/ Modified feb 3, 2017 9:53 a.m.

Tucson Islamic Center Invites Students to Interfaith Conversation

Students of different faiths have already RSVP'ed to the event.

Islamic Center Tucson sign spot The Islamic Center of Tucson, 2011.
AZPM Staff

The Islamic Center of Tucson will bring high school and college students together Saturday to talk about faith for Interfaith Harmony Week in Tucson.

Islamic Center Tucson volunteer Irfan Sheikh said fostering conversations about religion and acceptance is vital, especially in the wake of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order restricting immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

That’s why the center has invited high school and college students to come and talk about religion and faith-based discrimination in their neighborhoods and schools.

“If we do not take steps to reinforce the hope that youth has and actually send them a message that we are standing together,” Sheikh said. “No matter what happens temporarily, we may actually end up allowing these certain orders to cause divisions.”

Sheikh says the event has already reached one of its goals: getting RSVPs from students of various faiths. He’s not surprised, he said, because students tend to be more accepting of one another.

“I don’t think that youth really cares about each other’s, one another’s, faith background or culture background. They are students. They are buddies,” he said. “But unfortunately, when the government takes certain steps, that affects everybody.”

Saturday’s discussion will begin at 4 p.m. at the Islamic Center, 901 E. 1st St.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona