On Monday, Oct. 20, Manhattan College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education (HGI) Center will host an interfaith discussion on the extremism, prejudice and violence occurring in the Middle East. Religious leaders and scholars from the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Nusantara Foundation, Jamaica Muslim Center, Union Theological Seminary, Interfaith Center of New York, Center on Religion, Culture and Conflict at Drew University, Jewish Community Relations of New York, Congregation Tehillah, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School and other organizations will gather on campus.
The open discussion will examine the recent events in Israel and Gaza, ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and the extermination of minorities and Christians in Syria and Pakistan. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the discussion and receive more insight from religious leaders and scholars connected to the events.
The Oct. 20 discussion will talk about what America’s role is in these conflicts and faith-building coalitions, and how to build bridges and understanding among the Abrahamic Faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) at a time of conflict and turmoil.
Founded in 1996, the HGI Center is committed to understanding and respecting differences and similarities among people of all religions, races, ethnicities and nationalities.
The Oct. 20 event will be held at 3 p.m. in Smith Auditorium, and the local community is invited to attend. In addition to the HGI Center, the Religious Studies department and Office of Mission are sponsors of the event.
For more information about the discussion, please contact Mehnaz Afridi, director of the HGI Center, at (718) 862-7284 or mehnaz.afridi@manhattan.edu.