By Éloge Willy Kaneza

On September 3, the University of Southern Maine hosted interfaith leader and author Eboo Patel as the inaugural keynote speaker for the university’s new initiative called the Forum on American Democracy. The Forum is a yearlong series of events designed to engage the public in discussions around democracy. Patel’s keynote challenged the audience to think of democracy not as a fixed inheritance, but as a daily practice requiring courage, dialogue, and respect for differences.

Patel, the founder and president of Interfaith America, spoke to a packed audience at Hannaford Hall about the stakes of pluralism in an era of polarization. Drawing on the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, the ideals of the nation’s founders, and thinkers such as James Madison, Jane Addams, John Dewey, Alain Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Martin Luther King, Jr., Patel argued that the health of democracy depends on how ordinary people treat one another across lines of faith, race, and identity.

“Democracy is not a given – it is built every day when communities respect differences, engage in dialogue, and work together for the common good,” Patel reminded the audience.

Vision rooted in founding documents

Patel pointed to the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution as documents that “invite every generation to expand the circle of belonging.” He returned repeatedly to Lincoln’s belief in America’s unfinished project: “Lincoln understood that democracy is a living experiment. The nation was conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all are created equal. But that promise is not automatic; it requires active care from each generation.”

Referencing John Stuart Mill, Patel reminded the audience, “Genuine freedom is impossible without the liberty to engage with difference. Mills called it the liberty of expression – a principle that undergirds democracy itself.”

Patel urged Mainers to see themselves as stewards of this inheritance. “The founders gave us a framework, but it is up to us to fill those documents with life by ensuring that every person’s identity is respected and every community has a place at the table.”

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Lessons for Maine communities

Speaking in Portland, which is home to thousands of immigrants and refugees from across the globe, Patel connected his national message to local realities. Maine’s growing diversity, he said, is not a threat but a strength: “The health of our democracy depends on the small, daily acts of listening, learning, and engaging across lines of difference.”

Patel shared examples from Interfaith America’s work in Maine, in which students from different faiths partner on community service projects, multi-religious teams help refugees settle, and interfaith youth councils collaborate to improve their neighborhoods.

“When a Somali student and a Catholic student organize a food drive together, they are doing democracy in action,” Patel said. “They are practicing pluralism in real time, learning that cooperation across differences is not only possible – it is powerful.”

He encouraged institutions like schools, city councils, and community organizations to serve as democratic training grounds. “If young people learn to work with those who are different in their classrooms and neighborhoods, they will carry that skill into the wider world. Democracy is made in classrooms, in community centers, in conversation,” he said.

Interfaith cooperation as model

Patel emphasized that pluralism does not require erasing differences. “The point is not to erase differences. It is to work together precisely as people of different identities. That’s the promise of pluralism. … Pluralism takes work – but it is worth it,” he insisted.

Citing Martin Luther King Jr., he added, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. When people of different beliefs unite to serve the common good, they defend justice and strengthen democracy itself.”

Maine at a crossroads

Patel’s remarks strongly resonated in Maine, where many urban and rural communities now include families from around the world. Patel framed these changes as opportunities. “The question is not whether we will have diversity. The question is whether we will make diversity a strength by weaving it into our democracy.”

USM leadership responds

USM President Jacqueline Edmondson welcomed Patel’s address as a timely call to action. “Our campus is a microcosm of the broader world. Eboo Patel reminds us that respect, dialogue, and engagement across differences are not optional – they are essential to sustaining democracy. USM is committed to nurturing that ethos in every classroom, in every community partnership, and in every civic initiative we pursue.”

Edmondson highlighted Maine’s responsibility as its communities grow more diverse. “We must ensure that every resident, new or long-standing, feels that they belong and can participate fully in civic life.”

Call to action

As the event closed, Patel left the audience with both a warning and a hope. Quoting Lincoln’s appeal to the “better angels of our nature,” he said, “Think of democracy as a sacred project. It is not just about elections or institutions. It is about how we treat each other every day. When we choose respect over contempt, dialogue over division, and cooperation over isolation, we honor the vision of the founders and keep the promise of America alive.”

Signing books, connecting across generations

After his keynote, Patel spent time signing copies of his books for attendees and engaging with people of all ages – from high school and college students to retirees, as well as local community leaders. Many lingered to share experiences and ask questions about fostering pluralism in Maine. Patel’s approachable demeanor underscored the very message he had delivered – that democracy and respect for difference are built not only in speeches and policies, but in everyday interactions.

“Meeting people face-to-face, hearing their stories – that is where the work of democracy truly begins,” he said.