Community leaders and members of the community gathered Wednesday for an interfaith symposium at Rockland Community College.

The symposium comes in the wake of the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand. The event actually was planned even before the attacks.

Rockland County Human Rights Commissioner Constance Frazier says combating hate is at the top of the county's agenda.

"A lot of the hate that we see now is predicated on ignorance and lack of education and lack of knowledge," says Frazier. "So we're trying to confront that through human rights by educating people."

Frazier says it's important to make a connection with parents and the school system in the county. She says professional development is needed to understand human rights and human relations.

This was the second annual interfaith symposium. Frazier says she plans to keep doing it year after year.