Muslims from across North America will gather Friday, August 30, in Houston, Texas, for the opening day of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) 56th annual convention, one of the largest gatherings of its kind on the continent.
“We are inviting superpeople of all ages to join us in the biggest gathering of social good changemakers the world has ever seen,” ISNA organizers wrote on its website.
“ISNACON’19 will inspire attendees, help them discover their own superpower and transform their vision into action. We are going to do our part and lead the effort to make the world a better place by upskilling, resourcing, connecting, and opening doors for American Muslims who serve humanity.
This year’s Convention themed, “What’s your super power for social good?,” brings together both Muslim and interfaith individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations for a full schedule of lectures, discussions, debates, and entertainment.
The occasion is scheduled to run for 4 consecutive days, from August 30 to September 2.
Ingrid Matson
Speakers include Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Zahra Billoo, Dalia Mogahed, Besheer Mohamed, and Trevor Noah.
Along with prominent scholars, the convention will be attended by presidential candidates Senator Bernie Sanders and Julian Castro.
Zahra Billoo
Government and interfaith leaders, as well as heads of organizations, brought greetings and well wishes for a successful gathering during the inaugural session.
Estimates put the Muslim population in the US at between five and eight million.
ISNA is the largest Muslim umbrella organization in North America.
ISNA’s annual convention dates back to 1963 when the first such event was organized by the predecessor to ISNA, the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada.