Timeline 2016

• In 2016 the Interfaith Institute received its federal tax exempt status as well. ICLI
• Feb 6th 2016 - Xenophobia Conference at UN Sponsored by OIC and Pakistan Embassy, this was a well attended meeting and the institute’s work was introduced to the global Muslim community via the ambassadors and other attendees from Muslim countries who participated.
• April 5th 2016 - “Unlikely Partners for Peace” with Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and Ali Abu Awwad a Palestinian Peace activist. The overflow multi-faith crowd was deeply appreciative of the honest and passionate presentation by the settler Rabbi and the Palestinian activist.
• May 6th 2016 - True Jihad-American Muslim Perspective—Rais Bhuiyan, an American Muslim from Bangladesh, is an extraordinary human being with a remarkable story. On Sept 21,2001 Bhuiyan was shot in the face by Mark Stroman, a white supremacist, calling himself “Arab Slayer”. The subsequent “Jihad”—struggle of Rais Bhuiyan in forgiving Mark Stroman and leading a national campaign to get Mark Stroman clemency all the way to the Supreme Court is documented in great detail in the book: The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas by Anand Giridharadas which was rated as one of the 100 notable books by NYT and received several awards.
• August 3rd 2016 - ICLI Youth Interfaith seminar— Students leaders from Israel—two Jewish girls Yam and Amit, and two Muslim boys, Hameed and Muhammad, accompanied by their UN model mentor, Steve Aiello led a lively discussion regarding life in Israel and their involvement in Model UN groups with the Interfaith Encounter Association in Israel.
• October 8th 2016 - 1st Annual Award - Dr Larycia Hawkins, a scholar, speaker and activist was the recipient of the first Inter-faith Institute award in recognition of her courageous embodied solidarity with Muslim women. In a December 10, 2015 Facebook post, Dr Hawkins declared her intention to don a hijab in solidarity with Muslim sisters as an act of Christian Advent devotion. The post initiated a national and international conversation about the nature of God and the possibilities for multi-faith solidarity in a time where Islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-semitism and racism are as, if not more prolific than any time in history.

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