A block of text read, "Illegal Olive Tree Industry. One result of the construction of the apartheid wall is an illegal olive tree industry, which has sprung up in Israel. When clearing Palestinian olive groves for the wall, the outer branches of the tough olive trees are sawed off, then American Caterpillar equipment scoops up the trees, roots and all. The trees are transported to Israel and sold at high prices. Palestinians are not paid any compensation for tees (or for their loss of land, homes, livelihood, other crops, etc.)."

• "Sisters Who Shine," a group dedicated to helping those who need services like housecleaning and those who provide such services.

• The Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.

• Bobby Darvish, president of the Muslim Forum of Utah, sat behind stacks of books whose covers were a filigree of gold ink, as a small wooden incense burner wafted sweet smoke into the air. The books' title was, "The Noble Qur'an: English Translation of the Meaning and Commentary."

"It's actually going very well," he said of the festival. As the sun sank, and the day cooled, more people would come, he hoped. Dedicated to improving the image and condition of Muslims in Utah, the forum does projects such as working for civil rights and helping with a soup kitchen for the homeless.

Why are so many cultures present at the festival? "One of the biggest Muslim philosophies is straight from the Quran. . . . " he began, and searched on a computer for a quotation from the religion's holy book. But his computer would not immediately connect, so he paraphrased: "All races being equal."

The tradition involves different peoples learning from each other, Darvish added, like the American ideal of the cultural melting pot.

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com