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5th ANNUAL UNITY DAY USA



5th Annual Unity day USA, Sunday, September 6, 2009
Picture Album : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157624431182967/

Unity Day USA was born at the heels of the 9/11 tragedy, to express that each one of the 301 Million of us Americans are united together to stand up for the safety, security, peace and cohesiveness of America.

We are a part of the mosaic and each one of us needs to remain connected with the other to make us one people and one nation under God’s protection. It is an initiative of American Muslims to add their positive contribution to America in uniting the people on the day of disharmony.

On that tragic day, September 11, 2001, I was on the Radio addressing the public in Dallas and making sense out of the chaos that happened that day. I was on air from 10Am through 5:00 PM straight;

• My first goal was to bring a sense of clarity and direction to the public. Then pave the way for a sense of purpose, a sense of what needs to be done. I repeated the same thing on its anniversary.
• By the end of the day a clear sense of direction was developed followed by: I) Multi-faith prayers ii) blood donation ii) donation of funds. The Blood centers had to close down due to the people’s overwhelming response.

• The fog was clearing up – I) Osama bin Laden was the bad guy ii) Muslims had nothing to do with Osama iii) Declaration of war against Osama.

Spiritual leaders from all faiths joined the talk show; Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Sikh and Zoroastrian. Area City Mayors, community and business leaders joined in an effort to bring a sense of direction.

For the First four years I did the radio show talking about the effect of 9/11 on society, economy and refreshing and galvanizing the interfaith movement. On the 5th anniversary this Unity Day was born. It is my love for my country to make this day a national day, an initiative of Muslims.
To make our homeland a safe, secure, peaceful and a prosperous place we have to relentlessly pursue it. The work has to be done by you and I, and not look for some one else to do this for us; the American way. One of the many things we can do is to have a face to face with people of different faiths, ethnicities, races and other uniqueness', let’s build a threshold of acceptance for others and start dropping our phobias.

We the people of the United States of America of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background are here today, to express our desire to co-exist in peace, and pray for the unity, safety and well being of our nation.

The Civic Leaders included Mayors of Irving, Carrollton, Richardson, Grand Prairie and council members from many cities participated. The fire and police Chiefs, the County chief among others. Each one of the Mayors spoke for a brief 3 minutes about the need to co-exist.

Faith Leadership - Each faith tradition shared a line of wisdom from their tradition. Unity Day USA is about re-affirming our faith in the goodness in humans, and the longing for harmony and co-existence. Faiths included Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Earth Based Tradition, Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Wicca and Zoroastrian faiths.

The purpose of Unity day is bring together Americans of all hues and rededicated our pledge for the peace, prosperity and unity of our nation.

Recognitions - Several members of the community were recognized for their contributions in making this world a better place.

The Audience participated with joy, about 35 of them got on the stage in groups of three, and each group read the wisdom of religions mentioned above, written in 100 words.

PLEDGE OF PEACE

I will speak up when there is injustice.
I will speak up when truth is not spoken.
I will do my best to make my words and my actions to mitigate conflicts.
I will do my best to do my share in nurturing goodwill for the benefit of all.
I will do my share of peace work, without looking for others to do their share.
I will do my best to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each individual.
I will do my best to live and let others live their way.

Thank you.

I am committed to Unity day USA.
Mike Ghouse
http://www.mikeghouse.net/


WHEN: 5:00 PM, Sunday, September 6, 2009
WHERE: Unity Church of Dallas, 6525 Forest Lane,Dallas Texas. 75230.
Click the items below for details

1. Down load :: 1/Page - 2/Page
2. Volunteers for Unityday USA
3. Participating Organizations
4. Funds Accounting
5. Your comments
6. Program Outline
7. What we need from you

Thank you

Program Outline

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The program is set and is tightly scheduled. The event is an expression of solidarity by merely being there with face to face with people of different faiths, ethnicities, races and other uniqueness’s.

PROGRAM OUTLINE

5:00 Meet and Greet
5:35 Program Starts
7:35 Program Ends
7:45 Refreshments/Iftaar

PROGRAM

1. National Anthem
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Unity Choir
4. Civic Leaders, Mayors, Fire and Police Chiefs will share a moment
5. Meditation
6. Wisdom of Religion – leaders will share a verse (wisdom) each
7. Purpose Statement
8. Audience Greeting
9. Audience Participation
10. Pledge of Peace

Thank you.

Mike Ghouse

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What we need from you

Three things:

1. Unity Day, what is it? :: Write a note in 100 words or less, the need for all of us Americans to remain United or what does one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The selected item will be read by either you or one of us. Check the following link for references: http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Images_UnityDay/UnityDay_Past_Comments.asp

2. Essence of your faith :: Write in 100 words or less, a summary of what your faith is all about, so if a person who does not know any thing about your faith, can read and understand it.

3. One line verse :: Send a one line verse from your scripture that guides humanity to co-exist. Please quote name of the book, verse # or page #.

You can write all that in the comments section below
Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
Chair, Unity Day USA

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5th Annual Unity Day USA

http://911unitydayusa.blogspot.com/2009/08/5th-annual-unity-day-usa.html

NOTES & PICTURES

Our 2009 theme continues to be "One Nation under God". Our religious leaders will seek guidance and wisdom from their respective faiths and our Civil servants and community leaders will echo the same sentiment and suggest ways in which we as individuals can work toward creating and sustaining cohesive and thriving local communities.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO GET LARGER VERSION. NOTE ABOUT THE IMAGE : (39 Members from the audience were asked to step up on the podium forming 13 groups of 3 each, each individual was asked to dare accept the randomly assigned faith, and then read one line from the assigned scripture, the participants had no idea what is coming up, but they sure enjoyed reading scriptures from the assigned faith and loved it.. for example, each one of the 39 individuals were given to read scriptures from a faith other than their own, and the selection was random. They all realized the the wisdom of each faith was beautiful - See all the pics in the left panel, again clicking on the image enlarges the picture)

Event : 5th Annual Unity Day USA
Date : 5:00 PM, Sunday, September 6, 2009
Place : Unity Church of Dallas,
Add : 6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, Texas 75230
Map : Click here for map
Call : Mike Ghouse (214) 325-1916
email : UnitydayUSA@gmail.com
web : http://www.unitydayusa.com/
rsvp : confirmattendance@gmail.com

Our 2009 theme continues to be "One Nation under God". Our religious leaders will seek guidance and wisdom from their respective faiths and our Civil servants and community leaders will echo the same sentiment and suggest ways in which we as individuals can work toward creating and sustaining cohesive and thriving local communities.

Mike Ghouse, President of the organizations announced. “This is an annual event for all Americans to come together and look to each other as American and nothing but American. We will rededicate our pledge to the safety and security of our nation”.

The American Muslims have taken this initiative to remember one of the greatest tragedies in the history of our nation by bringing about a positive change to the 9/11 event. We are committed to make this day, the Sunday before 9/11, a day of Unity of Americans to pledge to the peace, unity and prosperity of our nation and the humanity.

As Americans we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. All our faiths reinforce the creed of "One Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all."

A. 90 Organizations participated
B. News Media
C. Religious Leaders Participated
D. Mayors & Civic Leaders
E. Public Comments
F. Power Point Presentation
G. 2005 Album
H. 2006 Album
I. 2008 Album

God Bless America

Information for the previous years
http://911unitydayusa.blogspot.com/2009/07/v-annual-unity-day-usa.html

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Funds Accounting

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We are pleased to list the organizations and individuals who have committed to fund the 5th Annual Unity Day USA. We invite donors in multiples of $100.00; and sponsorships in multiples of $500.00 . An accounting of the funds will be updated frequently on this site, every dollar received and paid will be listed here.

I. Organizational Sponsorships

The following organizations have funded the event (more to be added), we appreciate their belief in "unity of mankind".

• Center for Spiritual Living $ 1,000.00
• Universal Peace Federation $ 200.00
• Family Federation for World Peace $ 300.00
• Faith Club of Richardson $ 100.00

II. Individual Donors

The individuals listed below see the need for humanity to co-exist and have voluntarily send their checks (All names will added upon receipt of the funds). A few want to remain anonymous and we honor them by their initials. We believe transparency is important and hence we will list all receipts and payements on this web.

• FWH $ 700.00
• Mahendra Naik $ 100.00
• Shahnaz & Rafi Farukhi $100.00
• Bonnie Kaplan $ 100.00
• Amy Martin (Earth Rhythms) $50.00

III. Refreshments (Iftaar) Sponsorship:

Refreshements and Iftaar (breaking of fast for Muslims during Ramadan) arrangements are made by a donor and will be served at about 7:49 PM

• Please mail the check to
  Foundation for Pluralism,
  2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206
  Dallas, TX 75234

IV. Payments

• Unity Church Facility $600.00
• A & V and other Services at Unity $300.00
• Posters and Fliers $55.00
• Photo & Video $500.00

It is an iniative of the American Muslims and the Foundation for Pluralism. You are welcome to share your views at the bottom comment box.
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Volunteers for Unityday USA 2009

5th Annual Unity Day USA
5:00 PM on Sunday, September 6, 2009

We are pleased to announce the names of the following volunteers A list of things to do is appended below;

RESPONSIBILIITES

1. Registration: Team to register attendees - Rita Clarke
2. Ushers: Seating the public in the Sanctuary - Sabreena Hakeemy
3. Hospitality: Receiving & Seating dignitaries - Casey Ohanja
4. Stage Manager: Responsible for stage seating, audio, video, screens, microphones - Bernie Mayoff
5. Video & Photo: Managing the photo & Videographer - Joshua Frenk
6. Valet parking coordination for dignitaries - Hero Hernandez
7. Refreshements: Halal/Kosher - AE
8. Ramadan Muslims Prayers : Adil Khan
9. Booklet Production - Mike Ghouse
10. Listing Organizations - Todd Collier
11. Volunteers f/u- Latha Nehru
12. Media - Leonard Ellis
13. Website - Mike Ghouse

VOLUNTEERS

The following volunteers have taken up the responsibility to bring at least ten individuals to the event and perhaps invite twenty five people they know. I Request each one of you to follow up with them and bring a list to Registration desk to check off when they walk in - please ask them ask for your name, as they would be listed as your guests. Thank you.

1. Akbar Poonja
2. Alan Keith
3. Bishop Larry McGriff
4. Bishop Mark Hernandez
5. Casey Ohanja
6. Dishad Deyani
7. Donna Anderson Collin
8. Dr. Karen Hollie
9. Esther Vasquez
10. Harbans & Amrit Lal
11. Isabell Norikov & Ashraf Sabry
12. Jeanette Walker
13. Jonathan Halsey
14. Joshua Frenk
15. Len & Janet Ellis
16. Lubna Ahmed
17. Maliha Durrani
18. Mariam Mahmood
19. Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk
20. Marylou Ghyst
21. Mazuk & Alexis Jaami
22. Nisaa Muhammad
23. Rizwan Sheikh
24. Steve Kille
25. Suleman Hemani
26. Todd Collier
27. Umer Shaikh
28. Vatsa & Shobha Ramanathan

If you wish to volunteer, please send the email to: MikeGhouse@aol.com - in the subject line, please write "Volunteer for Unity Day" - Thanks

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

First, download the flier at this site, first item on the top left or and then you can forward the link, or simply copy the jpf file and paste it in the email and forward it.

1. Invite your friends, please reach out and invite people from every race, faith and ethnicity.
2. Invite organizations to participate - No money is required
3. Invite Mayors, Council persons, Fire and Police Chiefs and other civic organizations
4. Invite leaders from religion and education services
5. Invite Corporate leaders
6. Be a Volunteer to do different Chores
7. If you, your friends or friend wish to donate, please do it in multiples of $100.00
8. If you have a sponsor, they can do it in multiples of $500.00
9. We need a confirmation of attendance, please email to confirmattendance@gmail.com

Our Mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings. If we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.

Foundation for Pluralism,
Studies in Religious Pluralism & Pluralistic Societies
Workshops Seminars Education News Letters
2665 Villa Creek Dr, Suite 206,
Dallas, TX 75234 (214) 325-1916

Please send the information to UnitydayUSA@gmail.com
I am looking for a few good volunteers to invite every possible organization to the event.

God Bless America

Mike Ghouse, Chair
Unity Day USA
(214) 325-1916
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Participating Organizations

An intiative of American Muslims and the Foundation for Pluralism;

• Foundation for Pluralism - http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/
• World Muslim Congress - http://www.worldmuslimcongress.com/

The following organizations are participating in the 5th Annual Unity Day USA event.

Hosting/Sponsoring Organizations

1. Center for Spiritual Living -
2. Family Federation for World Peace - http://www.familyfed.org/
3. Universal Peace Federation - http://upf.org/
4. Memnosyne Foundation - http://www.memnosynefoundation.org/
5. Dallas Peace Center - http://www.dallaspeacecenter.org/
6. Unity Church of Dallas - www.unitydallas.org/
7. Institutue of Islamic Learning in Metroplex - www.iilm.org

Participating Organizations

Please send the name and website address of your organization, we do request at least one representative of your organization attend the event. We have had participation from 90 organizations and we hope to get reconfirmation from each one of them in the next few weeks.

1. Arlington Peace & Justice Center - www.ArlingtonPeace.org
2. Non-Violent Communication Center - www.nvc-dfw.org
3. Earth Rhythms - http://www.earthrhythms.org/
4. Moonlady News - www.moonlady.com
5. The Lifeway Church
6. The Church of Living God
7. United Nations Association of Dallas
8. United Nations Association of Texas
9. Muslim Community Center for Human Services - http://www.mcc-hs.org/alshifa.html
10. American Clergy Association
11. Ismaili Muslim Community of Dallas - http://www.akdn.org/ & http://www.theismaili.org/
12. DFW Muslims - Face book group
13. Helping Hands Inc - http://www.hhcharity.org/
14. Sikh Study Circle DFW - http://www.Sikhstudy.com
15. Sikh Temple of North Texas - http://www.sikhtempledallas.org
16. Academy of Guru Granth Studies
17. The Global Peace Project - www.TheGlobalpeaceproject.com
18. Awakening Heart Community of Mindful Living http://www.awakeningheart.org/
19. Equality March Texas - Facebook group
    
20. List Your Non-Profit Organization - You can Post the name and website address of your organization in the comment section below - Thank you.

God Bless America
One Nation and One People with Liberty and Justice for all.

Mike Ghouse, Chair
http://www.unitydayusa.com/
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