Curious spectators stood behind velvet ropes as saffron- and crimson-cloaked Buddhist monks gathered in the lobby of the Davis Center for Performing Arts.
Around a square wooden table, the monks began the process of painstakingly laying millions of brightly colored grains of sand into an intricate, symmetrical design known as a mandala.
Grain by grain, the monks worked throughout the week, creating their artwork and providing a contemplative backdrop for Georgetown’s inaugural Children of Abraham Festival of Interfaith Arts. The festival opened April 17, with a week's worth of performances by distinguished poets, dancers and musicians from various faith traditions.
"This festival was imagined as a way to cultivate interfaith peace, and care for the spirit, through performance," said Maya Roth, the Davis Center's artistic director and a lead organizer of the events. "We hope to promote spiritual renewal, cultural exchange and peaceful community through the arts with this festival."
The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange headlined the opening night with the Washington premier of "613 Radical Acts of Prayer: Opening Acts," a new piece that explores the diversity of faith experiences. Members of Georgetown's various faith communities joined President John J. DeGioia and Georgetown College Dean Jane McAuliffe to open the series.
"The Children of Abraham Festival takes Georgetown's work in interreligious understanding in new directions," McAuliffe told the crowd during the opening night. "While long a prominent part of our Jesuit and Catholic identity, contemporary aspects of interfaith work have assumed increasing importance at this university."
The week's events highlighted different artistic expressions of faith, including the Jewish world music of the Robyn Helzner Trio, readings and discussions by celebrated Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye, sacred 17th-century Italian music by soprano Jennifer Ellis and harpsichordist Mark Janello, and Arab jazz-fusion with oud virtuoso Shaheen and his band Qantara.
Although the festival was created around Judaism, Christianity and Islam -- the three world religions that trace their lineage to the story of Abraham -- event organizers chose to embrace the Buddhist tradition during the inaugural festival as a way of cultivating peace in mind, body and spirit. During the week, the Buddhist monks who took turns working on the festival's mandala also took the opportunity to engage in dialogue with members of the Georgetown community.
"Despite the language barrier, I greatly enjoyed my interactions with the monks," said Cal Watson (C'07). "To see how two completely different faith traditions can come together to eat and pray as one community in peace reminded me why I love Georgetown so much."
Funding for the Children of Abraham festival was made possible by a grant from Andrew Ammerman (F'72) and the Ammerman family in honor of the late Rev. Royden B. Davis, S.J., the long-serving dean of Georgetown College who was well known for his ardent support of the arts and interfaith exchange.
Seven centers and departments collaborated with Georgetown College, Campus Ministry and the Program in Performing Arts to sponsor the first of what many hope will become an annual event.
