Interfaith Musical Event Held at Historic Tabernacle on Temple Square

A couple thousand people of various faiths attended an interfaith musical event at the Tabernacle on historic Temple Square on Sunday. The Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable organized the event. Prayers were offered by local Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders. Elder Michael H. Bourne, an Area Seventy, welcomed everyone to the event on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Various religious and cultural groups performed songs, choir numbers and dances for the Sacred Music Evening. More than 12 different religions were represented in the program.

Imam Muhammad Shoayb Mehtar, a local Muslim leader from the Khadeeja Mosque, spoke about the need to stand up for religious liberty by protecting those who are the most vulnerable in society.

He gave the example of three Utah women who stepped up to help a Muslim women who was being harassed by a man for wearing a hijab, the head covering worn my some Muslim women.

Josie Stone, chair of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, commented on the annual event, “The concert is a celebration of all faiths and humankind. It’s a way for us to celebrate our commonalities amidst the diversity of how and what we believe.”

The Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable organization's mission is to create a community “where people of diverse faiths, cultures and belief systems enjoy mutual respect, understanding, appreciation, acceptance, harmony and love.” It held several interfaith events in Salt Lake City throughout the month of February and March. The group started this multicultural event for the 2002 Winter Olympics as an opportunity for local religious leaders to unify as they prepared to welcome the world to Salt Lake City.