Three Basel fellowship leaders participated in a small but important interfaith event, just outside of Basel, earlier in September, along with members of various local faith communities, on the theme that religious communities have a responsibility for promoting peace and a healthy environment. The event was held in German and titled «Unsere religiöse Verantwortung für Frieden, Natur und Mitwelt.»

Adults and teens from the Reformed Christian, Islamic, Alevite, Tibetan Buddhist, Baha’i, Hindu and UU communities participated in the weekend-long series of events, starting on Friday evening at the Hindu Temple, continuing Saturday with a visit to the Islamic Cultural Center, and concluding with a Sunday Ecumenical Service.

Basel leaders Mehdi Jahandar, Susan Buchser-Lochocki and Sherif Soliman participated in the community-building discussion on the topics: What future do our descendants inherit from us? How do we maintain or create peace and a livable environment? What do we want to do to ensure that our children and their children’s children find an equally livable world? Mehdi said enthusiastically, “I was very happy to see an Imam talking about the Islam of peace, and in coherence with western society, in the Egyptian mosque.”

The weekend of socializing, workshops, talks and prayer sessions brought together about two dozen people from various communities and across the generations. “The women were varied, young and old, modern and traditional, all were very friendly and happy to meet someone new,” remarked Susan. “During and after the talk we had homemade deserts and tea at the Egyptian mosque, they were heavenly.” It was a privilege for UUB to have been a part of this stimulating event.