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SCCDC Events
Written by SCCDC   
Wednesday, 04 April 2007

Come Join our Annual Interfaith  Worship Service
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 
6:30 PM 
Congregation Knesseth Israel
229 Mountain Ave
BOUND BROOK, NJ
Come hear how gratitude is expressed in many different faith traditions: Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist,  Islamic, Sikh, Bahai , Confucianism and Jain.
 
Come meet Rabbi Jack Kramer and many other faith leaders of our community.
Each tradition's prayer of thanksgiving will follow short meditations on gratitude.
  
Food and fellowship will follow in our social hall.
For more information: Contact: Rabbi Jack Kramer  
 732-469-0934
 
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Congratulations to  2008 SCCDC Diversity Awards  Winners

The Somerset County Diversity Coalition announces the winners of the 7th annual SCCDC Diversity Awards.    The SCCDC Diversity Award is designed to recognize exceptional individuals who live and/or work in Somerset County.  The award recognizes individuals, corporation(s) and organizations who embrace the principles of the diversity Coalition which promotes tolerance and understanding in the entire community and whose courageous actions have embodied the values of civility, tolerance, diversity, and cooperation in the advancement of public dialogue and public policy on diverse issues. 

   This year’s honorees are:

Education:  

Kathleen S. Feigley, Executive Director, Kangaroo Kids School, Branchburg

Government: 

Hon. Sue Pai Yang, Compensation Judge, Bridgewater 

and

Leadership Somerset, A special program of Somerset County

Faith Community: 

Hindu Temple and Cultural  Society USA, Inc. Bridgewater

Youth Leaders:   

Keely Swan, Branchburg

Business:   

Anna Lustenberg,  Verizon Foundation

Community Service:

Sascha Higazi, Bound Brook Police Officer

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Ray Chimileski receives the Unity Achievement Award from
the NJ Governor's Human Relations Council.
 
Ray Chimileski, member of the SCCDC and chair of the Marketing committee was honored last week by the New Jersey Human Relations Council, with the Unity Achievement Award for his tireless effort to help homeless veterans.   The Operation Chillout, launched by Ray, an interfaith, grassroots coalition of volunteers dedicated to easing the burden of homeless people throughout Northern New Jersey has been helping many homeless veterans for the past 5 years.  Congratulations, Ray, for your outstanding work, we are very proud of you. 

 

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Bound Brook Celebration 

The Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition (SCCDC), in collaboration with local originations will be holding its annual 5th Annual Bound Brook Community Day and Central American Independence Day Celebration on September 14, 2008 from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm

The annual community day will not only highlight the diversity of cultures in Central Jersey and Bound Brook it will also be a celebration of our community spirit in Bound brook honoring those who make a difference.  As part of our event we will be recognizing organizations and individuals who have made a difference in the community.  Live music representing many cultures will be presented.  Along with the music there will be food and crafts representing the community.  This year’s program will be combined with the Central American Independence day celebration and 85th Anniversary of the temple Congregation Knesseth Israel

 

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2nd Annual Interfaith Peace Parade and Festival

Sunday, September 21, 2008

2:00 PM to 5:30 PM

Downtown Somerville - In front of the Court House

Come join us in commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nationals and peoples. 

 

Program will consists of children’s activities, talks by interfaith leaders, information booths for promoting international peace, understanding, and goodwill. Enjoy music, special displays and sample ethnic food.

Sponsoring Organizations:

Rotary International District 7510, Coalition for Peace and Action, Rotary Club of Branchburg, New Jersey Peace Action, Somerset Voices for Peace and Justice, 1-877 WHY Islam, The Art of Living, The Spiritual Unity Network, Taskforce for Humanity Coalition, Raritan Valley Chinese School, Center for Understanding Islam, New Jersey Buddhist Vihara Society, National Council of Negro Women - Raritan Chapter, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills, International Jain Sangh, Praise Korean Presbyterian Church-Franklin, Garden State Sikh Association, St. Luke Parish Meditation Group –Long Valley, The Children’s Museum, St. Luke Lutheran Church-Dunellen, Friends of Nepal – NJ, Hindu Temple Society, Inc. Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition, Working Families WIN and NJ Citizen Action.   

 

FOR MOR INFORMATION CONTACT   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Diversity Picnic
July 19, 2008
4 pm to 9 pm
for more information call 908-369-4318 
 
 
Saturday, May 17, 2008 - Community Cultural Celebration
 Hillsborough High School's  "Community Cultural Celebration"
 Saturday, May 17 from 5 pm to 9 pm at the Hillsborough Middle School
 
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Sunday May 18, 2008  

 The 13th Annual International Festival

A celebration of our community's mosaic of diversity through the sharing of food, art, dance, music, and friendship.
Sunday, May 18th 1pm-4pm
140 Mount Airy Rd.
A requested $5 donation per adult, $2 per child will benefit the YMCA World Service Fund.
For more information, contact Carolyn Vasquez (908) 766-7898 x 340 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 Community sponsors:  Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition,  Somerset County Freeholder’s office
 
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SCCDC's  next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 26 at the Agra Palace Indian Restaurant in Downtown Somerville from 12 to 1:30 pm. Our guest speaker will be Hon. Pat Walsh, Newly elected Somerset County Chosen Freeholder and Diversity Coalition Laison.
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6th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner and Diversity Awards Ceremony

Join SCCDC on November 15, 2007 as we recognize the exceptional achievements of this year’s Diversity Award winners and our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner. At this outstanding gathering, you will meet community leaders whose energy and vision has distinctly enhanced the intercultural understanding and improved quality of life.

The award will recognize men, women and youth who have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of their communities in the area of diversity. The award winners are

  • Education:  David S. Livingston, Retired, Somerset County Superintendent of School
  • Government:  Bob Zaborowski, Director, Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders  
  • Faith Community:  Muslim Center of Somerset County
  • Youth Leaders: Conerly Road School – The Peacemaker Program, Franklin Township
  • Business:  Sonia Amorim, Valley National Bank, Bound Brook
  • Community Service:  M. Ali Chaudry, Center for Understanding Islam  
  • Media:  Kathy Bugman, The Star Ledger Reporter

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with youth peace prayer and will include a reception, dinner and the awards presentations. Tables of ten are available for $200 or $20 per person. 

 

SCCDC receives NJHRC Award

Each year the New Jersey Human Relations Council (NJHRC) awards organizations and individuals who make a significant contribution promoting prejudice reduction to prevent crimes based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or disability. This year, the work of the Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition (SCCDC) will be recognized at the NJHRC’s annual awards luncheon on November 1st, at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.

Over the years, the SCCDC has sponsored many ethnic festivals and cultural diversity roundtables as well as publishing a multi-cultural resource guide distributed to schools, libraries and other institutions in Somerset County. The coalition convenes educational conferences and training workshops to meet the community’s needs on promoting inter-cultural understanding.  www.njhrc.org

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 Invitation to meet international judges,  Sunday, November 4, 2007, 5:30 pm at RVCC  Grand Conference Room

The National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) is having a National Convention at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia, PA from November 7 to 11, 2007.   As the District 3 Director of  NAWJ (NJ, DE, PA, & Virgin Islands) and the Chair of the International Judges Committee of the NAWJ Convention, I would like to share with you our upcoming plans. Our committee has initiated a pre-convention people-to-people program for the international judges (IJs). The theme is “America through the eyes of the legal and community leaders.”   Fifteen IJs have accepted our invitation.  They include two Supreme Court Justices and Judges with leadership roles in their countries' courts and in the International Association of Women Judges. 

Our guest judges include six from Taiwan, seven from Korean, one from Nepal and one from the Ukraine.  The judges from Bosnia, Egypt, Ireland, and U.K/North Ireland registered to attend our convention are unable to accept the pre-convention invitation.  As you may know, attorneys and others are welcome to join NAWJ as associate members and can apply online: www.NAWJ.org

Most IJs will be staying in Somerset County during their visit to NJ.  The NAWJ, District 3 and the award winning Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition (SCCDC) are sponsoring a Welcome Dinner for the international judges on Sunday, November 4, 2007, 5:30 pm at the Raritan Valley Community College, Grand Conference Room in Branchburg, NJ.  The President of the College, the President-elect of the International Association of Women Judges, its Executive Director, several past presidents of NAWJ and the co-chairs of our convention plan to attend.  Everyone is encouraged to come in a heritage costume; it need not be from your own heritage.

Please call Dr. Tulsi  Maharjan, Director of Government Relations at RVCC and Chair of SCCDC if you are interested in attending this event. Tickets to the dinner at $20 each.  

Co-sponsors:

  • Graham Packaging Co. L.P., an international firm
  • The Asian Pacific American Lawyers Assoc., NJ.    
  • Friends of Nepal - New Jersey 
  • Raritan Valley Chinese School
  • Miles & Stockbridge Foundation Inc
  • Rutgers School of Law, Newark
  • Seton Hall University Law School 

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5th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner and Diversity Awards Ceremony

Join SCCDC on November 15, 2007 as we recognize the exceptional achievements of this year’s Diversity Award winners and our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner. At this outstanding gathering, you will meet community leaders whose energy and vision has distinctly enhanced the intercultural understanding and improved quality of life.

The award will recognize men, women and youth who have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of their communities in the area of diversity. The winners will receive awards in various categories: Education, Community Service, Business, Youth, and faith community and volunteerism.

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with youth peace prayer and will include a reception, dinner and the awards presentations. Tables of ten are available for $200 or $20 per person. For additional information, call Tulsi Maharjan at 908-526-1200, ext. 8312, or register online at www.raritanval.edu now.

 

 4th Annual Diversity Awards Winners,   The award  recognizes men, women and youth who have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of their communities in the area of diversity.    (2006) View award winners.

 

4th Annual Bound Brook Community Celebration

Main Street Bound Brook (Near the Train Station)
Sunday, October 7, 2007
11:30 am to 5:00 pm
Free Admission

Come experience the cultural richness of our community
Celebrating our Community with entertainment, food, crafts and children’s activities
 

Music from:
Irish Music, South American music and dance,  Ukrainian Music and Dance, Police and Klezmer, Bound Brook High school Music Department, 
 

Food from:
Caribbean countries, Dutch funnel cake, American food, South American BBQ,
Arts and Crafts from around the world.  

 Sponsored by:
Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition,
Somerset County Freeholder’s office, Raritan Valley Community College, Bound Brook Chamber of Commerce, Bound Brook-Middlesex Rotary Club

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Interfaith Community Peace Dialogue   

Path to Global Unity & Understanding

Saturday, September 8th ~ 6 – 9 PM The United Reformed Church 100 W Main Street in Somerville, NJ

Come be a part of a special presentation where we will have an Interfaith Dialogue to understand how everyone in the world community can find meaning & understanding for Peace. We will hear from Rev. Julie Newhall presenting a Unitarian Universalist perspective from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills in Somerville, Levent Koc from the Interfaith Dialogue Center will be sharing a Sufi perspective, Vikas Chawla, “The Art of Living”, a Hindu Perspective, Father Ed Murphy, from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bound Brook, a Christian perspective, Dr. Ali Chaudry from the Center for Understanding Islam, a Muslim perspective, Aditya Man Shrestha, a Humanist perspective, Dr. Gurprakash Singh, Garden State Sikh Association, Sikh Perspective and we will hear beautiful singing from Yolanda. Our keynote speaker is the Ambassador for Peace from Nepal-Ugyen Sherab, the revered Buddhist Monk Krishnaman. Monk Krishnaman will share his vision for global peace.

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Walking Meditation for Global Peace 

Sunday, September 9th  ~ 2 – 5PMThe Somerset County Courthouse Main Street, Somerville

Our program will begin with music from Sharleen Leahey from Somerset Voices for Peace & Justice, and we will have the honor of hearing from Rabbi Gluck from Temple Beth El in Hillsborough sharing a perspective for Peace from the Jewish faith and many other religious leaders will be sharing their perspectives. Our keynote speaker, Monk Krishnaman, will lead us on our Walking Meditation for Peace. Over the years, Monk Krishnaman has been recognized and awarded for numerous works and he has been involved in many international “Peace Walks”, carrying his prayer wheel embossed with Mantras (Holy Pronouncements) of the world. The success of these walks has brought the Monk a personal inspiration and vision to undertake the construction of the Global Peace pagoda to inspire and unite all people around the common goal for peace.

For more information: Contact: The Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition 908-369-4318 Web: wwww.sccdiversity.org  Contact: The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills at 908-927-0601 Web: www.uucsh.org “Path to Spirituality”

 Community Sponsors: 

Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition, Hunterdon Peace Coalition, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,  Somerset County Muslim Center, Center for Understanding Islam, Social Action Committee of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills, Interfaith Dialogue Center, Somerset Voice of Peace and Justice, Raritan Valley Community College – Rotaract and International Clubs.  

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Last Updated ( Sunday, 23 November 2008 )
 
Welcome to SCCDC!
Written by Web Master   
Thursday, 21 September 2006

 

  
The SCCDC is a 5013c not-for-profit organization that is composed of a diverse group of individuals from the public and private sectors of Somerset County who have come together on a voluntary basis with a common purpose.

 
 

November 15, 2007 - Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner and Diversity Awards Ceremony recognized men, women and youth who have made significant and notable contributions for the betterment of their communities in the area of diversity.(2006) View award winners.

Verizon Foundation reaching out to promote diversity in Somerset County

Somerville, August 17, 2007

The Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition (SCCDC) received a grant of $8,000. from The Verizon Foundation to develop and promote initiatives supporting cultural diversity in the surrounding community.

Created in 1995, the SCCDC has been recognized as “the NJ State model for the development of cultural awareness and education”. The coalition has developed and implemented a variety of programs to enhance multicultural understanding within the area. Many private and public businesses, County government agencies, educational and advocacy organizations have joined the SCCDC to learn how to deal with the challenges and opportunities posed by the increasing diverse populations in the region.

The SCCDC sponsors programs targeted to individuals, corporations, community groups, government and schools. It provides a forum for networking, offers referral services, and facilitates workshops to promote understanding and acceptance of the numerous cultural and ethnic communities in the State of New Jersey.

Award Nomination Form

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Interfaith Dialogue is an annual program to foster understanding and cooperation among the diverse ethnic, cultural and religious communities in our area. (November 20, 2007)


Last Updated ( Saturday, 01 September 2007 )