On the last weekend in October 2017, the community prepared for a rally headed up by League of the South, a white nationalist group.

The few protesters that showed up were met by a community united in the face of hate. Beautiful messages scrawled across the boarded-up storefronts: "love always," "in the face of love everyone is equal," and "Murfreesboro Loves."

Two years later, downtown Murfreesboro will be a place of celebration with Love Your Neighbor on the Square, set for 2-6 p.m. on Oct. 27. The free family-friendly event is sponsored by Murfreesboro Muslim Youth and Murfreesboro Cold Patrol. Both organizations work hand-in-hand to serve those in need.

"We want to remember and honor how Murfreesboro came together to face hate with love, and we want to spotlight the diversity in our community," said Abdou Kattih, director of Murfreesboro Muslim Youth, one of the nonprofits sponsoring the event. 

Love Your Neighbor on the Square will feature live music, activities for children, and foods representing favorite dishes from nearly 20 countries.

"We tried to think of the best way to encourage the community to continue to come together. Sharing a meal is a great way to invite everyone to the table," said Kattih.

Families from the community will prepare popular foods from their heritage while also dishing out information about their cultures, from traditional clothing to stories and visitors.

Countries represented will include Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Slovakia, Iran, Bosnia, Yemen, Jordan, Bangladesh, Syria, Iraq, Malaysia, Morocco, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, Turkey, Somalia – and even Southern food.

"It's a tasty way for people to learn about their neighbors," said Kattih.

To learn more about the event or to get involved, visit www.murfreesboromuslimyouth.org/ or email MurfreesboroMuslimYouth@gmail.com.