About the ConferenceThe Global Ubuntu Team and our fellow citizens’ lives are increasingly affected by extremism and other forms of violence. Some of us have lost loved ones, and almost all of us live with the fear of losing someone to an act of terrorism or other forms of violence in our community. Each of us has a responsibility to work on creating a safe community that also values our constitutional rights.
This conference is our timely response to the escalating violence, and through it, we increase dialogue on the prevention of extremism and violence to develop action steps towards creating safe communities. Ultimately, conference participants will design an action plan which is relevant to their communities. As a collective, we can prevent extremism and violence in our communities by helping to cultivate and sustain environments in which everyone is valued, feels loved, and has a sense of belonging. Contact us today to host a dialogue, and/or to obtain facilitator or co-facilitator training. Global Ubuntu's work is rooted in the meaning behind its name, Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are." This African concept reveals the connections between human beings, their communities, global society, and the cosmos. This Conference builds relationships and allows everyone to take part in creating the beloved community. ***Global Ubuntu will train facilitators and co-facilitators for the Conference.*** |
What ultimately lead me to organize the conference?I, Sumaya Karimi, was living in Afghanistan when the Taliban and Al-Qaida took over. The city of Mazar-e-Sharif, where I lived at the time, was overtaken by Taliban extremists who began to randomly shoot innocent civilians on the street. The following days, the Taliban killed anyone who was from the Hazara and Uzbik tribes. Many consider their actions to be genocide.
Fortunately for my family, our neighbor gave us shelter and we survived. We escaped Afghanistan and came to the United States in 2000. The following year, the events of September 11 happened. My mother asked, “Where should we go now? They have attacked the United States, too.” At that time, we took her comment lightly. However, over the past several years since that time, I have witnessed the increase of terrorist attacks in the US and around the world. More dangerously, they started recruiting our youth to join the Islamic State, so call Daaish. Suddenly, my mother’s question found new meaning. I reflected on this for some time. I said to myself, “I cannot go anywhere. The United States is my new home. I want to protect my home however I can, before it becomes unsafe, like Afghanistan did." |