ING’s Annual Dinner 2014:
Is Freedom of Religion Becoming Fear of Religion?

ING’s Annual Dinner on February 8th, 2014 brought together a sold-out crowd from diverse backgrounds and faiths to discuss the role of religion in a secular society. Policy leaders, religious figures, and interfaith youth leaders spoke together on the night’s theme: “Is freedom of religion becoming fear of religion?” You can view the evening’s program here. The slideshow below features some of the photos from the event.

The evening began with Eahab Ibrahim (Board of Directors) and Kiran Palla (ING intern), who also acted as co-emcees. They began with a welcome and invocation followed by dinner. During dinner, a slideshow of photos and testimonials from ING’s many presentations and programs in 2013 played on the screen.

Following the delicious dinner over dessert and tea, attendees viewed a short presentation from Mughees Minhas (Board of Directors) updating us on ING’s impact from the previous year and our plans moving forward.

The program continued with the presentation of two special ING community awards. The first award was presented by the chairman of ING’s Board of Trustees, Randy Pond. Randy presented the “Award for Standing Up for Respect for All” to Reverend Ben Daniel, a Presbyterian minister and author. Daniel is the author of The Search for Truth About Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction, which addresses the misinformation and fear that drives much of the American conversation about Islam. Reverend Daniel received this award for his work in addressing misconceptions of Islam and Muslims. For more information about Ben Daniel, visit the Annual Dinner page.

Pictured left to right: Randy Pond, Sara Daniel, Rev. Ben Daniel, Eahab Ibrahim, Kiran Palla

The second community award was presented by former ING Trustee Raghib Hussain. Raghib presented the “Award for Unsung Hero of Community Service” to Samina Sundas, Founder and Executive Director of American Muslim Voice (AMV). Samina received this award for her tireless championing of interfaith dialogue and friendship. Samina has become one of the most visible examples of living out the Islamic principles of peace, friendship, and justice in the Bay Area and across the nation. For more information about Samina Sundas, visit the Annual Dinner page.

The evening’s main event was an on-stage conversation about the role of religion in a secular society, moderated by Rachael Myrow, host of KQED’s California Report. For more information about Rachael, visit the Annual Dinner page. The panel included special guests Dalia Mogahed and Imam Suhaib Webb. For full biographies, visit the Annual Dinner page. They were joined onstage by four interfaith youth leaders: Osama el-Gabalawy, Seher Siddiqee, Simone Hudson, and Tim Brauhn for a discussion about the role of religion in today’s increasingly secular society.

What followed was a fascinating conversation that highlighted the work that leaders like Dalia and Imam Suhaib are involved in, while at the same time engaging the youth leaders opinions on how young people are affected by both religion and secularism. The video below offers a glimpse into that conversation, and you can view the full series on our YouTube channel.

After the panel the evening concluded with ghazals and South Asian music performed by Diljit Singh Qais and his musicians.

The evening was a wonderful opportunity for remembrance, celebration, and looking to the future. ING appreciates the support of all of those who attended as well as those who were unable to make it. For those who were not able to attend, you can still demonstrate your support for ING’s important work by donating now. Thank you.