Interfaith Roundtable appoints executive director

The Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable has announced the appointment of The Rev. Canon W. Ivan Cendese, Ph.D., as its first executive director. The Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable was formed as part of the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee to fulfill the Charter to provide religious services for athletes who came from many countries and faith traditions.

From this collaboration a group of faith leaders have continued to come together to promote love, harmony, and understanding among people of all faith traditions, cultures, and beliefs systems in the spirit of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Cendese is a retired educator having served as an administrator at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Jordan School District, and Salt Lake School District. Upon retiring from Salt Lake School District, he served as canon to the ordinary to the Episcopal bishop of Utah, The Very Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish, until his retirement in 2003.

"I am delighted to accept this position," Cendese said. "More than ever before we need to understand and respect the many different faith traditions that have come to define the culture in which we live, especially in Utah. Our goal is to continue to build interfaith collaboration through joint faith community projects and to address issues that stand in the way of deepening our respect for each other's cultural and religious diversity.

For more information, go to: interfaithroundtable.org