The SevenDays movement began as an effort to change hearts and minds following the deaths of three individuals at the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom in Overland Park, Kan., on April 13, 2014. As result of that hate crime, SevenDays was formed to strengthen the bonds of community by promoting strength and unity through diversity regardless of race, religion or culture. The organization’s goal is to overcome the acts of hate that have become so pervasive in our society by promoting education and a deeper understanding of those around us.
The event at CU-KC on Saturday, April 16, will be an Interfaith Youth Workshop from 5:30-9 p.m. for students age 14-20. This dinner and program will share the skills needed for young people to initiate service projects to unite people of different faiths for the overall good of all society. Speakers will include Tahil Sharma, a student at the University of LaVerne, majoring in Spanish and minoring in International Studies, and Samantha Nichols, a first-year seminarian at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
On Sunday, April 17, a presentation titled “Understanding our Muslim Neighbors,” will be held at CU-KC from 7-8:30 p.m. Moderated by Mahnaz Shabbir, president of Shabbir Advisors, a management consulting company, the discussion will feature input from other members of the local Muslim community including Imam Bilal Muhammed, Belal Jamil and Asha Sheikh-Hussein.
Visit www.givesevendays.org for more information about SevenDays.