FāVS News hosts ‘Uniting the Inland Northwest’ community event
News Brief by FāVS Staff
FāVS News will present “Uniting the Inland Northwest,” a free community gathering aimed at bridging regional divides, on April 27 at the Montvale Event Center, 1019 W. 1st Ave., in downtown Spokane.
The event will feature Gonzaga University professor Itohan Idumwonyi of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau as the keynote speaker, discussing Ubuntu philosophy and its application to community building.
Idumwonyi said she’ll be discussing ways to re-approach relationships so people can break the artificial borders that separate each other and look out for one another.
“Directing one’s own humanity to others helps us navigate beyond superficial solutions to rethink, adapt and foster human interconnectedness,” she said.
“We’re excited to create a space where people from different backgrounds can come together to listen and learn from one another,” said Tracy Simmons, executive director of FāVS News. “Our region faces many challenges that can only be solved when we work together across our differences.”
The event will include six breakout sessions addressing regional issues ranging from homelessness and interfaith dialogue, to youth voices, and building bridges with refugee and immigrant neighbors. Each panel features representatives from local organizations and will be moderated by community leaders.
Doors open at 3:30 p.m., with the keynote beginning at 4 p.m. Food will be available for purchase from The Steam Plant. The event concludes around 7 p.m.
“Uniting the Inland Northwest” builds on FāVS News’ previous Good Neighbor Conference in 2016 at Gonzaga University, which attracted hundreds of participants from various faith backgrounds.
The event is supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, Transitions, Humanities Washington and Stout Land and Home. Additional community sponsors are being sought to support marketing and event costs.
Guests are asked to register in advance at no cost to help with planning. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Bob Stout at bobstout@favs.news.
