Muslim Convention Draws Over 9,500 to Discuss Peacebuilding Amidst Gaza Conflict
The nation’s oldest Muslim convention hosted lawmakers, diplomats in a call for de-escalation, unity and a ceasefire
Jalsa Salana USA ⎼ America’s oldest Muslim convention ⎼ was successfully held in Richmond, Virginia, on June 28-30, 2024.
A day prior to the weekend-long Jalsa, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community convened its annual “Jalsa Cares” initiative, in which over 30 volunteers, in coordination with the City of Richmond and American Red Cross, spent the day cleaning up a garden at the local Veterans hospital, Pony Pasture Park at James River and the Evergreen and East End Cemeteries. The work was featured in Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Civic, political, and thought leaders then gathered over the weekend to discuss peacemaking and religious freedom at the Jalsa Salana. The event drew over 9,500 attendees and an additional 30,000 online viewers. Participants engaged in discussions on resolving contemporary conflicts through peacebuilding and reconciliation. In recent months, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, has repeatedly called on world leaders to pursue an immediate end to the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians in Gaza and to avert another world war.
On Friday, June 28, the Virginia House of Delegates passed Resolution HR705, introduced by Delegate Joshua Cole with 49 co-sponsors, commending Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA on its 74th Jalsa Salana, peace initiatives and Jalsa Cares service project.
On Saturday, June 29, special guests joined the Jalsa to speak to all in attendance.
Mayor of Richmond, Levar Stoney, spoke to the Jalsa Salana attendees expressing his gratitude and enthusiasm for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA choosing Richmond as the host city for this year’s Jalsa. “We were once known as the capital of the Confederacy and are now embracing our role as the capital of compassion.” Mayor Stoney then reflected on the service activities of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in advance of the Jalsa, saying, “We’ve seen universal love in action just this past Thursday during the Jalsa Cares day of service, when volunteers from this community selflessly spent the entire day serving others. It was you who cleaned up our neighborhoods, it was you who donated food. It was you who gave blood that will help save lives. And it is actions like these that remind us of the profound impact that community can have in healing. Together, we can create a world where love overpowers hate, where peace overcomes turmoil, where the light of unity dispels the shadows of division.”
Virginia State Senator Lashrecse Aird emphasized the importance of unity and collective action in addressing challenges to sustainable peace. She said to the crowd, “There is power in our voice, especially when unified together. Challenges to sustain peace are faced by every generation and show up in many places and in many ways. By all accounts, the ones we are actively seeing occur right now are no different. But what is and should be different is how we respond…To me, that means I must commit and truly feel the obligations in this moment to uplift principles of peace in a world plagued by conflict.”
Sam Rasoul, the first Muslim elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, addressed the Jalsa as not only a member of the House of Delegates but also as a Muslim and a Palestinian. Reflecting on the atrocities being committed against Palestinians in Gaza, Rasoul said, “While we are watching a genocide play out minute by minute in front of our eyes…I will tell you what I have been pleased by ⎼ the silver lining in all of this. We have seen so many of our friends, our allies, stand up, but in particular those friends from our Jewish community who have stood up and said ‘not in our name’…I know with all my Ahmadiyya friends, because of the persecution you have faced, because of the trials you have been through, that the calling is unique to the [9,500] people who are here today and the tens of thousands throughout this country.”
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community conferred its 2024 Humanitarian Award to Rep. James McGovern for his long and distinguished career as public servant. Rep. McGovern has been a courageous and principled advocate for human rights, the rule of law and justice for all communities. He has spent his entire Congressional career defending the rights of the oppressed and vulnerable, and his work in ameliorating poverty and hunger is well known.
Accepting his Humanitarian Award via video, Rep. McGovern said, “What is happening in Gaza right now is unbelievably tragic. We must save humanity from this destructive war. Last December, I joined your Voices For Peace campaign on Capitol Hill to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. I was moved to learn how your community in Israel was able to bring together thousands of Jews, Muslims and Christians to call for peace. Your approach is an example for us all. We must continue to push for a ceasefire and a return of all hostages. These are necessary steps that I believe could put us on a path towards a sustained peace.”
Other special guest speakers featured Josh Cole (Member, Virginia House of Delegates), Marcia Price (Member, Virginia House of Delegates), Steve Schneck (Chairman, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom), Josh Paul (former Director, U.S. State Dept. Bureau of Political-Military Affairs), and His Excellency Sekou Berthe (Ambassador of Mali to the United States).
Other notable attendees included Virginia State Senator Ghazala Hashmi and Virginia Delegates Rai Cousins and Betsy Carr. Special messages were also shared from U.S. Representatives Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Angie Craig (D-MN).
