Georgetown convened “An Interfaith Gathering for Solidarity, Understanding, and Peace” on Dec. 16, as leaders from numerous faith traditions gathered to express their commitment to unity in Gaston Hall. Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh religious leaders participated in the proceedings, and local leaders from other faiths, including Baha’i, Hinduism, and Buddhism, also attended.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., made an unannounced appearance, delivering remarks near the conclusion of the program. Biden emphasized a message of tolerance, stating, “when we turn our backs on the victims of evil and persecution, we abandon everything we say we’re about.” Biden continued, “So it’s up to us to recognize the fear, but also to allay it.”
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, struck a similar chord as the Vice President in his remarks. He concluded by saying, “Let us never forget we are each other’s neighbor,” drawing upon the parable of the Good Samaritan, which had earlier been read by Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders of the Third Street Church of God in Washington.
Two students spoke at the gathering, as Khadija Mohamud (COL ‘17) read a passage from the Qur’an and Laila Brothers (SFS ‘18) shared an emotional reflection on how recent developments have affected both her mother, who wears a hijab, and herself.
“My mother proudly represents her faith by wearing the hijab,” Brothers said. “While she says that it is a symbol of her devotion to God, within the past few weeks, I have worried that it has come to more closely resemble a target on her back.”
The service included readings from passages of multiple religious traditions as well as reflections by local faith leaders. Imam Talib Shareef of The Nation’s Mosque drew on the idea that in Islam, God refers to all humans as a family, while Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig of the Washington Hebrew Congregation praised the event as being a “our promise that we will choose love over hate.”
Students in attendance appreciated the gathering’s central message of solidarity and understanding. Ari Shapiro (SFS ’18) attended the event and said, “I think it’s really special to see how strongly the Georgetown community and the D.C. community stand with faith communities around the world and stand united in the face of darkness and oppression and hate.”
Baasit Bhutta (COL ’19) was impressed with Georgetown’s response to recent acts of intolerance. “Being Muslim, I notice this especially because I pay attention, but it’s amazing how Georgetown’s actually addressing it,” he said. “For Georgetown to acknowledge it first and then to actually do something about it and invite important people, it’s amazing to see.”
