The Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM) hosted a crowd of nearly 300 on Sunday for their Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Celebration. NIM is an organization, uniting over 50 different congregations. Held at The Arch Street Presbyterian Church in Center City, the event marked the 26th year for the annual celebration.
NIM invited Daisy Khan to take the podium as the keynote speaker at this year’s event. Khan, who founded the American Society for Muslim Advancement with her husband, made headlines last year when the couple proposed plans to build an Islamic center in Lower Manhattan, just blocks away from Ground Zero.
Despite the controversy, Khan was well received by the diverse crowd. She spoke about her hope for religious unity and how pioneers like Dr. King paved the way for her and other contemporaries. “He [Dr. King] gave us strength. For us, the struggle is one of acceptance, of being treated as equals,” Khan told philly.com.
Along with Khan, people of all ages, religions, and cultures took part in the day’s festivities, with prayers, songs, panel discussions, and inspirational readings from some of Dr. King’s most well known speeches.
Wrapping up the celebration, The Shalom Center, a member of NIM, presented Khan with their Prophetic Voice Award. The prestigious honor is bestowed to those who are making groundbreaking efforts in the fight for peace, social justice and equality.
