By Jess Carlson
COPPELL, Texas – More than 150 community members gathered at the Coppell Arts Center on September 27 for the International Day of Peace and Faith Fest, a celebration of peace, understanding and friendship among people of different faiths and backgrounds.
The program began with a moment of silence, inviting everyone to pause and reflect on the meaning of peace. Coppell Mayor Wes Mays welcomed everyone, followed by remarks from local religious leaders representing eleven different faith traditions. Each leader shared a unique perspective from their own faith while expressing a common hope for peace, compassion, understanding, and unity.
The program continued with three youth performances, including a musical presentation by Ava Carlson, a local young woman and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ava played the violin in an arrangement of “We Are the World,” accompanied by a slideshow highlighting what the community had accomplished together over the past year. Each performance contributed to the sense of unity and connection among those in attendance.
After the program, everyone was invited to explore tables representing the community’s various faith groups. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was among the participating faith communities, sharing information about the Church and displaying a replica of the golden plates and copies of the Book of Mormon in multiple languages, including Tamil, Bengali, Hindi, Telugu, English, and Thai. Each table offered a glimpse into its faith and values through displays, games, food, and activities. This gave people an opportunity to ask questions, listen to one another, try new foods, and learn about different traditions. Rather than focusing on differences, people enjoyed discovering the things they could share. The spirit of peace and connection was truly present that afternoon.
Seeing over 150 people from different faiths come together was a beautiful reminder that good happens when we look beyond our differences, build relationships, serve together, and find common ground.
Photographer: Rajesh Raghunathan