Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On April 26, 1999, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published an article on the Celebration of Religious Pluralism at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union, held on Sunday, April 25th, and sponsored by The Milwaukee Association for Interfaith Relations. About 150 people participated in small group discussions, a peace dance, and other activities. Rev. Martin E. Marty, a retired University of Chicago professor and director of the Public Religion Project, was the keynote speaker. Marty stated: "those of you who sometimes think it'd be nice if we were all one faith: In the United States, where we have all this pluralism, you have the highest participation in religion of any of the industrialized nations in the world." Judi Longdin, chairwoman of the Milwaukee Association for Interfaith Relations, stated that despite the relative lack of diversity in Milwaukee as compared to the two coasts, it is "seeing rapid growth in the Muslim and Buddhist communities."