Many in communities across Connecticut are feeling the pain of conflict. People gathered in Norwich Tuesday evening to call for peace at an interfaith vigil.
Songs of peace filled the solemn air in front of Norwich City Hall. People of different faiths held candles calling for fighting to end in the Middle East.
“We need to send the voice of peace for all sides," said Abraham Jihadi, of Norwich, said.
Jihadi lives in Connecticut, but has extended family in Gaza. He says his heart is with innocent civilians.
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“The babies, the civilians are all treated equally no matter what their race is, no matter what their religion, no matter or what’s their color,” he said.
It was also meant to be a space to create a sense of belonging.
“People are in pain. It’s not about one community versus another," Norwich City Councilman Swarnjit Singh said.
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Singh says the vigil was meant for people to see each other in person to create understanding and compassion while giving a platform to express that pain.
“When you meet actual people, you get to know what is the reality and what they’re going through,” Singh said.
Jihadi says while the future of the conflict remains unclear, he has one hope for how it ends.
“All civilians for both sides to come back to their homes safely,” he said.
