kilo Zamora, Inclusion Center, Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Welcome: Debbie Ehrman, Associate Director for Library Experiences, Salt Lake City Public Library
Invocation: Lacee Harris, Spiritual Leader, Northern Ute/Northern Paiute
Moderator: Dr. Reaz Chaudhuri, University of Utah
3:15-4:45 p.m.
Strong People Don’t Need Strong Leaders: Building Movements from the Bottom-Up
Main Library Auditorium
» Generously sponsored by the Interreligious Engagement Initiative, Utah Valley University; and the Utah Humanities Council.
Many members of the American Civil Rights movement were deeply committed to the principle that pluralistic values are most likely to thrive in societies where everyday citizens are deeply involved in civic life rather than depending on leaders, even democratically elected ones. This talk will examine the thinking and work of these activists, including the impact they had on other democratizing movements (such as the student power movement, the anti-war movement, the Chicano and Native American movements, and modern feminism) resulting in a society that gave more space to previously excluded groups. This talk will also explore contemporary forms of the politics of empowerment, some of them directly traceable to the Civil Rights movement. A public reception will follow.
Speaker: Charles M. Payne is the Frank P. Hixon Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago
Introduction: Dr. Leslie Kelen, Center for Documentary Arts
Responses: Rev. France Davis, Calvary Baptist Church
About Charles M. Payne:
Payne is the Frank P. Hixon Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. His interests include urban education and school reform, social inequality, social change and modern African American history. His most recent books are So Much Reform, So Little Change (Harvard Education Publishing Group, 2008) which examines the persistence of failure in urban schools, and an anthology, Teach Freedom: The African American Tradition of Education For Liberation (Teachers College Press, 2008), which is concerned with Freedom School-like education. With the support of the Carnegie Scholar’s Program, he is doing a study of how school reform dialogue in other countries compares to the American situation.
http://www.slcpl.org/events/view/619
In : Events
