USA: Gilbert Global Village Festival draws 3,000 visitors

"One of his teachings is that in today's society, jihad with the sword no longer applies. Another thing our community believes in is the separation of mosque and state and freedom of religion for all religions."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Excerpt
Source/Credit: The Republic | AZCentral.Com
By  Srianthi Perera | April 24, 2012

Thunderous African drums beat a catchy tune for the Rosewood Rascals to romp on stage.

By contrast, Michiko Kawamoko and Iko Schweikert of Arizona Tomonokai ("friendship") sat at a table placidly making Origami paper cubes.

Falak Asif, an 8-year-old girl from Chandler, wrote "India" on a little orange flag and placed it on a huge, blue-green globe.

....

Inside the Religions of the World tent, Misbah Rashid, president of the Women's Auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, informed people about her particular sect, established by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, in India.

"One of his teachings is that in today's society, jihad with the sword no longer applies," Rashid said. "Another thing our community believes in is the separation of mosque and state and freedom of religion for all religions."

Rashid fielded questions ranging from "Where is Islam?" (Islam is not a country but a religion) to its particular beliefs.

Terese Pinada, who oversaw the Religions of the World tent, reported that many conversations took place between people of different religions. "People were getting to know each other," she said.

Chelsea Daniels, a delegate for Gilbert Sister Cities, who visited Northern Ireland in 2005, summed it up found it "cool to see the different cultures come together."

"I think it's cool to see that and for kids to experience that, too. A lot of people forget that there's a world outside of Arizona. So I think that this helps," Daniels added.


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