TIME TO SHINE: PUPIL COMMUNITY COHESION CONFERENCE

At Leicester Racecourse, Oadby, today for "Time to Shine: Sharing Good Practice", a community cohesion pupil conference organised by Learning South Leicestershire Partnership.

I've been invited by Rita Pancholi, Community Cohesion Co-ordinator at Bushloe High School (where I led a session with the school's Community Club just two days ago). I'm taking three workshops and have brought along the Council of Faiths full set of banners.

There are students and staff from eleven schools here today:

• Birkett House
• Bushloe High School
• Countesthorpe Community College
• Gartree High School
• Lutterworth College
• Madani High School
• Manor High School
• Robert Smyth Academy
• South Leicestershire College
• Thomas Estley Community College 
• Wreake Valley College

An earlier event with the same title was held at the same venue in November 2010, involving many of the same schools (with a different cohort of students, of course).

My workshop is based on a variety of images, each one of which should allow us to talk about different ways the students might have seen diversity in the world around them, or have experienced it in their own lives. This is an amended version of the workshop I did with Bushloe High's Community Club earlier this week.

Other workshops are presented by Karl Brown (Basketball), Shuki Chani (Media and Community Cohesion) and Gaynor Nash (Legacy of 2012 Olympics). On the programme I'm listed as "Multi-Faith Leader". I'd like to see that on my next business card!

I take the first workshop is before lunch, the second and third after it. By the end of the day, I've seen all students and staff. The first two sessions could hardly go better, but by the time of the third one either the attendees or I (or both) are a bit tired, so the final session is a bit tougher than the other two. Nothing I can’t handle, of course, it just feels a wee bit more of a slog. It's been a hot day, we've all just had lunch and so on.

There's a very good atmosphere today, our presence here generates positive interest and the students make a variety of excellent contributions, both in the workshops and in the plenary sessions. I'm glad I was asked to take part in this enjoyable and worthwhile event. I hope I can do so again.

GET (EVEN MORE) INSPIRED!

At the community centre opposite Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal (photo above), Narborough Road, this evening, for a meeting with the Get Inspired 2010 team. Get Inspired 2010 will be a public celebration of Hindu life, promoting the diversity of Hindu culture, values and philosophy to people of all ages and from all faiths and beliefs, as well as showcasing Hinduism as a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle for the 21st century and beyond. The organising team are hoping to attract 10,000 visitors to the event itself at Leicester Racecourse and Conference Centre (Saturday 14, Sunday 15 Aug) and are intent on reaching a global audience by creating a lively online presence.

A group of community-minded individuals drawn from virtually all Hindu groups in Leicester is behind Get Inspired 2010. They've come together in recent months locally to promote the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies - an academic institution of international standing. I attended the meeting in this same venue that started the countdown to Get Inspired 2010 (see blog entry, Tue 30 Mar). I was struck immediately by the potential of the event and have been trying to help in any way possible since then. That has consisted, mostly, of introducing some of the organisers to other people in the city whom I believe would be interested in promoting the event by a variety of means, e.g. Amplified Leicester (and relevant legacy projects), Citizens' Eye Community News Agency, CreativeCoffee Club, Global Education Leicester-Shire. I'm glad to say that everyone I've helped come into contact with this project - and with the people organising it - seem only too keen to help.

There are 16 people here this evening, for a meeting that lasts about two-and-a-half hours. We're in a smaller upstairs room this time, as the bigger ground floor space we had for the launch meeting is being used by a yoga class. Attendees speak about the event in general, as well as the particular areas they are assigned to look after:

• Temple Zone - featuring large models of six iconic Hindu temples in India
• Kids' Zone - fun and educational activities, built around the core values of Hinduism
• Grandstand area - focusing on the Bhumi ("Mother Earth") project
• Stage - featuring performances from a range of artists
• Food zone - on-site catering (which will be entirely vegetarian, with vegan options too)

A variety of charity stalls and commercial exhibitors are also being courted to take part in the event.

The main contribution that Leicester Council of Faiths can make is in assuring the success of the Conference Zone. On the Saturday, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) are jointly sponsoring a public conference; then on the Sunday there will be an invitation-only event. I've been asked to obtain support from the Council of Faiths for both of these. I am also involved in promoting Get Inspired 2010 through social networking and getting information out to schools.

GET INSPIRED 2010

At the community centre opposite Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal in Narborough Road this evening. I've been invited to attend the launch for a forthcoming public celebration of Hindu life, an ambitious event to be held at Leicester Racecourse and Conference Centre over a weekend in the middle of August.

Get Inspired 2010 aims to educate, inform and promote the full breadth and diversity of Hindu culture, values and philosophy as well as to showcase the Hindu outlook on living a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle. It takes as its target audience people from all over the UK, from all ages and all faith groups. It is looking to attract over 10,000 visitors to the event over two days but will also reach out to a global audience through its PR and marketing initiatives.

This event is being organised by a group of community-minded individuals drawn from all Hindu faith groups, who have come together over the last few years to promote the work of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies - an internationally recognised academic institution. I understand it's also building on the legacy of "Get Connected", a successful and fondly remembered event held in Leicester in 2004.

Sadly, I won't be able to attend Get Inspired 2010, as it's being held at the same time as the Summer Sundae Weekender at De Montfort Hall and Gardens (I've just forked out £250 for a three-day family ticket for that!)