The staff and board of the Interfaith Center of New York offer our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the fourteen individuals murdered in the recent terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils. Our thoughts and prayers are with the wounded, and with all those directly and indirectly affected.
From 2009 through 2012, ICNY worked closely with religious and civic leaders in Barcelona, as part of our “Sister Cities” initiative to share best practices in grassroots interfaith collaboration. We have fond memories of our hosts at the UNESCO Centre of Catalonia, as well as our visits to sites throughout the city, including the extraordinary beauty of the Sagrada Família and the remarkable work of the Islamic Council of Catalonia. Appreciating the beauty of Barcelona and its diverse faith communities, we are confident that the spirit of hope and hospitality will continue to prevail over fear and division in one of Europe’s great cultural cities.