Muslim Community Honored at Common Ground Event

On May 12, the campus community expressed its solidarity with Wesleyan’s Muslim community during a day-long event titled Common Ground.

Common Ground began with a prayer (jumaa) on Andrus Field where non-Muslims and Muslims were invited to pray together or to bear silent witness. After a short ceremony, the community gathered to share Islamic Hallal pizza. Participants also attended presentations on the history of Muslim-non-Muslim friendship and solidarity around the world, including Jewish-Muslim relations in early modern Africa.

Davison Art Center presented an open house to exhibit two recently acquired works that illustrate the Egyptian ”Arab Spring.”

“Common Ground” was co-sponsored by several student organizations including the Interfaith Council, Muslim Students Alliance, and the Wesleyan Unitarians group. The event was organized by Muslim Chaplain Sami Aziz; Peter Mark, professor of art history; Melissa Katz, visiting assistant professor of romance languages and literatures; Peter Gottschalk, professor of religion, professor of science in society; and Richard Friswell, visiting scholar for the Wasch Center for Retired Faculty.

Photos of the Common Ground jumaa and service are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake)