Chicago to host world’s largest interfaith gathering

CHICAGO: The world’s largest interfaith gathering will kick off on Aug 14 in the third-most populous city in the United States, Chicago.

The theme of this year’s Parliament is “A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom and Human Rights.” The event’s goal is to ignite discussions about and present solutions to some of the most pressing crises facing the globe today with a goal of achieving a just, peaceful, and sustainable world, according to the event organiser.

Around 10,000 participants from more than 80 countries including Pakistani Americans such as President of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council Anila Ali and the American-born-writer Wajahat Ali will speak in the interfaith gathering.

Speaking with The News, Anila Ali expressed her immense pride in representing Muslim women and Pakistan at the event. She highlighted that the gathering will witness the participation of leaders from various religions, which presents a fantastic opportunity to counter and dispel any negative preconceptions associated with Islam. Anila Ali believes that this event will contribute towards fostering understanding, unity, and appreciation among different faiths. The event participants include those from every faith background, plus global leaders in human rights, climate change, sustainability, women’s rights, gun control, and social change. The gathering has its origins back in 1893, when the first Parliament of the World’s Religions took place as part of the world’s fair known as the Columbian Exposition.

The first revival of that 1893 Parliament took place in 1993 to mark the centennial of the original event. Since then, every several years, people from around the world have gathered for similar meetings; 1999 in Cape Town, South Africa; 2004 in Barcelona, Spain; 2009 in Melbourne, Australia; 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah; and 2018 in Toronto, Canada. The 2021 Parliament was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gathering is viewed as the birth of the modern interfaith movement, which holds that different religions have something to learn from each other and can cooperate for the good of humanity.