Rumi Forum organized its “Summer 2024 Quarterly Social” at the Friends Meeting of Washington on August 22, 2024. Quarterly Social is an opportunity to meet individuals from various walks of life and engage in stimulating conversations. Each Quarterly Social gathering features a different theme on which participants share their reflections in an open and welcoming environment. The meetings take the form of facilitated conversations in which participants themselves are the speakers.

Our theme for the Summer 2024 Quarterly Social was “Empathy.” There were some questions to ponder before our gathering:

How do you define empathy in your own words?

Describe a time when someone showed empathy towards you.

How do you practice empathy in your daily interactions with others?

What are the challenges you face when trying to be empathetic?

How does empathy influence your professional relationships?

What role does empathy play in addressing social issues and injustices?

How can communities foster a greater sense of empathy among their members?