Highlights - Interfaith Solidarity Service 9/11 2010

Columbus Interfaith Solidarity Event: "Burn NO Sacred Books."
This event was held on Saturday, Sept 11, 2010, 2:00 pm at First Unitarian Universalist Church.

It was an interfaith service commemorating 9/11. It brought together
people of many different faiths including United Church of Christ, Unitarian-
Universalist, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Islam and others. In doing so we expressed solidarity with our Muslim sisters and brothers who are being targeted by hate campaigns in recent months, including calls by a Florida-based church (and its copycats) to burn the Muslim Holy book, the Qur'an (Koran). We stood with our leaders as we affirm religious tolerance and a pluralistic society where all share equal dignity and mutual loyalty.

Speakers included: Rev. Mark Belletini (First Unitarian Universalist Church), Ray Nandyal (Racial Diversity Task Force), Saham Abdi, Ilham Abdi (Interfaith Youth Group), Rev. Eric Brown (Woodland Christian Church), Father Vinny Kiernan (The Newman Center at OSU, Roman Catholic), Dr. Mouhamed Tarazi (Islamic Society of Greater Columbus), Rev. Eric Williams (North United Church of Christ), Rev. Alicia Rivers (United Methodist), Zerqa Abid (Interfaith Youth Group & Ohio Muslims), Don Furbee (CAIR), Rev. Joan Van Beceleare (Ohio Meadville District UUA), Fazeel Khan (Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society), Jamal Sadoun (American Islamic Waqf), Rev. Eric Meter (First Unitarian Universalist Church), Jolinda Stephens (First Unitarian Universalist Church) and Robert Reber (Interfaith Association of Central Ohio).

There were also messages from Senator Sherrod Brown Rabbi Idit Jacques, Rabbi Berman (Tifereth Israel), Dr. Susan Ritchie ( North Unitarian Universalist Congregation and the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees) and Rev. Tim Arhens (First Congregational United Church of Christ.