INTER FAITH WEEK 2012, DAY 8: HIGHCROSS EXHIBITION

Seventh and final day of our week-long exhibition in Highcross for Inter Faith Week. It might be a wee bit confusing that it's day seven of our exhibition on day eight of Inter Faith Week - a "week" lasting ten days in all, from Sunday 18 to Tuesday 27 November. Just hang in there - it's almost over!

Due to an administrative error, three people turn up for the first shift (1100-1300) but none for the second (1300-1500). Revd David Clark (former Assistant Secretary of Leicester Council of Faiths, photo below) phones me to let me know this, just as Tony Nelson and Yasmin Surti leave after doing two hours together on the display. I've no issue about having an extra person on the exhibition on Sunday morning, which would surely be on of the busiest periods of the week. But under no conditions could we leave our display unattended.

Since David started his stint late this morning, he's happy to wait until I can get there, meaning there's no time at which it's left unattended. I hadn't planned to be at the exhibition today until right at the end, to pack it all away at 1700. This is particularly so as the kids are with me this weekend and I'd had them at the display for a couple of hours yesterday. However, I've no option but to call a cab, bundle Harry, Gracie and her school friend Ellie into the back of it and hightail it to Highcross. We arrive shortly before 1400, in time to relieve David.

Shortly before 1500 I'm joined by Kash Bhayani, whom I met on the Holi Yatra Walk in March this year. Kash had pencilled himself in for several shots on the exhibition earlier in the week, but for one reason or another, he'd had to cancel each one of them. I'm glad he gets to join in near the end.

Mayor of Leicester, Sir Peter Soulsby, pays an unexpected visit to our exhibition shortly around 1530. He's able to stay and chat for a quarter of an hour or so. In the photo above, he's adding his own contribution to the collection of thoughts and feelings left by visitors and volunteers throughout the week (with Kash on the right of the picture). In the photo below, he's hanging his label on the tree. What did the Mayor write? Ah, that would be telling, faithful reader ...

For an hour or so this afternoon, we’re joined by Ambrose Musiyiwa, who takes several photos which he has posted on Facebook under the guise of Civic Leicester. Some of his photos are used in this blog post; others are sprinkled throughout these reports about our exhibition in Highcross during Inter Faith Week.

Here are some of the dreams, hopes, prayers and wishes that were written on the labels and hung on the little white tree on this final day:

I love multicultural city

Change is the law of nature but human values of love, respect, care, non-violence shouldn't change

May we all be forgiven our transgressions by the God we believe in

Be honest and kind and helpful to others

I wish to be truly able to see the God in everyone 

I want people to know the abundance they have - Kash

"Recognise the human race as one" - Guru Gobind Singh, Sikh Prophet

Health and happiness for 2013

Two young Muslim fellows turn up bang on 1700, tell me that they'd heard about the exhibition, had been looking for it and want to volunteer fronting it for a couple of hours. I take their details and tell them I'll be in touch in time for next year.

Within 20 minutes everything's packed and being trundled back toward the Welcome Centre. Thanks to Harry, Gracie and Ellie for lending a hand right at the end.