The Institute of Interfaith Dialog organized an Early Thanksgiving Dinner on November 17, Saturday, 2012. The Institute hosted more than 250 guests from all walks of life including congregation leaders, academics, city officials, neighbors of the Turquoise Center, teachers, students, and members of different faith traditions.
The event started with the reception and the tour of the facility. Then, it was followed by prayers in different faiths including but not limited to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, respectively by Gina Davis, Naomi Ostfield, and Ibrahim Sumer. They also prayed for world peace. The night continued with the dinner. Participants enjoyed the meal and conversations with the people they met at their tables. They also had fun time with the contest, in which winners received little prizes such as magnets of historical places around the world.
At the end of the event participants had the opportunity to share their Thanksgiving memories and/or prayers with everybody. Participants underlined the significance of such gatherings to help promote peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding. It was an unforgettable moment of celebration of early Thanksgiving with people from different ethnicity, beliefs, and backgrounds.
The night ended with the closing remarks by Harun Alacadag, the director of the IID-Houston Branch. Event photo album available here.
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