Interfaith Summit

Dear Interfaith Summit Participant,

Thank you for your participation on ‘Barriers & Bridges: Integrating Faith, Science & Policy to Promote Health' Interfaith Coalition Summit on April 18, 2013. Together we have laid the foundation for a dialogue on faith and health and defined opportunities and roles to a healthier community.

We thank our session speakers for their participation and sharing the knowledge. Throughout the presentations and discussions, innovative ideas and suggestions were generated, new friendships and partnerships were formed and everyone in attendance learned the real impact of the health disparity and economics in our community. Throughout the discussion also was the need to integrate and foster the faith community collaboration and partnering skills necessary to achieve the objectives of healthy communities.

We are committing ourselves to this health movement working alongside the faith community. Interfaith Coalition is not just a campaign that has a beginning and an end but a continuous unceasing health movement envisioning us to be the healthiest county in Georgia. We  could be a part of the solution that fixes the hole on the bridge as it focuses on policy, systems and environmental changes to reduce the financial burden and the unnecessary suffering from chronic diseases.

Please click the links below for presentations and information from the speakers.

Ø  Speakers & Presentations

1.      Nazeera Dawood Presentation ( Why are we here & Paradigm Shift)

2.      Ken Lazarus & Dr. Taraz Samandari on HIV prevention. Click the link to view the Baha’i Community’s statement on HIV prevention. (Thank you Dr. Samandari)

3.      Affordable Care Act – Timothy Sweeney 

·         http://gbpi.org/category/blog/health-care-blog - Health related blog entries 

·         http://gbpi.org/category/policy-areas/health-care - Health policy briefs and fact sheets

·         Cover Georgia, a coalition of individuals and organizations working on the Medicaid expansion http://www.coverga.org/

4.      George Harris – Farm in Faith

Press release on the campaign

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/4/prweb10636472.htm

Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/PigfordExecutiveOrderCampaign

5.       Open Hand Representatives (Laura & Tammy)

Reading food label

6.      Combating Asthma in the faith community  – Dr.LeRoy Graham

7.      Yoga & Health Benefits  – Dr. S.V.Char

Blog spot  www.yogahta.blogspot.com

8.      Leslie Magnum stretching exercise

9.      Mediterranean Cuisine  (Thank you United Health Care)

Ø  Pictures link to the Summit

Summit Pictures  (thank you Gilford Watson)

Ø  Interfaith Coalition 2012-2013

We thank the interfaith coalition members of 2012-2013 for their one year participation in the Collaborate for Healthy Weight national Initiative. For more information on the collaboration, click the link.

Ø  Panel Discussion

An interfaith dialogue is not a debate, it is an opportunity to listen and to share the foundations of what is important for each religious tradition while learning to understand the common elements inherent in each religion. We thank the following faith community panelists

·         Rev. Frank Cornelius Brown ,President, Concerned Black Clergy

·         Soumaya Khalifa, Executive Director, Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB)

·         Mr. Narendar Reddy, President, Hindu Temple of Atlanta

·         Rev. Dennis Meredith, Tabernacle Baptist Church

·         Simon Chu, Representing the Chinese Buddhist Community

·         Rev. Robby Jackson, Minister of Youth and Education

for their presence and we believe their voice and journey will advance us in achieving a healthier community.  And this is a journey that we all agreed we had to take. A journey that shows community power in numbers and diversity. A journey, where we must work together to create a healthier Fulton.

Ø  Feedback from you on the Summit (~30%)

·         85% of you felt that the summit objectives were clearly defined at the beginning of the event
·         90% of you felt that the summit helped you better understand the work of the interfaith coalition
·         93% felt that they understood the importance of integrating faith, science and policy to promote health

“ I was pleasantly surprised to see such a huge gathering participating with great interest in the discussion.  Hope this kind of frank discussion would help our communities.”  Narendar Reddy

“ I wanted to stand up and say before I left, that fear is the opposite of love, not hate. And that just spending time together is what the greatest dissipater of that fear.  But by the end, you and the panel had said everything. ” Lee Lambert

“ I learned so much, I couldn't seem to stop taking notes. Thank you for making some important steps and outstanding progress. ” Cornelia King

“  It was clear that the level of enthusiasm generated was high, and the good will in the room was palpable.” Don Rubin

Ø  Media Coverage: (Thank you AIB Team)

AIB Metro:  The segment featuring the Fulton County Interfaith Summit will air on Thursday, May 2nd at 6:30pm on Comcast Channel 5 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 6. You may also view AIBTV programming here www.aibtv.com/aibeverywhere online and broadcast air schedules are the same. The program will reair for the entire month of May at the given days/times below:

Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., Fridays at 12:00 p.m., Saturdays at 12:00 p.m., Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m.

Ø  Action Steps

•      Interfaith Coalition is committed to carrying this effort forward. That said we want to hear from you further on some of your efforts underway to build the momentum generated in the summit. To do this effectively, we have to continue our dialogue on bringing the prevention to the forefront. We hope you will take time to share the information with your colleagues, families and friends who were not able to join us at this session.
•      We are compiling the suggestions and ideas that participants raised throughout the presentation for improving local participation.
•      In the near future, we will coordinate the efforts with the coalition members who are interested to be a part of this movement.
•      We are in the process of planning a date, time and location for our next interfaith coalition meeting to form committees and create action plans.

Thank you to all the participants, speakers and the panelists. We would like to thank Dr. Patrice A. Harris and Dr. Matthew McKenna for their continuing support. We thank our coalition co-chairs for their dedication , FGTV, Strategy Group and thanks to our volunteers and behind the scene employees who helped us get the summit through successfully. Last but not the least; I thank my Health Promotion team Carolyn Atwater Wooten, Patricia J. Jackson, Lynnette Allen, Carla Williams, Elise Lockamy and interns Rachana Thakker & Courtlandt Fouche  for the team work and our friends, Walter, Bo Beep and Jerome from the Boulevard Corridor community.

Thank you once again for your participation. Do not hesitate to email or call us with questions.

Thank you,

Nazeera

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Nazeera Dawood MBBS, MPH, CCRC
Health Promotion Program Manager
Fulton County Dept of Health & Wellness
265 Boulevard NE, Suite 423
Atlanta, GA 30312
Office:    404-613-1685

Cell:       404-583-7138

Efax:      404-893-6360  
Email:  nazeera.dawood@fultoncountyga.gov