Dialogue International

Madison, WI – Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

Anthony (Nino) Amato, the former member of the UW Board of Regents and former Chair of the Task Force on Race Relations, was among six speakers who addressed attendees at the 4th Annual Dialogue Dinner, which was held November 11 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, hosted by Dialogue International. Other speakers were Brent Christianson, Director of the Lutheran Campus Center, Rabbi Darryl Crystal of Temple Beth El, Cecil Findley, Campus Minister Emeritus and Peace Initiative Coordinator, The Crossing, and Mamoon Syed, Entertainment Coordinator of the Islamic Society of North America. Chief of Madison Police Department, Noble Wray, was also present at the event.

Interfaith dialogue activities all around the world continue at a fast pace, and more such meetings are being held all the time. Not a single day goes by without the blessing of the hope-inspiring news of peace promotion events in some city or country, thanks to countless people of faith who look for common values and purposes under God’s will. They would like to cooperate against war, terror, poverty, and all kinds of discrimination in order to unite forces to glorify God’s Name and uphold human values and rights, peace, education, and the family structure.

Ramadan is a holy month when the relationship with God and relationships within the community are strengthened by fasting and breaking the fast with friends. To reinforce the friendship between different communities, (DI) recently expanded its reach beyond the campus this November when it moved its biannual Dialogue Dinner to the Monona Terrace for a more Madison community-oriented event. DI gathered the representatives from churches, synagogues, mosques, and other social organizations as well as various state departments.

This year’s theme was titled “Towards Global Peace” and included guest speakers such as Madison civil rights advocate Anthony Amato, Rabbi Darryl Crystal of Temple Beth El, and a representative from the Islamic Society of North America. “We’ve done it on campus before, and we’re planning to take that out into the community again because we’ve really had good feedback,” Ozalp said. What we need to do today is to avoid dwelling on matters that pull us apart, and to call attention to the commonalities that bring us together. We should all undertake that mission of carrying messages of love, dialogue and tolerance to the world, in the name of the peace and happiness of humanity. Today we are all challenged to do whatever we possibly can to foster global understanding, harmony and cooperation. We must transcend the limitations of ego and identity and prove those wrong who believe in an inevitable clash of civilizations.