THE 57TH ANNUAL ISNA CONVENTION: WE’RE GOING VIRTUAL!
The Struggle for Social and Racial Justice: A Moral Imperative BY ISLAMIC HORIZONS STAFF
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his year’s theme — The Struggle for Social and Racial Justice: A Moral Imperative — was chosen to reflect a virus that has plagued humanity for far longer than the coronavirus: racism. Our 57th annual convention, which will be held on Sept. 5 and 6, will bring our community together in a virtual setting to experience the year’s most awaited event. Although it will have a new feel, as usual it will be full of inspiring messages and a variety of programs. All in all, it will be a unique experience to connect and learn together. From the Covid-19 pandemic to race relations in our country, our society continues to graple with economic and health care disparities, immigration, religious freedom, the environment, education and more. For 57 years, ISNA has been serving the Muslim community through its annual convention, regional conferences, youth programs, interfaith alliances, education forums, chaplaincy and masjid services, scholarships, nonprofit management training and more. Through its inspirational and impactful leadership and activities, ISNA has been an important part of Muslim American life. In this current environment, ISNA has founded and pursued major initiatives, among them setting up a National Muslim Covid-19 Taskforce with more than 40 organizations, conducting virtual programs with national speakers and experts, providing a featured program — “Friday Reflections” — participating in interfaith programs and issuing statements on important topics. ISNA remains fully committed to developing the Muslim community, enhancing interfaith relations, engaging in civic engagement and bringing about a more accurate understanding of Islam. Its board members and staff constantly strive to achieve
organizational excellence through operational efficiency, transparency, accountability, high performance, effective communication and financial stability. “We are ready to take this organization to the next level and open a new chapter at ISNA. As we embark on this new journey with a renewed commitment, I take solace in the fact that we have a committed board, staff, volunteers and important stakeholders and supporters like you. We are committed to nurturing a culture that enables greatness, encourages openness and helps us provide services to our members and the community at large,” said ISNA executive director Basharat Saleem. Many renowned speakers will address topics that are important and relevant to our community’s current issues and needs, among them the Covid-19 pandemic, social and racial justice, the environment, civil rights and
WHILE ISNA IS COMMITTED TO PREPARING THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM FROM WHICH WE WILL UNLEASH OUR INDIVIDUAL POTENTIALITIES, OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, FROM INDIVIDUALS TO FAMILIES TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, IS INDISPENSABLE TO HARNESSING THE POSSIBILITIES OPENED UP BY THIS YEAR’S VIRTUAL CONVENTION.
22 ISLAMIC HORIZONS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
political activism. The program will include plenary, parallel and entertainment sessions, as well as special events, a virtual Expo and many other events. Sponsorship opportunities will be offered during the two-day event, and on Sept. 5th a community leader will be honored for his/her service during the Community Service Recognition program. As a community, all of us are responding to the coronavirus with resilience. We invite everyone to counter the shock of the ongoing pandemic, recession and injustices and confront these unprecedented challenges with the power of faith. This call to join the first-ever ISNA virtual convention is designed not only to replicate the typical in-person annual retreat, but also to provide participants with digital venues for scholarly engagement and intimate networking. In reality, the Covid-19 restrictions have turned out to be an opportunity to bring together a larger number of participants who wouldn’t have been able to attend this event. While ISNA is committed to preparing the virtual platform from which we will unleash our individual potentialities, our active participation, from individuals to families to the community as a whole, is indispensable to harnessing the possibilities opened up by this year’s virtual convention.
WHAT TO EXPECT This year’s convention will follow the same principles that have ensured the success of the previous ones, as well as create new possibilities for those who were previously unable to attend. Among the featured events well be: ■ Plenary and parallel sessions on Covid19, racism and race relations, the environment, civil rights, political activism and more. ■ Special events, including the Com munity Service Recognition program with
