Islamic Peace Academy Commemorates Muslim-American Heritage Month
Editor’s note: See below for photos shared with us of this important local event. Dialogue, peace, and understanding are important, especially in politically turbulent times. Just after the October 7th attacks in Israel, the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for more security at all places of worship. Muslim Sisters of Staten Island hosts an annual Winter Warmth Drive, helping local residents obtain warm winter coats for themselves and their families, which we covered in 2022.
Islamic Peace Academy attendees. Image Credit – HWPL
Staten Island’s first Islamic Peace Academy was hosted on January 31 at the Muslim Community Center (MCC). The event wrapped up the month of January, which Governor Kathy Hochul recently designated as Muslim-American Heritage Month.
More than 50 participants joined the peace academy hosted by MCC and co-hosted by the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center and Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international peace group focused on advancing an international law for peace and promoting interfaith harmony and peace education.
The event intended to serve as a Qur’an centered dialogue for peace and harmony by including various speakers from Staten Island’s Islamic community. The main theme for the Islamic Peace Academy centered around the topic, “Entering Into Peace Wholeheartedly; Living the Qur’anic Command (Qur’an 2:208).”
“When we spoke to HWPL and they introduced the event to us, I really loved the idea,” said Abdallah Salem, MCC’s religious director and imam, who served as the event’s emcee. “We have to be exposed more to the community and different religions for peace.”
The event featured Arabic chanting and speeches delivered by MCC’s leaders as well as HWPL and Tahir Kukaj, the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center’s vice president and imam.
Notable community leaders stopped by to take part in the peace academy, including State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo, City Council Minority Leader David M. Carr, City Councilmember Kamillah M. Hanks, and Ms. Hanane Dbajat, who spoke on behalf of Assemblymember Michael Tannousis. Umar Usman, founder of the nonprofit organization Helping Hand of Brighton, also joined and delivered remarks.
“I think that all the bridge building in New York City and Staten Island in particular begins with a conversation, and that’s what these events really are,” said Councilmember Carr following the event. “It’s an opportunity for us to get to know each other personally, but also to find in each other those unexpected similarities that will help really kind of cement us together as one community here in Staten Island, regardless of our faith background, regardless of where our families came from, and that’s why I’m here today.”
Another key highlight from the event was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between MCC and HWPL for future collaboration.
“Like the MOU mentioned, we love to have events, types of events [about] peace, help and serve the community, the youth,” Imam Salem added. “We try our best to make different community events, try to have more interfaith dialogues, try to have more interfaith leaders.”
From their pre-event invitation:
On behalf of the Muslim Community Center, the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center and Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international peace NGO in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and affiliated with the UN Department of Global Communications.
We are [hosting] our first-ever Islamic Peace Academy, which will be on Saturday, January 31st at 6:00 PM at the Muslim Community Center in Staten Island.
Join us for a Qur’an centered dialogue for peace and harmony featuring renowned guest speakers from the Islamic community. The event will be centered around living the Qur’anic Command (Qur’an 2:208).
MOU Signing. Image Credit – HWPL NY
CM David Carr. Image Credit – HWPL NY
Hanane Dbajat from Asm. Tannousis Office. Image Credit – HWPL
Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo and Tahir Kukaj. Image Credit – HWPL NY
Staten Island Islamic Peace Academy – Umar Usman. Image Credit – HWPL NY
Staten Island Islamic Peace Academy – Asm. Pirozzolo. Image Credit – HWPL NY
Staten Island Islamic Peace Academy – Sen. Scarcella-Spanton. Image Credit – HWPL NY
Staten Island Islamic Peace Academy – CM Hanks. Image Credit – HWPL NY
Banner Image: MOU Signing. Image Credit – HWPL NY
