In my own professional and personal career, I've been on panel discussions promoting interfaith unity since I was sixteen years old. My high school principal invited me to community events held on weekends to promote feminism, international women's rights, and faith in God. I've been in various places of worship speaking to congregations of both men and women about the need for building a foundation of common ground between ourselves and our next door neighbors.
During global times of tension, the need for recognizing the humanity of our neighbors is more pertinent than ever. At one point, tribes and nations flourished because of their distinctions. We find this truth to be apparent in evidence of the Renaissance that transpired in Europe; it was the different cultural influences that sparked creativity in art, science, and philosophy. In West Africa’s Mali Empire, the city of Timbuktu became a vibrant center where diverse traditions met and exchanged ideas in religion, scholarship, and commerce. The Islamic Golden Age brought together people from many cultures—Arabs, Persians, Greeks, and Indians—who translated important texts and helped advance math, medicine, and astronomy. Somewhere along the way, we've lost touch with our human history of positive global exchange.
If we have lost touch with this legacy, then it is our responsibility to restore it—beginning with the way we teach our children. Unity is not something they will simply inherit; it is something they must be shown, practiced, and nurtured. When children learn to see differences not as barriers but as opportunities to grow, they begin to build the kind of world our history once proved was possible.
This month, I encourage parents to participate in bringing to life this value of unity. Read stories that celebrate different cultures, visit community spaces together, and have open discussions about respect and empathy. Teach children not only to accept differences, but to appreciate them as something meaningful and valuable.