Lakeville, MN - Cultural Inclusion

Summary

Together in Peace (TIP) is a nonprofit organization based in Lakeville, Minnesota, founded in mid-2024 by Khaled Elabdi with a team of educators, civic leaders, and community volunteers in connection with AISA International NGO. Its creation built on years of grassroots collaboration promoting peace, dialogue, and intercultural understanding across Lakeville and beyond.

Community Background

The Together in Peace story began in 2021, when Khaled Elabdi organized a small, heartfelt gathering of family and friends to celebrate the International Day of Living Together in Peace (IDLTP)—observed globally on May 16, following a 2017 United Nations resolution.

In 2022, the celebration moved to a park in Lakeville. A JustServe specialist, having learned of the event through a local interfaith group, attended with several high-school volunteers. This connection led to a productive collaboration between Elabdi, JustServe, and the local interfaith community. Drawing on her connections with the City of Lakeville, churches, and community groups, the specialist helped grow the event and expand participation.

By 2023, a dozen community organizations—including nonprofits, churches, the Rotary Club, and cultural groups—took part in the IDLTP celebration by hosting booths and tents that showcased their contributions to building a more peaceful community. Two cultures were represented that year, with one cultural performance.

Collaboration and Growth

By 2024, the IDLTP event had grown into a citywide celebration that brought together families, schools, cultures, and faith communities around shared values of understanding and belonging.

In 2025, Together in Peace was officially registered as a nonprofit organization and recognized by both the City of Lakeville and the State of Minnesota as a model of civic collaboration. That same year marked a milestone: Mayor Luke Hellier proclaimed May 16 as Together in Peace Day for the City of Lakeville.

The Lakeville Rotary Club donated and organized the dedication of a Peace Pole at Casperson Park, featuring city officials, a children’s choir, youth council members, and faith leaders. The 2025 celebration included over 40 partner organizations—from civic bodies and schools to nonprofits, churches, and service clubs. Seventeen cultures and religions were represented through performances and booths, and nine of the ten performances showcased cultural expressions that became the highlight of the event.

Volunteers and Event Participation

Volunteers are central to both TIP and the IDLTP celebration. Each year, more than 40 volunteers help with setup, games, food service, and cleanup. Performers and sound technicians donate their time, and all organizations hosting booths volunteer their efforts to promote peace through dialogue, education, and examples of mutual respect and understanding.

Food is also a vital part of the celebration—nothing brings people together quite like sharing a meal. The event is completely free to attend, and the food is free, reflecting the community’s commitment to inclusion and generosity.

Impact

The Together in Peace movement represents collaboration and cooperation at their best. Rooted in AISA International NGO’s vision, TIP combines spiritual values with civic action—transforming the annual celebration of May 16 into a living practice of peaceful coexistence through collaboration, youth engagement, and education.

What began as a simple act of friendship has become a recognized community movement and a living expression of Lakeville’s desire for unity. Today, Lakeville is the only city in the United States that formally celebrates the International Day of Living Together in Peace—a distinction that highlights both its pioneering leadership and the opportunity for others to follow its example.

Lakeville’s Together in Peace celebration demonstrates that true inclusivity comes from shared participation. By honoring every culture and inviting every voice, the community created not just an event, but a reflection of what belonging can look like in action.