Photos by Fajr DeLane.
By FAJR DELANE – Staff Writer
Senior Fajr DeLane explores a higher realm of knowledge, people and inspiration through her journey out to Salt Lake City.
On Oct. 15-19, 14,000 people from around the world gathered for peace and justice. Growing strong for over 100 years, The Parliament of World Religions has brought the best and brightest advocates of our time together to discuss, understand and take action in their respective communities and world at large.
Freshman year, I was a part of the United Religions Initiative (URI) organization. To my surprise, I was contacted late in my junior year by the URI organization to consider an all-expense paid for the trip and stay to attend the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City, as a URI student representative.
“The Parliament is the oldest, the largest and the most inclusive gathering of people of all faith and traditions,” according to parliamentofreligions.org.
This only happens once every couple of years. Dignitaries, United Nation members, Nobel Peace Prize Winners and human rights activists were in attendance. There was a sense of union between people of all different cultures, backgrounds and religions as they advocated for a greater humanity.
This event dealt with concerns about hatred, war and terrorism, about the increasing wealth gap and wasteful human consumption, as well as our mother earth and climate changes we are experiencing worldwide.
I had the personal pleasure of meeting Suzanne Barakat, the sister of Deah Barakat, who was one of the victims of the Chapel Hill Shooting at the University of North Carolina. I was also able to meet Marianne Williamson, an American author, and Bishop Dr. Barbara King, founder of Hillside International Truth Center in Atlanta. I networked with CEOs such as the filmmaker, journalist and leader Patrice O’Neill who owns “Not in Our Town,” the Parliament’s Board of Trustee Janaan Hashim, Assistant Professor Dr. Rose Aslan and so many others.
Having attended this event, the attendees hope grew for our human race and knew that a higher power was in control of making such a wonderful event possible.
I also recognize that with opportunity comes greater responsibility for myself and that it is not enough to come away inspired, but prepared to take greater action.
I plan to spread the word about our climate change and fight for the human rights of blacks in America and world at large.
