Source: The Southern

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/rednews/2003/07/14/build/local/LOC001.html

On July 13, 2003 The Southern reported that "people of all religious faiths and backgrounds need to take the messages they learn in their houses of worship and come together as a unified force for the betterment of their communities... That was the message of Rabbi Mark Shook of Temple Israel in St. Louis, who spoke at the Carbondale Ethnic Festival...

Source: The News-Star

http://www.thenewsstar.com/html/0DA2B8AF-36FF-44A6-A6BC-DCD2E6AC5D64.shtml

On July 11, 2003 The News-Star reported that "a panel of scholars and lay people from different faith groups and international communities will talk at Neville High School tonight about how to overcome obstacles to personal and world peace... The forum, called 'Overcoming Obstacles to Peace, Friendship and Joy,' is sponsored by the Eagle Vision...

Source: Waco Tribune-Herald

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2003/07/10/1057840259.29114.5365.1239.html

On July 10, 2003 the Waco Tribune-Herald reported that "fourteen young people � eight black and six Hispanic � are the test class for a new summer camp aimed at promoting friendships and understanding across religious, racial and cultural lines. The Youth for Peace Coalition, an educational program...

Source: The Baltimore Sun

http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/howard/bal-ho.bahai20jun20,0,1539681.story?coll=bal-local-howard

On June 20, 2003 The Baltimore Sun reported that "after decades of meeting in borrowed spaces, the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Howard County is seeking to build what would be the only center for its faith in Maryland... More than 200 followers of the religion - founded in 19th-century Persia...

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

[poughkeepsiejournal.com/sunday/localnews/stories/lo061503s12_p.shtml]

On June 15, 2003 the Poughkeepsie Journal reported that "Dutchess County [NY] truly is a melting pot of religious faiths -- and religious tolerance... 'In many ways the county is very diverse and it breeds tolerance,' said Michael Tori, a religion professor at Marist College... The county may be nearly three-fourths Roman Catholic, but not one faith dominates, he said... 'For the most part, there has been a very good-hearted...

Source: Baha'i World News

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=222

On June 13, 2003 the Baha'i World News reported that "the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations was yesterday elected to chair a major committee on women's issues... Bani Dugal will serve for two years at the UN in New York as Chair of the non-governmental organizations' Committee on the Status of Women... Then she will be eligible for a second...

Source: Baha'i World News

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=218

On June 3, 2003 the Baha'i World News reported that "in ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Baha'i House of Worship [IL] in May, participants spoke of the building's beautiful and unique design and of the great sacrifices that were made to see it realized... 'It was such a dream of the Baha'is of the world to build this temple,' said Fariborz Sahba, telling...

Source: Wyoming Tribune

Source: The Patriot-News

http://pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1054546228199250.xml

On June 2, 2003 The Patriot-News reported that "Dr. Mukund Kulkarni smiled when he told his audience of Christians, Baha'is and Islamic believers that Hinduism is a faith without a single founder, specific theological system or single system of morality... There was little...

Source: The Toledo Blade

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030531/NEWS10/105310143

On May 31, 2003 The Toledo Blade reported that "one of the most vivid images to emerge from a MultiFaith Habitat for Humanity project to be dedicated tomorrow was that of an Orthodox Jewish woman and a Muslim woman wearing a head scarf carrying a board together as they cleaned the construction site... Nobody snapped a photograph of the...

Source: Journal Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/lifestyle/religion/may03/141223.asp

On May 16, 2003 the Journal Sentinel reported that "the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Ill., a nine-sided temple with a gleaming white dome that is a national historic site and one of the region's top tourist attractions, will celebrate its 50th anniversary at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 17, with a special service in the sanctuary. People of all faiths are invited."

Source: House.gov

http ://w ww.house.gov/apps/list/press/oh09_kaptur/bigotry.html

On May 15, 2003 House.gov reported that "Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur today joined Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) to introduce legislation in the House of Representatives condemning violence and bigotry against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South Asian Americans and Sikh Americans. Kaptur’s bill also calls upon law enforcement authorities to aid on the prevention and prosecution of hate crimes wherever they occur... 'The district I...

Source: The Associated Press

Source: MPAC News

http://www.mpac.org/

On May 10, 2003 the Muslim Public Affairs Council issued a press release stating that "the Executive Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Salam Al-Marayati, was invited by Los Angeles City Mayor James Hahn, Assistant Chief of Police for LAPD Jim McDonnel, and Councilman Jack Weiss to participate in a press conference announcing the arrest of a suspect for the arson attacks against a church, a Bahai temple, and synagogues in Encino,...

Source: MPAC News

http://www.mpac.org/

On May 8, 2003 the Muslim Public Affairs Council reported that "on Wednesday, May 7, an Encino synagogue was the fourth house of worship to be set on fire in 11 days. Los Angeles police are investigating the incidents as hate crimes and believe that they have been committed by a single arsonist. The attack on the synagogue follows three other Los Angeles area attacks on an Iranian synagogue, a Bahai community center and a Presbyterian church."