INTERFAITH COMMUNITY WELCOMES POPE BENEDICT

On April 17th, 2008 Dr. Sayyid Syeed National Director along with staff from the ISNA Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances will participate in festivities related to Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States.  Beginning on Thursday morning, staff will attend the mass to be held at National’s Stadium.  
  
Dr. Sayyid Syeed along with other Muslim leaders will then meet the Pope in a special interfaith gathering held at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center at which time Pope Benedict will address the leaders.  Dr. Syeed  among ten religious leaders chosen to personally greet the Pope at this meeting.  During the interfaith gathering a gift of a small Qu’ran in green leather with gold leafing will be presented to Pope Benedict by Saman Hussain.  Ms. Hussain is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she majored in religious studies and foreign affairs.  She served as a leader of the Muslim Student Association and was a coordinator of the Unity Walk in memory of the victims of 9/11, organized by the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington.  Gifts will be presented from other faith traditions including representatives of the Judaic, Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions.

For media related to this event please see the below links.

POPE'S US TOUR A SUBSTANTIVE GUIDE
TIME Magazine  ~ April 15, 2008

DIANE REHM'S SHOW - AUDIO
WAMU Radio 88.5  Washington D.C. ~ April 14, 2008

POPE TO GATHER WITH 200 RELIGIOUS LEADERS AT INTERFAITH MEETING
Catholic News Service ~ February 15, 2008

U.S. MUSLIM LEADERS SPLIT ON MEETING WITH POPE  
Interfaith event also will include Jewish, Buddhist, Jain and Hindu leaders
MSNBC from AP ~ April 15, 2008

HOW BENEDICT XVI WILL MAKE HISTORY
Newsweek ~ April 21, 2008 Issue

POPE TO HOST INTERFAITH GATHERING DURING VISIT TO WASHINGTON - VIDEO
Voice of America News ~ April 8, 2008

JEWISH, ISLAMIC, BUDDHIST, JAIN, HINDU LEADERS TO MEET WITH POPE BENEDICT XVI IN WASHINGTON
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

DESPITE MISSTEPS, POPE REACHING OUT TO OTHER FAITHS
Reuters ~ April 15, 2008

POPE BENEDICT XVI VISITS WASHINGTON D.C.
Archdiocese of Washington D.C.

POPE JOHN PAUL II CULTURAL CENTER
Site for Interfaith Event