It amazing how many work for ecumenical and interfaith understanding. Quietly, patiently, intentionally. Talk to them and they dont engage in polemics. They dont overwhelm with any pious self-righteousness. They have their beliefs and they believe those are right for them, but they dont condemn and put down others for being what, or who, they are. They actually see beauty and commonality in other peoples faiths.
And they appreciate their fellow human beings who live out their faiths authentically and in way that enhances the journey of humankind.
But they also see whats happening across the planet, as religious extremists seem intent on bringing societies and cultures down through suppression and holy war to fulfill some sordid destiny.
One of the heartening efforts for understanding is the Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue, which works throughout the Valley and
Tucson to break down barriers. (www.inter-culturaldialogue.org). The brainstorm of some Muslims from
Turkey, they have worked on many levels to engage people over the past four years.
For example, on Sept. 20, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in
Phoenix, they brought together 150 people for the 4th Dialogue and Friendship Dinner. Foundation president Ismail Karatas told about the educational, social and community service activities it organizes to further intercultural and interfaith dialogue.
Their dinners have had various focuses: Multicultural Diversity, The Art of Living Together and Respect for the Sacred. There have been storytelling and poetry nights. The Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue has led a group to
Turkey to see that culture. One person came away from that saying, There is no difference between us and the people on the other end of the world. We all love, we all want to be loved, we all cry, we all laugh. In other words, we are all human beings.
The Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue has helped out victims of Hurricane Katrina and a Pakistan earthquake, while it collected new clothes for the homeless in
Tempe. They gave things out at Christmas. The Foundation even began what may become a tradition preparing a popular Middle Eastern dessert , Noahs pudding (containing nuts, fruits and sugar). Some of us called our moms, some of us did surf the Internet to find the recipe, but we managed to prepare a healthy and tasty pudding and shared it with over 800 of our friends at Tempe Community Christian Church, Arizona State University World Festival, United Methodist Church, University Presbyterian Church, East Mesa Christian Church and St. Augustines Episcopal Church, Karatas said.
Those kinds of outreaches earned the Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue one of the City of
Tempes annual Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity Awards early this year. Karatas forthrightly offers, We have to become aware of others, respect our differences, discover our shared values and foster the art of living together. The plan sounds simple but it needs a lot of patience.
To that end, it wants to organize events to enable children to become aware of the diversity and cultural richness within our society. A multicultural children festival is on the horizon, he said.
The foundation has held seminars with speakers from Catholicism, Christian Science, the Bahai Faith, Western African Ifa tradition, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Greek Orthodox Church and Buddhism.
Karatas explains that it is essential to develop and spread a model of religious tolerance and peace. It can be helped along by attracting outstanding speakers who know how to build social cohesion, show common ground in philosophies and celebrate the exciting things like joy in dance, food, art, customs, dress and the other many identities of each others cultures.
One of the speakers at the Sept. 20 dinner, Steve Farley, who had gone on a Foundation trip to
Turkey, told how deeply he was affected by the people there. He said they genuinely opened their hearts to the Western strangers. Opening our hearts is absolutely the key for what we need to do in the world today The only way to proceed forward and maintain world peace and be able to bring it here on earth is to keep hearts open no matter how hard that is. I think we have shown an example how to do this. We must carry that forward.
