A delicious Middle Eastern meal cooked by refugee families, an Oscar-winning film about Syrian rescue workers and a keynote address by a nationally recognized Muslim scholar are among the highlights of Celebrate Islam Week April 24-30.
The week’s events, sponsored by SALAM, Standing Alongside America’s Muslims, mark the second annual Celebrate Islam Week. SALAM is a Missoula group dedicated to supporting our Muslim neighbors through education, understanding and informed, respectful discussion.
• At a banquet Monday, April 24, at First Presbyterian Church, 235 S 5th St. West, diners will be treated to Middle Eastern dishes prepared by refugees and Missoula residents. Places are reserved at SALAMMissoula.eventbrite.com and payment is made at the door ($15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors).
• Ambassador Mark Johnson will introduce the Academy Award-winning film, “The White Helmets” at a free showing Tuesday night, April 25, at 7 p.m. at the UC Theater on the UM campus. The 40-minute documentary, co-sponsored by Soft Landing Missoula, follows courageous rescue workers in war-torn Syria. It will be followed by a 30-minute panel discussion. See the Facebook event for more details.
• On Wednesday, April 26, students who studied abroad in Morocco and the United Arab Emirates will discuss their experiences in the Islamic world in Room 305 of the UM Forestry Building, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
• Dawood Yasin of Zaytuna College in Berkeley, Calif., the first Islamic liberal arts college in the United States, will deliver the keynote address, focusing on Islam’s long history in this country and America’s Muslim community today. Yasin’s speech will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 27, in Urey Lecture Hall on the UM campus.
• Earlier the same day (Thursday, April 27) at a noon luncheon at Emmaus House, 532 University Ave., Eamon Ormseth will lead a discussion on “What Do Muslims Need? How Allies Can Help.”
• Two weekend events at Congregation Har Shalom, 3035 S Russell St., cap Celebrate Islam Week: Dances of Universal Peace at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 29, and “Crossing the Bridge,” a ritual of connection designed to help overcome the barriers that separate us, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30.