Abeer Alziadi said she believes her religion forms just one aspect of who she is as an individual.

The senior social work major was one of more than 80 people who attended the Interfaith Dialogue at the Noble Room in Hendricks Chapel on Wednesday evening. The topic was Islamophobia.

“It was a sensitive topic but overall it was a really great event because everybody got a chance to express their opinion,” Alziadi said.

The event, organized by Hendricks Chapel and the Disability Cultural Center, began with dinner for those in attendance in the packed Noble Room. The dialogue was part of a series of events for Remembrance Week, which honors the victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing.

The attendees of the event were primarily students, but some faculty and staff members also attended.

After dinner, the dialogue formally began with a few minutes of mindfulness meditation and facilitated discussion led by Hendricks chaplains.

The discussion primarily revolved around the term “Islamophobia” and the way in which the word has had significant repercussions on different social groups. The group conversation was guided by articles and news events, as well as personal stories and perspectives on the issue.

Ahmed Malik, the Muslim chaplain, said the event was something important to him because as a Muslim, he said he knows how scary Islamophobia can be.

“Hopefully through this conversation, people left with the understanding that we’re not here to diminish or put down debate and conversation, but we’re here to try to end hatred and prejudice,” Malik said after the event.

The event then transitioned into Remembrance Week. Audience members discussed Islamophobia on campus and their thoughts of the events of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing.

Farrell Brenner, one of the Remembrance Scholars, said the purpose of the talk was to discuss how Islamophobia has affected the Syracuse University community’s ability to honor all the lives lost in 1988.

“While 9/11 is often pinpointed as the major turning point for the experiences of Muslims and Arabs in the United States, it’s important to note that the memorialization of these two events is connected, that they’re a part of a larger context of how we think about violence and whose lives matter,” Brenner said.

After a few more comments and questions, the dialogue closed with another few minutes of meditation.

“I remain delighted and honored to be one of the co-hosts of the Interfaith Dialogue series,” said Diane Wiener, the director of the Disability and Cultural Center. “Tonight we had a really meaningful and deep conversation, where people articulated and listened to each other’s different viewpoints. I look forward to many other future conversations.”

Published on October 26, 2016 at 11:36 pm

Contact Saniya: ssmore@syr.edu