Date: Tuesday, October 21 & Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Locations: Harrisburg Penn State’s Kulkarni Theater & Harrisburg Grace Methodist Church
Organized by: PennLive & World Affairs Council of Harrisburg
Event Theme: PennLive’s 2025 Peace and Justice in PA Award Ceremony & Workshop on Helping Immigrant Communities
Attendees: 120 community members and visitors
ISC Representatives: Zahra Sultani, Kateryna Baraban, Olena Ivashchuk & Rakia Rasoli

The PennLive’s 2025 Peace and Justice in PA Award Ceremony that took place on Tuesday, 10/21/25 at the Penn State Kulkarni Theatre at Penn State Harrisburg, brought together community leaders, advocates, and local residents to share their work supporting immigrant communities. The event served as a platform to highlight successful programs, discuss challenges, and develop strategies to influence policymakers and advance advocacy for vulnerable populations. Unfortunately, the event was interrupted due to a power outage and was postponed to the next day at Grace United Methodist Church in Harrisburg.

This event was arranged and conducted by Dr. Joyce Davis, President and CEO of World Affairs Council of Harrisburg.  The ceremony was intended to recognize the outstanding contributors to justice and peace in Central PA. This year’s organizational awardees included Church World Service and the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, as well as Dr. Phuong Truong, the Executive Director of the International Service Center was nominated as a recipient of the award.  Zarah Sultani, a dedicated senior staff member of International Service Center, was representing Dr. Phuong to accept the award.  All honorees expressed deep gratitude and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their work in support of immigrant communities.

The workshop that took place at Grace Methodist Church featured presentations from various experts actively involved in immigration advocacy. Sarah Towle, author of “Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands,” led discussions on current immigration realities and the role of study circles in raising awareness. Representatives from the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center, and Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Network shared their vision to address local community needs, highlighted practical steps for rapid response in situations involving ICE or family separation, and discussed their community engagement initiatives, emphasizing the importance of reporting discrimination and educating immigrant residents about their rights.

Attorney Greg Shagin addressed the critical issues immigrant families face, including separation and detention conditions. He stressed the importance of being prepared, knowing one’s rights, maintaining legal documentation, and having trusted legal contacts available. He also emphasized that immigrants who work, pay taxes, and demonstrate good moral character strengthen their position within the community.

Most materials at the event were in English, with only a few translated into Dari, Pashto, French, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Providing important information in immigrants’ native languages is essential to ensure accessibility, understanding, and full participation in programs and services. Overall, the ceremony and workshop highlighted the importance of community involvement, advocacy, and preparedness to create stronger and more equitable support systems for immigrants.