Building Bridges

Building Bridges History

September 2002: Experiencing Peace Through the Healing Arts

The conference opened with remarks from Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Harlan Stelmach, marking the day as a day of peace-making, thanks to the combined efforts of the International Association of Sufism, Dominican University of California, over two dozen individuals and groups of visual and performing artists, and support of the Marin Community Foundation. The Marin County community came together to focus on healing and advancing peace—as individuals, as a community, as a nation, and globally.

More than 400 people gathered at Dominican University’s Angelico Hall to experience the healing traditions expressed through the arts. The audience was captivated by a modern/Persian dance performance focused on healing and a presentation by Kathak, an East Indian dance form harmonizing Hindu and Muslim influences. Vocal offerings ranged from Gospel music and Jewish chant to upbeat contemporary songs, with one session even inviting audience participation guided by an intuitive singer.  The program also featured American Indian storytelling and chant, along with instrumental and vocal selections by local youth. The evening concluded with the powerful rhythms of Japanese Taiko drumming and meditative Sufi chanting.

Throughout the event, a variety of visual arts were on display, including painting, textile arts, photography, American Indian ledger art, and drawings by children in the community. Each artist shared their personal reflections on peace through their chosen medium.

October 2002: Building Bridges of Shared Values

As community came together in October 2002 through the second Building Bridges of Understanding event, we raised many interests and concerns that we feel could and should be addressed with active involvement by the religious communities working alongside other members of the community.

The conference opened with statements by Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Harlan Stelmach. The aim of this gathering was to foster greater understanding of the diverse religious traditions present and active in Marin County, enrich interfaith dialogue, and explore both the beauty of our differences and the shared core values that unite us. By doing so, the participants hoped to collectively address pressing issues and strengthen the community in the pursuit of social justice.

Dr. Harlan Stelmach, Chair of Humanities at Dominican University of California, captured the purpose of this first forum in his opening remarks, posing two thought-provoking questions: “How do we move beyond a worldview that no longer serves the creative vision needed to tackle the challenges we face?” and “In today’s multifaceted civil and religious landscapes, perhaps it is precisely this complexity. That can rise to meet these challenges. We are a multi-faith society. How can we allow the strength of our diversity to elevate the current global situation?”

The panel featured esteemed speakers, including Rabbi Douglas Kahn, The Rev. Canon Charles Gibbs, Furyu Nancy Schroeder, The Rev. Kevin F. Tripp, Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar, Rabbi Chai Levy, Dr. Philip Novak, and Dr. Robert Traer. The forum attracted a diverse audience from Marin County, representing Jewish, Catholic, Sufi, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, and Religious Science communities. Attendees also included those who identified as “spiritually curious,” “non-denominational,” not one tradition,” “not religious,” or having “a strictly personal relationship with a higher power of my choice.”

Throughout the day, participants engaged in meaningful discussions and collectively identified the most pressing issues for the interfaith community to address: social justice, health care, economic equity, affordable housing, peace, environmental stewardship, tolerance, celebrating diversity, supporting children and youth, immigrant rights, community care, spirituality and religion, and reforming prisons and penalties.

2004: The Many Faces of Violence in Marin

The second Building Bridges of Understanding conference marked a significant step forward, mobilizing our collective wisdom and skills to address the pressing issue of violence in our community and to move toward a more justice and peaceful society. The event opened with statements from Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Harlan Stelmach, setting the tone for a day will with informative talks, inspirational discussions, and the sharing of personal experiences.

Throughout the day-long conference, participants engaged in small group break-out sessions and explored topics such as the anatomy of violence, cultural foundations, practical guidelines for individuals and groups, the creation of support networks, and strategies for recruiting volunteers to strengthen existing organizations. The conference aimed to inspire concrete action, uniting the Marin County community in its efforts to reduce violence and build a more compassionate society.

Participants in the conference included a diverse range of community leaders and professionals, such as spiritual leaders, educators, social psychologists, anthropologists, social and health workers, family court representatives, legal aid professionals, human rights advocates, and shelter representatives. The panelists and facilitators were a distinguished group, featuring Walt Kosta; Donna Garske, Executive Director of MAWS; Dr. LeeAnn Bartolini from Dominican University; Lee de Barros from Green Gulch; T. Crandall; Mark Owens; Angela Newman; Rev. Carol Hovis from Marin Interfaith; Harry Barbier; Leili First from the International Association of Sufism; Dr. Arife Hammerle, Director of the Community Healing Center; Dr. Amineh Pryor of the Community Healing Center; Leticia Romero; Professor Arthur Scott; and Pam Paulick.

Addressing the difficult issue of violence in an open forum offered lasting benefits for the planners, presenters, and attendees alike. These included education on recognizing the signs of violence and dispelling common misconceptions, access to up-to-date statistics on domestic violence in Marin County, and practical information to assist with personal situations. The conference also provided participants the opportunity to form support groups among themselves, created a platform for future research and the development of prevention strategies, offered training for clergy members in recognizing signs of violence and assisting with such cases, and laid the groundwork for an educational program to be introduced in local schools.

2004: Waking Up to a New Religious America

In collaboration with the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, the Building Bridges of Understanding Program Committee prepared for a six-session course for Fall 2004, followed by a conference early in 2005. This initiative was dedicated to fostering appreciative and meaningful interfaith relationships in Marin County. Grounded in the belief that diversity should be embraced, not merely accommodated, the program aimed to community members to connect with their diverse neighbors, highlighting the understanding that knowing one another is far more rewarding, and ultimately safer, than remaining strangers.

Rev. Paul Chaffee, the founding executive director of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, developed the course curriculum and opened each session by sharing insights from his many years of interfaith work. He then encouraged attendees to engage in paired discussions to reflect on their own experience. Each session also featured two or three distinguished guest speakers, representing a wide range of faith traditions, including Sufi, Jewish, Bahá’í , Zen Buddhist, Ohlone Indian, Muslim, Hindu, Brahma Kumaris, Vedanta, and both Protestant and Catholic Christianity. For many participants, this was their first exposure to a faith tradition outside of their own, and they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to explore both the similarities and differences in such a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The full-day conference took place two months after the final session of the six sessions, providing time for the participants to reflect and for the learning to develop. This allowed for deeper sharing and the creation of ongoing relationships and collaborative projects. Much of the conference was dedicated to small group discussions, beginning with sharing perspectives form different faith perspectives and then transitioning into workshops focused on specific topics of interest. These included “Islam in Marin County,” “Why Interfaith Matters in Marin,” “Interfaith Visits to Congregations,” and “Youth Programs.” Each workshop group reported their progress to the larger group; with many launching ongoing initiatives based on the day’s planning.

2006: Understanding Islam

Building on the success of the Waking Up program, the Building Bridges of Understanding Program Committee decided to focus on major religious traditions that may be less familiar to a predominantly Christian audience, starting with Islam. The conference opened with remarks from Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Harlan Stelmach, setting the stage for a full day of exploration into the Islamic faith. The event provided a broad overview of Islam while addressing timely and specific topics, including women’s Islam, civil rights, beliefs and practices, Islamic architecture, mysticism, and music. Panelists included: Shah Nazar Dr. Seyyed Ali Kianfar;  Maha elGenaidi; Suleiman Ghali; Ebrahim Nana; Mitchell Schwarzer, Ph. D.; Saleh Arthur Scott. The day concluded with a beautiful performance by the Taneen Sufi Music Ensemble, followed by Pir Shabda Khan, leaving attendees inspired and enriched by the experience.

The audience listened attentively to each speaker, asking thoughtful and probing questions throughout the day. Many attendees expressed surprise as they gained a deeper understanding of Islam, an Abrahamic tradition, and recognized its wisdom, depth, and message of peace. During lunch and breaks, participants eagerly engaged in the informal conversations with one another and some of the speakers, while also enjoying a display of Islamic art and architecture.

The enthusiastic response of the question-and-answer sessions inspired the planning committee to schedule a follow-up event. This session would offer both presenters and the public an opportunity for informal discussion, allowing them to explore topics in greater depth.

2006: The Honorable Shirin Ebadi

The Building Bridges of Understanding Series hosted the Honorable Shirin Ebadi, recipient of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, for a visiting lecture in Angelico Hall of Dominican University of California. Dr. Ebadi’s lectured, titled “Human Rights, Islam and the West,” captivated a full audience eager to hear from one of the world’s foremost human rights activists about the relationship between Islam and human rights.

This lecture was part of the ongoing Building Bridges of Understanding educational partnership between the International Association of Sufism and the Humanities Department of Dominican University of California. Plans were developed to expand this initiative into a future Islamic Studies Partnership, to include lectures and exchanges involving faculty, students, and community leaders from other universities and countries.

2007: Understanding Buddhism

Building Bridges of Understanding: Understanding Buddhism was held in February 2007, attracting an enthusiastic audience overflowing of women and men, ranging in age from college students to senior citizens, and representing the broad diversity of religious traditions found in and around Marin County. Attendees listened with rapt attention, engaging in meditation, singing, and reflecting on stories, teachings and experiences shared by eight speakers who offered diverse perspectives on Buddhism. Many participants began their day with a pre-conference meditation session, an experience that was new to many and added a deeper layer to the event.

The full day offered a glimpse and exploration into the treasure of Buddhism, as shared by teachers and practitioners of many forms of this rich spiritual tradition. The event was opened with remarks from Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Harlan Stelmach. Presentations included an introduction going back to the time of the Buddha, 2500 years ago in Nepal, delving into the Four Noble Truths and outlining the components of the Eightfold Path. Other sessions highlighted the significance of mindfulness, the practice of being present in the moment, and the practice of living within the conditional world while maintaining a connection to the unconditional or absolute. Discussions also touched on themes of repentance and forgiveness, the leadership role of women in early Buddhism, the similarity of key underlying beliefs of Theravada Buddhism and Islam, and the beautiful art and architecture of the monastic universities and village monasteries.

This full-day educational conference featured scholars and practitioners from various Buddhist backgrounds. Panelists included Joseph Bobrow Roshi, Zen master in the Diamon Sangha lineage and founder of Deep Streams Zen Institute; Sylvia Boorstein, author and co-founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center; Rev. Heng Sure, Ph. D., Buddhist monk and Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery; Rev. Carol Himaka, resident minister of the Enmanji Buddhist Temple; Philip Novak, Ph.D., a practicing Buddhist, professor and chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department at Dominican University of California; Arjia Rinpoche, founder and director of the Tibetan Center for Compassion and Wisdom; and Rev. Furyu Nancy Schroeder, Buddhist priest ordained in the Soto Zen tradition and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center.

History Continued

Learn more about the history of Building Bridges of Understanding and past programs.