FāVS News to host ‘Uniting the Inland Northwest’ in effort to bridge divides

FāVS News will present “Uniting the Inland Northwest,” a free community gathering aimed at bridging regional divides.

The Sunday event at the Montvale Event Center will feature Gonzaga University professor Itohan Idumwonyi of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau as the keynote speaker, discussing Ubuntu philosophy.

Idumwonyi said she’ll be discussing ways to re-approach relationships so people can break the artificial borders that separate each other and look out for one another, according to a FāVS news release.

“Directing one’s own humanity to others helps us navigate beyond superficial solutions to rethink, adapt and foster human interconnectedness,” she said in the release.

“We’re excited to create a space where people from different backgrounds can come together to listen and learn from one another,” Tracy Simmons, executive director of FāVS News, said in the release. “Our region faces many challenges that can only be solved when we work together across our differences.”

The event includes six breakout sessions that will address regional issues, like homelessness, interfaith dialogue, youth voices, and refugee and immigrant neighbors.

Doors open at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27, with the keynote beginning at 4 p.m. Food will be available for purchase from the Steam Plant. The event concludes around 7 p.m.

“Uniting the Inland Northwest” builds on FāVS News’ previous Good Neighbor Conference in 2016 at Gonzaga University, which attracted hundreds of participants from various faith backgrounds.

Guests are encouraged to register in advance via eventbrite.com at no cost.