The Salaam Network

MOTTO: The motto of The Salaam Network (TSN) is “Striving to Make Our Beloved Community of Louisville Whole.” The word “Salaam” is an Arabic word (“Shalom” in Hebrew) generally translated as “Peace” but it also refers to Wholeness, Safety, and Well-Being.

MISSION: TSN is an educational network which aims at creating harmony and wholeness in a highly diverse and divided city through dissemination of accurate information about those who are seen as “The Other” or as different from us. Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination including racism, sexism, classism, and exclusivism on grounds of religion, ethnicity, culture and political affiliation, have contributed to the growing “us versus them” mentality. TSN’s mission is to build a knowledge-based foundation for an all-inclusive community which is reflected in a video made by its Art Director, celebrating the cultural diversity of Louisville: https://youtu.be/5h0pG53kY98

Who We Are

Salaam is an Arabic word (Shalom in Hebrew), derived from the root s-l-m which is most often translated as peace, but it can also be understood as wholeness, safety, well-being, tranquility, and vitality. Salaam symbolizes TSN’s goal to work toward making our Beloved Community of Louisville Whole by making it free of disunity, division, and discrimination, so that it can experience safety, a sense of well-being, positive energy, and peace of heart, mind, and spirit.

OUR MISSION: TSN aims at creating harmony and wholeness in a highly diverse and divided city. Founded in mid-2016 by Dr. Riffat Hassan, an internationally-renowned pioneer of interfaith dialogue and Islamic feminist theology, it comprises educators, writers, artists, and peace-and-justice activists committed to countering Islamophobia and other manifestations of bigotry, hatred and mistrust in Louisville, the city of Muhammad Ali, America’s best-known Muslim and a universal peacemaker

TSN defines itself as an education network as it believes that education is the best way of eliminating ignorance in which misconceptions and negative stereotyping of those who are different from us, are rooted. In view of the alarming escalation of anti-Islamic rhetoric and actions in the U.S. in recent times, TSN’s team of educators have made numerous presentations to disseminate accurate information about the core beliefs and practices of Islam, its history and culture.

Cognizant of crucial contemporary issues, TSN has developed programs to address issues of religious discrimination against women and LGBTQ individuals.

In a short time, TSN has come a long way as can be seen by reviewing our programs and presentations from 2016 until the present day on our website. In our three years of existence we have provided over almost sixty free programs in churches, temples, synagogues and other public fora. But we are also mindful of how much work still needs to be done to fulfill the pledge enshrined in our Motto. In our journey onward we continue to be inspired a d energized by a video on Celebrating Cultural Diversity, made by one of gifted artists, which holds before us the vision of an all-inclusive community where no one is seen as The Other.

Website: Salaamnetwork.org

Facebook: Salaamnetwork Louisville