Several hundred people are expected to turn out Monday evening for an event aimed at bringing together people of many faiths. WAER News caught up with one of the coordinators of the eighth annual World InterFaith Harmony Assembly being held in DeWitt.
Interfaith Works of Central New York and Women Transcending Boundaries is bringing you an evening of culture though food and conversation. Betty Lamb is the past President of Women Transcending Boundaries and said bring people of all backgrounds together is a way to help unify the community.
"It is important because everyone likes their own space, they like their own comfort zone. A lot of religions have very distinct rubrics, and there's comfort in that. It's not always easy to share outside of your own religious household."
Lamb said this is an opportunity to foster a culture of peace. The event will have representatives from twelve faith communities, who want to expand their understanding of local groups within Syracuse.
"We have so many people in this city of different religions, of different nations, of different cultures, of different languages, that it is a blessing...but also a challenge to understand each other. It is so easy to misunderstand."
Lamb said the event first started shortly after 9/11 to create a safe place to learn about the many diverse aspects of different cultures. She has heard many reasons for why people choose to attend the event, but if she could have people leave with one message it would be this…
"That we have love for each other in our community. That love also gives us hope. It also negates the fear. We wanted to do that...we wanted to make sure we were negating the fear."
The World InterFaith Harmony Assembly will be Monday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 at the Congregation –Beth Sholom Chevra Shas in DeWitt. The event is free with several options for parking.
The temple’s upper parking lot is for handicap parking, and the lower two lots are for general parking. Overflow parking is available at Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church with a shuttle to the Synagogue that starts at 5:30 p.m. Further information can be found on the InterFaith Works’ website.
