UNITY DAY USA 2011

Invitation to 7th Annual
UNITY DAY USA -2011
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Unity church of Dallas, www.UnitydayUSA.com

6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230

We are pleased to invite you to the 7th Annual Unity Day USA; a purposeful event to bring Americans together. This is the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11, from this day forward we hope to effect the change to make this UNITY DAY USA become a symbol of unity among Americans.

The idea for Unity Day USA was first conceived on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 and took its current form on Sunday, September 11, 2005. It is an initiative to come together to stand up for the safety, security and cohesiveness of America.

On this Unity Day, we the people of the United States of America of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, unity, prosperity and well being of our nation. (Scroll down for the list)

Our civic leaders including Mayors, Council members, State representatives, Senators, Congresspersons and other officials will honor us with their presence. Each Mayor at the event will give a one minute speech to share his/her thoughts about co-existence and promoting social cohesion in their respective cities. Additionally, our men and women in uniform including police and fire chiefs will be honored for their outstanding service to our nation.

Leaders from various faith communities will share a few words of wisdom from their respective scriptures, beliefs or oral traditions. Unity Day USA is about re-affirming our faith in the goodness in humanity, and the longing for harmony and co-existence. The traditions include but are not limited to Native American, Atheist, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Earth-traditions, Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Wicca and Zoroastrians; thus it is an all inclusive event.

It is an experience to feel a sense of unity with fellow Americans that will bring a feeling of coming home to where we drop all of our identities and to be united together as an American family.

As Americans we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. Our faiths reinforce the idea of one nation with liberty and justice for all.

REQUESTED ACTION:

1. Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 11, 2011 between 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and send a confirmation of your intent to attend with your names to: confirmattendance@gmail.com

2. For details, including pictures from the last five years, please visit http://www.unitydayusa.com/

3. If you wish your organization and place of worship to be listed as participating organization, please send the name and URL of your organizations to: unitydayusa@gmail.com, it will be listed on our website. We have had 90 organizations participate in our previous events.

SUGGESTED LINKS:
A few selected comments from the fist event.
Civic Leaders and Mayors who attended
Organizations (90) who have been a part of the event

PICTURE ALBUMS:

STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
2009, 2008

VOLUNTEERS & SPONSORS

Please call me

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916

2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 Participating Organizations

Unity Day USA ceremony in Dallas

Divisive issues hang over Unity Day USA ceremony in Dallas
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-unityday_13met.ART0.State.Edition1.358b243.html

06:45 AM CDT on Monday, September 13, 2010By JESSICA MEYERS / The Dallas Morning News
jmeyers@dallasnews.com

In a year when 9/11 commemorations felt as much political as reverential, a North Dallas ceremony the day after the anniversary tried to strip away the tension.

Photos by STEWART F. HOUSE/Special Contributor

Zainab Khurrum (center), 11, of Irving talked to her 10-year-old sister, Hussaina, as they applauded during Sunday's Unity Day USA ceremony at the Unity Church of Dallas. "We're asking people to drop their sub-identity and look to each other as Americans and nothing but Americans," said Mike Ghouse, the president of the Foundation for Pluralism and the event's organizer and founder.

Sunday marked the sixth annual Unity Day USA, an evening ceremony intended to cull something positive from the 9/11 tragedy – a sense of cohesiveness, security and humanity.

Turquoise headscarves, navy turbans and sun-orange robes mixed on stage in the semi-filled sanctuary of Unity Church of Dallas as a handful of civic leaders and religious representatives spoke about the freedom of diversity and the naivete of fear.

"You belong to the country you live in," said Durriya Jamali, adjusting her white headscarf. "I've been here almost half my adult life."

A 43-year old Muslim from India, she's attended Unity Day celebrations since her daughter sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the inaugural event. "America is about all people and has nothing to do with religion," she said.

Speakers consolidated their beliefs into one-minute explanations of the "oneness of all religions" preached by Baha'i followers or the "universal oneness" practiced by Vedanta Hinduism devotees. About 100 attendees represented more than 30 religious denominations, including Zoroastrians, Muslims from five sects, and Methodists.

Ghouse had hoped to avoid the divisive issues that hung over this year's formal ceremonies. But they remained an inevitable undercurrent throughout the program.

"Not nearly enough leaders are standing up," said Dallas County Schools president Larry Duncan, referring to objections to an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero. "I know I am preaching to the choir because you are here. But each of us is standing up to be counted."

The program contained an insert that asked Muslims to pray for the well-being of those who burn the Quran – an indirect nod to the Florida pastor whose threats to destroy copies of the Muslim holy book dominated headlines last week.

"Politics," scoffed Madan Goyal, a 68-year-old Hindu who lives in Plano. "People will try to get whatever advertising they can. This means we can't take anything for granted."

Ghouse envisions a nationwide Unity Day and is making plans for celebrations in 10 cities next year. He said he chose the Sunday after 9/11 to draw a bigger crowd.

"All we can do is raise consciousness so others see people are aware of this," said Len Ellis, president of the Dallas Peace Center. "The alternative is to do nothing, and that's not a good alternative."

Unity Day USA - 6th Annual Event

Invitation to 6th Annual
UNITY DAY USA -2010
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Unity church of Dallas, 6525 Forest Lane
Dallas, TX 75230

We are pleased to invite you to the Unity Day USA; a purposeful event to bring Americans together. The idea for Unity Day USA was first conceived on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 and took its current form on Sunday, September 11, 2005. It is an initiative to come together to stand up for the safety, security and cohesiveness of America.

On this Unity Day, we the people of the United States of America of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, unity, prosperity and well being of our nation. (Scroll down for the list)

Our civic leaders including Mayors, Council members, State representatives, Senators, Congresspersons and other officials will honor us with their presence. Each Mayor at the event will give a one minute speech to share their thoughts about co-existence and promoting social cohesion in their respective cities. Additionally, our men and women in uniform including police and fire chiefs will be honored for their outstanding service to our nation.

Leaders from various faith communities will share a few words of wisdom from their respective scriptures, beliefs or oral traditions. Unity Day USA is about re-affirming our faith in the goodness in humanity, and the longing for harmony and co-existence. The traditions include but are not limited to Native American, Atheist, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Earth-traditions, Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Wicca and Zoroastrians; thus it is an all inclusive event.

It is an experience to feel a sense of unity with fellow Americans that brings forth a feeling of coming home to where we drop all of our identities and to be united together as an American family.

As Americans we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. Our faiths reinforce the idea of one nation with liberty and justice for all.

REQUESTED ACTION:

1. Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 12, 2010 between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, and send a confirmation of your intent to attend with your names to: confirmattendance@gmail.com.

2. For details, including pictures from the last five years, please visit http://www.unitydayusa.com/

3. If you wish your organization and place of worship to be listed as participating organization, please send the name and URL of your organizations to: unitydayusa@gmail.com, it will be listed on our website. We have had 90 organizations participate in our previous events.

SUGGESTED LINKS:
A few selected comments from the fist event.
Civic Leaders and Mayors who attended
Organizations (90) who have been a part of the event

PICTURE ALBUMS:
2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 Participating Organizations

STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
2009, 2008

Link for this invitation
http://911unitydayusa.blogspot.com/2010/07/unity-day-usa-6th-annual-event.html

Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916

Who is attending?

The general public including you.

The people representing different faiths on the stage... and civic leadership
Are you in the group? If not, please join.

We are looking for confirmations, if you wish to represent the non-assigned group, please let us know and we are still waiting for confirmations ...

#####

1. Agnostics
2. Ahmadiyya - confirmed
3. Atheism - confirmed
4. Bahai - confirmed
5. Baptist
6. Bohra - confirmed
7. Buddhists - confirmed
8. Catholic
9. Choctaw - confirmed
10. Christian - confirmed
11. Church of God
12. Confucius - confirmed
13. Dao
14. Earth Traditions - confirmed
15. Episcopal
16. Evangelicals - confirmed
17. Greek Orthodox
18. Hare Krishna - confirmed
19. Hinduism - confirmed
20. Hopi
21. Ismaili - confirmed
22. Jainism
23. Jehovah's witness
24. Judaism - confirmed
25. Lutheran
26. Maya
27. Methodist - confirmed
28. Mormon
29. New Thought
30. Oloriyo
31. Pagan - Confirmed
32. Presbyterian - confirmed
33. Protestant - confirmed
34. Scientology
35. Shia
36. Shinto
37. Sikh
38. Spiritualists - confirmed
39. Sufi
40. Sunni - confirmed
41. Toltec
42. Unification Church - confirmed
43. Unity - confirmed
44. Unitarian Universalists
45. Urantia - confirmed
46. Vendantic Hinduism - confirmed
47. Warith Deen Muhammad - confirmed
48. Wicca
49. Zoroastrian - confirmed
    

No matter what sub-identity we prefix to it, we are all Americans. I request each one of you to be who you are, and be proud of it, it is what you believe and it works for you.

What does it take to build orderly societies?

What does it take for you, me and others to feel safe and live in peace?

We have to consciously create institutions and systems that will become a catalyst to a positive change and bring about cohesive functioning of the society. It is our duty to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen. As an individual, I cannot be safe if the people around me aren’t, it is in my interest to seek peace for all of us.

We have a monumental task to repair the World, and we will do our part in working towards a World of co-existence, one person at a time. We are committed, and now join us with the blessings of the all pervasive, omnicient energy that some call it cosmic energy, some don't believe in the existence of such a being and many call him God in so many ways...

Civic Leaders from several cities including Mayors, fire and police chiefs

THE PROGRAM
Sunday, September 12, 2010 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

National Anthem
Pledge of Allegiance
Purpose of Unity day
Acknowledgment
Civic Leadership
Faith Leadership
Recognitions
Peace Pledge
Refreshments

PROGRAM FUNDED BY

Mr. Mansoor Shah
Mr. Farooq Hemani
Mr. Amir Ali Rupani
Dr. Basheer Ahmed

.... what about you?

Unity Day USA, 6th Annual event

You are invited to the;
6th ANNUAL UNITY DAY USA

Sunday, September 12, 2010 @ 5:30 PM

We are pleased to invite you to the 6th annual Unity Day USA, a purposeful event to celebrate the American Unity. Unity Day USA was born at the heels of the 9/11 tragedy, to stand up for the safety, security and cohesiveness of America.

On this Unity Day USA, we the people of the United States of America of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, Unity, safety, prosperity and well being of our nation.

Who: Your family and friends. Leaders from civic, fire, police, education and public life.

Ticket: Complimentary, courtesy of the sponsors

It is a day to experience a sense of unity with fellow Americans, as we drop all our identities for the two hours we are together and be with each other as Americans. If we shy away from consciously shaping our future, we may drift into the abyss of incoherence. We may be fighting against deeply entrenched positions rather than finding solutions to the common issues; peace, security and prosperity of fellow Americans.

As Americans we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. Our faiths reinforce the idea of One Nation with liberty and justice for all.

REQUESTED ACTION:

Please visit http://www.unitydayusa.com/ for details including pictures from last five years.

Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 12, 2010 between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM .
Please send a confirmation of your intent to attend with names to: confirmattendance@gmail.com.

You will be reminded with details of the place. If you wish your organization (any except business) to be listed as participating organization, please send the name and URL of your organizations to: unitydayusa@gmail.com .

PICTURE ALBUMS: 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 Participating Organizations
STORY HIGHLIGHTS: 2009, 2008Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
Unity Day USA
(214) 325-1916

HOME

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