Shura Council Holds Sixth
Ramadan Interfaith Dinner
Rev.
Ed Bacon, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi and Shakeel Syed |
Anaheim,
CA: The Shura Council 6th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Iftar
Dinner attracted over 350 prominent guests from Southern California
on October 13.
Among the guest speakers from the interfaith leadership were
Rabbi Mark Diamond of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California,
Bishop Jon Bruno of the Los Angeles Diocese and Fr. Alexei
Smith representing Cardinal Mahoney of the LA Archdiocese
and Rev. Leonard Jackson representing the Mayor of Los Angeles,
Antonio Villaraigosa. The interfaith clergy recognized the
critical role that faiths need to play in the pursuit of peace
today.
Joining
the interfaith leadership were Sandra Hutchens, Chief of Homeland
Security for the LA Sheriff Department; Stephen Tidwell, FBI
Assistant Director Incharge and David Maggard, Police Chief
for the City of Irvine who also serves as the President of
Chiefs of Police for Orange County. LAPD 1st Asst Chief Jim
McDonnell and Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona sent their
best wishes and regrets for conflicting schedules.
Congresswoman
Loretta Sanchez |
Congresswoman
Loretta Sanchez also joined the celebration with the Muslim
leadership from all of Southern California calling her city
of Garden Grove a unique experience of American pluralism
in the entire country. Also present were staff members of
Congresswoman Linda Sanchez and Hilda Solis who presented
a proclamation for the Shura Council.
Representatives
from many other organizations, such as ACLU, CLUE, UNITEHERE,
Orange County Human Relations, Anaheim PD & Garden Grove
PD also participated in the Sixth Annual Interfaith Iftar.
Shakeel Syed, Executive Director of the Shura Council in introducing
the 2006 Peace Award recipient said, that “the ethical
disparities of our society in allocating $550 billion for
military defense and a mere $15 billion for ending poverty
merits reconciliation.” He added, “Wars are not
started in the battlefields but in the heart of someone who
believes all lives are not equal and that unless these hearts
are repaired there cannot be peace.
A
group of guests |
Dr.
Muzammil Siddiqi, the Chairman of the Shura Council, announced
the 2006 Peace Award to the All Saints Church of Pasadena,
one of the most prominent churches whose social justice work
is rooted in true Christian teachings.
Rev.
Ed Bacon, the eloquent Rector of All Saints, received the
award on behalf of its vestry and congregants and reiterated
his community's strong friendship with the Muslim community
and the faith of Islam. He also added that pursuing peace
is not an option but an urgent imperative.
Sayyid Mustafa Qazwini and Imam Abdul Karim Hassam joined
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi in thanking the guests and encouraging
community members to continue neighborly outreach to foster
better understanding and love.
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