The Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, founded in 1999 for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, is once again sponsoring an array of activities to celebrate Utah's religious and cultural pluralism. The seventh annual Interfaith Week, which begins Saturday, offers numerous faith-related events with topics ranging from Buddhist film, Utah Jewish history, student spirituality, religious art, folk music, Muslim prayer, African-American spirituals, conflict resolution, global peace, Turkish dessert, mythic imagination, neo-Pagan meditation, architectural tours, and interfaith worship.
"Our mission is to promote love, harmony, and understanding among people of all faith traditions, cultures, and belief systems," Brian Farr, chairman of the Roundtable, said in a statement. "We hope Interfaith Week moves us all closer to that goal."
The week culminates at the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Feb. 8 with the annual "Interfaith Music Tribute to the Human Spirit," a worship service of music, prayers, dance, song, and devotions from "Many Faiths, One Family. " The Tribute begins at 5 p.m., narrated by KSL's Carole Mikita, with participation from Buddhist, Catholic, Episcopal, First Nation, Greek Orthodox, Hindu, Jewish, LDS, Muslim, Presbyterian, Protestant and other faiths.
"We're pleased to have several children's choirs from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian faiths, as well as the distinguished Greek Orthodox choirs," said Alan Bachman, chairman of the Tribute. "Music is an expression of the divine, filtered through human diversity. The sound of faith is heard in Scottish pipes, calls to prayer, and children's voices."
Tribute tickets are free, but must be received from from www.lds.org/events, or 1-866-LDS-TIKS, or the Conference Center ticket office, or at the Tabernacle door before performance.
A brief list of other events is attached below. The public is welcome and all events are free (unless noted otherwise).
Saturday » Meditation prayer practice for peace within and without led by Gretchen Faulk at 3 p.m., Salt Lake Main Library, 400 S. 200 East, fourth floor.
Feb. 1 » Films, "Beyond Our Differences," featuring Bill Moyers at 12:30 p.m.; "Kundun" with comments by Khando Chazotsang (niece of Dalai Lama), 2 p.m., Salt Lake Main Library, main auditorium.
Feb. 2 » Lecture on vegetarianism in world cultures at 7 p.m. by the Utah Krishnas, Salt Lake Main Library fourth floor.
Feb. 3 » Art exhibit, "An Innermost Journey," 2-5 p.m. and film, "What Do You Believe?," 3 p.m., Utah Museum of Fine Arts, on the University of Utah campus.
Feb. 3 » Concert featuring folk musicians including Kate MacLeod, Phillip Bimstein and Stone Circle on faith and the environment at 7:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 777 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City.
Feb. 5 » Visual lecture, "Utah: Jews Lived There?" Images of Jewish history & culture by Rochelle Kaplan, at 7 p.m., Salt Lake Main Library main auditorium.
Feb. 6 » Open house featuring the topic "Diversity in Islam," prayers, lecture, social, with Imam Mohammed Mehtar at 6 p.m., Khadeeja Mosque, 1019 W. Parkway Ave., Salt Lake City.
Feb. 7 » Workshop, "Coming Together to Heal: The Labyrinth of Forgiveness," by Carla Kelly and Karla Reading of HREC of Utah at 2 p.m., Salt Lake Main Library fourth floor.
Feb. 7 » Multicultural Arch Foundation presents Turkish culture and delicacies at 5 p.m., 363 W. 2720 South, Suite A, Salt Lake City.
Feb. 8 » Interfaith music tribute to the human spirit at 5 p.m., Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square, Salt Lake City. Free tickets are available at www.lds.org/events
Feb. 10 » Lecture, "Tolkien, An Imaginative Life," by Lance Owens at 7:30 p.m., Westminster College Gore Business School Auditorium, 1840 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City.
Feb. 11 » Chorale performance, "Understanding African American Spirituals and their Place in Public Education" at 7:30 p.m., Westminster Vieve Gore Concert Hall.
Visit www.utahfaiths.org/slc for more events and additional information.
