A decade after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Arkansas religious leaders marked the anniversary with an interfaith service in Little Rock.
Ten years later, the event is now an annual celebration, held each September and co-sponsored by The Interfaith Center and Arkansas House of Prayer.
This year's service will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The theme is "Love Thy Neighbor: Pathways to the Practice."
Due to covid-19, the event will occur virtually and will be livestreamed on the Interfaith Center's YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/user/theinterfaithcenter.
A recording of last year's event, which also was held virtually, is posted on the site and has been viewed more than 1,200 times.
Sophia Said, executive director of the Interfaith Center and chairwoman of the Madina Institute and Mosque, said the goal of the gathering was to bridge divides and forge stronger relationships.
"We noticed that every time, when the anniversary of 9/11 comes, there is a lot of tension and fear in the air. And instead of coming together and being together and finding ways to create inclusive communities, different faith communities were just fearful of each other and they would go in their own cocoons," she said. "We decided that we would offer a prayer service, which would allow different faith communities within Central Arkansas to come together under one roof, and just be together and sing together and pray together and eat together and learn from each other's religions."
Initially held at the Arkansas House of Prayer, the annual service moved to bigger venues as it grew.
"It's a service which is generally attended by 400 or 500 at least, which are Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists. We have a wonderful congregation. It has become a tradition; people look forward to it," she said.
This year's service is eclectic and inclusive.
In addition to Said, who will discuss "The Spiritual Practice of Forgiveness," there are several other speakers:
• Dr. Robert Barris, a New York psychiatrist, will discuss "the Spiritual Practice of Silence." Barris "has had a strong interest in meditation, both Jewish and non-Jewish, as well as Jewish Renewal practice, a transdenominational approach to revitalizing Judaism," according to his biography.
• Holly Krepps, founder and co-owner of Circle Yoga Shala in Newton County. Holly has developed an internationally accredited yoga program and trains others to teach through yoga, creative movement and self-inquiry. Krepps studied under Father Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, N.M. Her topic is "The Spiritual Practice of Self Inquiry."
• Archana Penukonda, a devotee of Hindu spiritual leader Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, will address "The Spiritual Practice of Chanting."
• Marquis Hunt, a saxophonist, social justice advocate, pastor, poet and Little Rock jazz radio program host. He will deliver the keynote address, titled: "Ears to See."
The music includes a Motown classic -- "Reach out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" -- and a 1960s peace anthem -- "What the World Needs Now Is Love" -- plus Christian, Jewish, Muslim and American Indian offerings.
The sacred sounds include a shofar, a crystal harp, singing bowls and American Indian flutes.
• Imam Mohammed Nawaz of the Madina Institute & Mosque in Little Rock will deliver chants "to glorify God and Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him.]"
The Universal Peace Prayer will be recited, followed by closing remarks by the Rev. Susan Sims Smith, an Episcopal priest and the founder of the Arkansas House of Prayer and The Interfaith Center.
Smith says the annual gatherings are productive.
"There's quite a bit of hatred and fear, and lack of information about the world's religions, and we just have believed that there's a fertile opportunity to bring people of different faiths together, and listen to different perspectives and find commonalities that we have without minimizing differences," she said.
"Some of the fear of each other is just lack of information. Some of it is distorted teaching that might come from their religion that doesn't really reflect the core of their own faith," she said.
The service is "a chance to be together with people of other faiths, and listen to each other and sing and pray and learn new ideas," she said.
Annabelle Imber Tuck, executive vice president of Congregation B'nai Israel in Little Rock, will be one of the people leading participants in the Universal Peace Prayer. The service, she said, encourages "better understanding among people of different faiths."
It also promotes what she called "a universal ethic, which is loving your neighbor as yourself."
It's a message that's important in this day and age, she said.
"At this time when we're having so many deaths and so much sorrow and so much conflict ... we need to come together as a community to support all of us in traveling this particular part of our life's journey," she said.