Interfaith week to bring together different faith groups for open dialogue – The San Diego Union-Tribune

The sixth annual Interfaith Awareness Week from Sunday to Aug. 13 is slated to bring together thousands of people from different faith traditions, including those who do not belong to a faith community, to hear from each other and learn about each others faith and beliefs.

For seven days, interfaith discussions will be led virtually all day, led by leaders of various faith groups from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, England, Israel, Pakistan and Australia. The event starts Sunday with an opening program broadcast via Zoom from Poway throughout the world.

Interfaith Awareness Week began in August 2017 as a five-day interfaith conference, known as the North American Interfaith Networks conference at the University of California San Diego. The event drew more than 250 people representing 20 faiths. The event was organized by the Poway Interfaith Team, which was formed by group of local faith leaders in 2006 to foster interfaith conversations.

It started here in San Diego County but has grown into a seven-day celebration that has gone global, said the Rev. Stephen Albert, co-founder of the Poway Interfaith Team and founder of the World Interfaith Network, which connects interfaith groups around the world.

The network has nearly 300 members and is recognized in 107 countries, according to Albert. This years Interfaith Awareness Week is organized by the World Interfaith Network.

One of the accomplishments of the first conference, Albert said, was that it received proclamations from 14 of 18 mayors and city councils in San Diego County, stating that their cities would honor and respect all people from all faiths, cultures and backgrounds. In March 2018, the California State Assembly and the governor approved celebrating Interfaith Awareness Week as the second week in August each year.

Albert created the California Interfaith Association three years ago to bring together dozens of Interfaith organizations across the state and then expanded the network internationally in 2019.

The idea is to bring people together in conversations about faith and foster mutual respect and friendship.

Once you begin to dialogue with people who worship differently, wear different styles of clothing, have different skin colors or accents, we learn that they are people just like us who want a peaceful world where their children can grow up happy and healthy, Albert said.

The more than 40 interfaith groups will present what they are doing in their part of the world to help bring about a more peaceful world, Albert said.

Nearly 50 virtual presentations are planned. Topics range from The Golden Rule & Interfaith Dialogue, The Art of Interfaith Understanding and Interfaith in Business to Building Community through Interfaith Partnership, Conversation with Actors of Interreligious Dialogue in Mexico and Circles of Light Interfaith Around the World.

On the last day, Aug. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m., an intergenerational panel representing various faiths and ages will discuss The Future of Interfaith.

The weeks program is free to the public and the Zoom link for each presentation can be accessed at world-interfaith.com.

Here is the weeks schedule of virtual interfaith events:

Sunday

10 a.m. Interfaith Awareness Opening Why Interfaith? Poway Interfaith Team, San Diego.

Noon. Living In The Times of Prophecy Fulfillment & Forgiving The Unforgivable One Global Family Alliances & Unity and Diversity World Council Chief Daniel Ramos, LauraSa Pele Lafoia Ava.

2 p.m. Parliament of the Worlds Religions, The Beginning of Interfaith/video and dialogue.

4 p.m. Seeds of the Interfaith Movement Growing in the Sunflower State Global Faith in Action Wichita, Kan. Sam Muyskens, Rabbi Michael Davis.

6 p.m. Circles of Light Interfaith Around the World United Religions Initiative Tahil Sharma.

Monday

8 a.m. The Golden Rule & Interfaith Dialogue Toronto, Canada Paul McKenna, Kathy Murtha.

10 a.m. The Virtue of Listening North American Interfaith Network Shelton Saeed-Nally.

Noon. Global Talk Zone Interfaith Collaboration the Rev. Steve Albert.

1 p.m. Spiritual Diversity in Education Deborah Robin Mech.

2 p.m. Religions for Peace International and Religions for Peace USA Interreligious Peacebuilding Around the World Karen Hernandez.

4 p.m. Shasta Interfaith Redding the Rev. Lynn E. Fritz.

6 p.m. Evangelicals, Islam & Interfaith Imam Taha Hassane, Martin Brooks.

Tuesday

8 a.m. Learn, Fellowship, Serve, and Worship MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio Toledo, Ohio Judy Trautman, Joseph Zielinski.

10 a.m. The Art of Interfaith Understanding Philadelphia the Rev. John Hougen.

Noon. Global Talk Zone Interfaith Collaboration the Rev. Steve Albert.

1 p.m. Interfaith in Business Jeff Blanton

2 p.m. Teeming UP for Peace Week and the UP Convergence World Unity Week, Australia the Rev. Becky Suzik.

4 p.m. Interfaith Movement and Social Justice in Arizona Arizona Faith Network Phoenix Vasu Bandhu

6 p.m. Uncommon Friends: The Heart of Love, Justice and Liberation for All Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council Kansas City the Rev. Kelly Isola

Aug. 10

8 a.m. Taking action on climate chaos: An Interfaith dialogue from three traditional religious perspectives. Temple of Understanding New York, N.Y. Suzy Meszoly, the Rev. Susan Hendershot, Daniel Capper.

10 a.m. Big Questions Forum Rossmoor Interfaith Council, San Francisco Bay Area Sara Blackstock.

11 a.m. San Francisco Bay Area Interfaith Councils Working Together the Rev. Will McGarvey.

Noon. Global Talk Zone Interfaith Collaboration the Rev. Steve Albert.

1 p.m. Look What Happens When We Stand Side By Side! San Dieguito Interfaith Ministers Association, Encinitas Karen Koblentz.

2 p.m. Interfaith Ministry as a Pathway to Being the Change Empowering your Vision and Voice in the World All Paths Divinity School Los Angeles & Global Interfaith Seminary Southern California Committee for a Parliament of the Worlds Religions (SCCPWR), Southern California Parliament of the Worlds Religions the Rev. Debrah Friedland-VanZyl.

3 p.m. Creating Sustainable Healthy Communities for Peace SCCPWR Los Angeles the Rev. Richard Rose.

4 p.m. Season for NonViolence Association for Global New Thought the Rev. Temple Hayes, Pari Patri, Barbara Fields.

6 p.m. Interfaith Successes, Issues and Hopes in Religiously Diverse Orange County Orange County Interfaith Network and Six Interfaith Councils Don Garrick.

Aug. 11

8 a.m. Building Bridges Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education & Action Edmonton Alberta, Canada Len Gierach.

10 a.m. Building Community through Interfaith Partnership Why Cornwall is Considered a Grassroots Movement. Cornwall Interfaith Partnership Cornwall, Canada John Towndrow.

Noon. Global Talk Zone Interfaith Collaboration the Rev. Steve Albert.

1 p.m. United Peace Federation.

2 p.m. Fostering Dialogue for Harmony & Peace Ruth Broyde Sharone.

3 p.m. Why Cant Science & Religion be Friends Ruth Broyde Sharone.

4 p.m. Taking Action on Climate Change: An Interfaith Conversation Faith & the Common Good Toronto, Canada Michelle Singh.

6 p.m. The Liminal Odyssey, Alchemizing The Spaces In-Between S.A.R.A.H. Sande Hart.

Aug. 12

8 a.m. Interfaith Connections Washington, D.C. Jacqueline Fuller.

10 a.m. Mandala Meditation & Art Creation Bahais of Clairemont Barbara Ruys.

Noon. Global Talk Zone Interfaith Collaboration the Rev. Steve Albert.

1 p.m. Women in Islam We Love Our Neighbors Sister Tehseen Usman Lazzouni.

2 p.m. Interfaith Youth Leadership Brazil Interfaith Marcelo da Costa Coelho.

4 p.m. Conversation with Actors of Interreligious Dialogue in Mexico CC Fraternidad Interespiritual of Mexico Dwynt Strega.

6 p.m. Interfaith Heritage of Islam Yusef Miller.

Aug. 13

8 a.m. Interfaith Service and Panel on Yoga and Faith LOTUS Center for All Faiths Yogaville, Buckingham, Va. Swami Jyotirmayananda and Integral Yoga Interfaith, New York the Rev. Shankar Bruce Fern.

10 a.m. Our Interfaith Journey: Hopes and Disappointments Oxford, England Mary and Marcus Braybrooke share memories of some remarkable people they have met.

Noon and 1 p.m. Interfaith Pakistan Naveed Hameed.

2 p.m. Peace is Possible The Abrahamic Reunion Interfaith Israel, Ghassan Manasra.

4 p.m. The Future of Interfaith Intergenerational Panel Vasu Bandhu, the Rev. Rob Hankinson, Vilma Rosaura Palax Tuy, Tarunjit Butalia, PK McCary.

6 p.m. A Showcase of Songs from Interfaith The Musical with Ruth Broyde Sharone and cast members a one-time showing.

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Interfaith week to bring together different faith groups for open dialogue - The San Diego Union-Tribune