Burlington ’s first Inter-Faith Multicultural Festival on Saturday, August 19 will be an opportunity for people of different faiths to connect and share their values and beliefs, according to organizers.

“These (connections) lead to tolerance because you actually understand why people are doing what they are doing,” said Jan Simpson, a member of Wellington Square United Church and a festival committee member. “It takes you away from fear of the unknown and helps to establish a relationship.”

Osob Adus is a member of the Halton Islamic Association who met Simpson when their faith communities pooled resources to help government-sponsored refugees from Syria arriving in Burlington.

“The question in my mind is what are the differences between the different religions. Even between Christian religions there are different schools of thought and different churches,” said Adus.