Panel Discussion | Standing up to Hate: Justice Work Across Faith Traditions

In a time of growing polarization across communities and campuses, creating safe and brave spaces for dialogue has never been more important. Recently, the Global Social Justice and Peace (GSJP) McGill School of Social Work, in partnership with PLEDJ and Montreal City Mission, hosted an interfaith panel discussion bringing together scholars, McGill students, and community leaders to reflect on faith, justice, and the collective responsibility to stand up against hate.

Opening the evening, Professor Nicole Ives, Director of McGill's School of Social Work, emphasized the importance of understanding people in their full complexity. For students preparing for careers in social work and community engagement, faith is often central to how individuals understand their lives, cope with challenges, and seek meaning. She encouraged students to approach the conversation not as a debate, but as an opportunity to listen and reflect.

Professor Amal Elsana Alh’jooj echoed this message, inviting participants to step into what she called the “discomfort zone”, a space where growth and learning often begin.

“There is a huge difference between safety and discomfort,” she said. “We learn and we grow through discomfort. Let us hold this space for each other with compassionate listening.”

Dialogue as a Tool for Collective Liberation

The event was part of the Solidarity Dialogues program and its webinar series, organized by PLEDJ. The program was created in response to rising polarization in communities and  campuses. 

Hanya Omar, Director of Operations at PLEDJ, explained that the initiative seeks to create spaces where marginalized voices are centered and meaningful dialogue can take place.

“The Solidarity Dialogues is about making the choice to remain engaged with one another when it would be easier not to”, Hanya said.

Rather than eliminating conflict, the goal is to help participants understand its root causes while building solidarity, resilience, and critical awareness.

Faith Traditions and the Pursuit of Justice | Key Takeaways from the Conversation

Watch the recording of the panel discussion, the fifth of the Solidarity Dialogues Webinar Series, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2gxuntwb2A

L-R: Prof. Patrice Brodeur, Imaduddin Balkis, Prof. Eric Caplan & Rev. Paula Kline

It was a wonderful opportunity to bring together: 

• Imaduddin Balkis, PhD Candidate Religious Studies, McGill University 

• Reverend Paula Kline, Executive Director of Montreal City Mission

• Eric Caplan, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Jewish Studies, McGill University

• With moderation by Patrice Brodeur, Associate Professor, Institut d'études religieuses, l’Université de Montréal. 

  
  

What the Panel Offered: Learning Across Communities

1. Justice, compassion and peace are central across faith traditions.

2. Religious pluralism as a source of strength and shared responsibility, encouraging cooperation for common values while respecting differences in beliefs.

3. Standing up to hate requires honest reflection, and willingness to reflect critically on one's own traditions while remaining open to learning from others.

   
   

4. Relationships build understanding and the trust needed to address divisive issues, even when disagreements persist.

Reverend Kline shared stories from her work supporting refugees and newcomers in Montreal, highlighting the importance of recognizing people’s dignity and gifts, not only their needs.

“Sometimes we forget to ask people what they bring with them, their talents, their creativity, their voices,” she explained.

McGill students and community members at the panel discussion. 

Questions from the Community

The Q&A session invited students to bring forward reflections shaped by the current social and political climate.

1.  “As a Christian, given the current political climate, what is the best way to fight both antisemitism and Islamophobia without making it about my own religious identity, but rather about respect for humanity as a whole?”

2.  “Can there be justice without accountability? When we want to hold our own communities accountable, how do we do that across faith systems?”

The Path Forward

R-L: Professor Sarah Tarshis, Godfrey Makoha, Prof. Amal Elsana Alh’jooj, Imaduddin Balkis, Rev. Paula Kline, Prof. Nicole Ives, Prof. Eric Caplan, Prof. Patrice Brodeur

For students in attendance, the panel demonstrated respectful engagement across differences. In a world where religious and cultural tensions often dominate headlines, the discussion demonstrated how dialogue can build mutual understanding rather than division.

As moderator of the Q&A Godfrey Makoha summarized:

“We have learned that, within every faith tradition, there are teachings that can help us stand up to hate and stand up for justice.”

The challenge, he suggested, is ensuring that we create the spaces where those teachings can be shared, examined, and lived out together.

In her closing remarks, Professor Sarah Tarshis noted, in bringing together scholars, community leaders, and students, the panel reminded participants that justice is not the responsibility of one tradition or community alone, it is a collective project, grounded in empathy, courage, and the willingness to listen.

The evening ended with an Iftar meal, prepared by Women Weaving their Dreams, a project of MCM. To begin the Iftar, Faisal Malik, gave an introduction of Ramadan and social justice (Chaplain for Mont Lumiere Foundation and project specialist for Hands for Charity). Following, Imam Samer Elniz called for prayer and everyone broke their fast.

Thank you to everyone who attended this event.

The Solidarity Dialogues Webinar Series is a PLEDJ initiative, delivered in partnership with the Peace Network for Social Harmony. To learn more about the Solidarity Dialogues program, follow this link.

PLEDJ expresses our appreciation to GSJP McGill School of Social Work for hosting and Montreal City Mission in their partnership for making this event possible.

The Solidarity Dialogues have been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.