The Power of Dialogue: Bridging the Communication Gap Between Christians and Muslims in the African American Community

The Power of Dialogue project was created to increase the awareness level of Islam among students and the university community and to initiate conversations between Muslim and Christan students in the Tallahassee community.

Program activities officially began during International Awareness Week at Florida A&M University (FAMU). The first activity was a seminar on the tenets and beliefs of Islam, a first at FAMU. Muslim community and religious leaders compared the tenets and beliefs of Islam with those of Christianity, citing many similarities between the two religions. Most of the attendees were students who asked many questions during the question-and-answer period.

The second event, a roundtable discussion of Christian and Muslim religious practices, was also a first at FAMU. Four Muslim students from Florida State University joined FAMU students in a spirited discussion that enlightened many students and prompted a call for more events that would bring Christian and Muslim students together to exchange ideas and foster better relationships among them.