"If combating racism and promoting civil rights was the most important American cause of the 20th century, interfaith understanding and harmony may rise to or near the top of the most important issues to be faced in the 21st."

"If Americans degenerate into sectarian violence -- as has happened in many countries of the world -- we are finished as a society. If, however, we can find a way of living in peace even though we have profound religious differences, we can be a model for the world."

Bill Tammeus, 2009

The Mission of the Festival of Faiths

Festival of Faiths . . . a community collaboration creating energy and understanding through interfaith dialogue.

To engage local partners, and national and international religious leaders to enhance the recognition and acceptance of religious pluralism and inter-religious understanding.

To create opportunities for our community members to listen, understand and experience deepened faith experiences while building bridges within and across religious faiths.

“Religion is perhaps the most powerful force in the modern world.”
-- Political scientist, Samuel Huntington, in his ground-breaking book
“The Clash of Civilizations”

The Festival of Faiths was created to foster relationship building, dialogue and understanding among people of wide-ranging religious and spiritual traditions. The Festival was born when several members of our leadership committee realized that:

• The Kansas City community includes an amazing wealth of various religions, spiritual practices and interfaith activities
• Religion is a major theme in our current local, national and international society
• Many people are struggling to understand their own faiths and people of faiths which differ from their own.