LEICESTERSHIRE INTERFAITH FORUM STATEMENT RE WOOLWICH INCIDENT

As you can imagine, faithful reader, many comments and statements will be made regarding the incident in Woolwich, Wednesday 22 May 2013. I'm posting a selection of these on the blog, limited to relevant organisations with which Leicester Council of Faiths is involved to some extent. Below is a statement by Leicestershire Interfaith Forum, issued today in the names of the Chair, Mr Suleman Nagdi, and Vice Chair, Mr Resham Singh Sandhu:

The Leicestershire Interfaith Forum join with people across the country and world in condemning in the strongest possible terms the atrocity that took place on the streets of Woolwich yesterday. The Forum also calls for calm and peace on the streets of our city and county and for people to remember the murdered victim and to offer thoughts and prayers to his family at this sad time.

The Chair of the Interfaith Forum, Mr Suleman Nagdi stated that he was "immensely saddened at the tragic curtailing of a life spent in service of this country". Mr Nagdi also stated the following: "I am truly shocked at the fact that this tragedy happened in daylight on a street in my country and to a fellow citizen. I am also numb and outraged that two people intent on violence have 'hijacked' my faith to such an end. This is a complete distortion of the true meaning of Islam. It betrays all Muslims who have peace and compassion in their hearts and particularly those in our Muslim communities across the UK who serve our nation in the armed forces and indeed in all areas of life".

The Vice-Chair of the Leicestershire Interfaith Forum, Mr Resham Singh Sandhu wholeheartedly endorsed Mr Nagdi's comments, calling for people of all faiths and none to ensure that the hatred behind the murder was not in any way reciprocated or continued in its aftermath.

Mr Nagdi and Mr Singh Sandhu were united in their conviction that peace and harmony must prevail, that people saw the true meaning of Islam and of all faiths as messages of peace, goodwill, cooperation and friendship across our communities. The Interfaith Forum stands as an embodiment of this commitment and will continue to work to bring people of all faiths and none together for the common good.

Mr Suleman Nagdi (Chair of the Leicestershire Interfaith Forum)Mr Resham Singh Sandhu (Vice Chair of the Leicestershire Interfaith Forum)

WORLD FAITHS ADVISORY GROUP AT LEICESTER UNIVERSITY, FEBRUARY 2013

A meeting of the World Faiths Advisory Group (WFAG) at the University of Leicester's Chaplaincy Centre (The Gatehouse, University Road) this lunchtime.

Present today are Rev Canon Dr Stephen Forster (Coordinating Chaplain), Ian Snaith (Chair, WFAG), Chris Sharp (Equalities Adviser to the University of Leicester) and Resham Singh Sandhu (Chair of the Sikh Cultural and Welfare Society, Vice Chair of Leicestershire Interfaith Forum and past-Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths).

With Chris present at today's meeting, it makes sense to talk about the World Faiths Advisory Group's relation to the University's management of equality issues. Under the terms of the Public Sector Equality Duty, the University of Leicester - like all public bodies - has to apply itself to three aims of the general duty:

• To eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010. By removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics.
• To advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. By taking steps to meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from the needs of other people.
• To foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. By encouraging people from protected groups to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

 

We discuss the possibility of establishing a Religion or Belief Forum, which would function alongside hose already operating at the university in relation to other Protected Characteristics as enumerated in the Equality Act 2010. If such a forum existed, it would free WFAG from having to be involved in governance issues and allow this group to make progress on issues that fall within its specific remit. I am able to speak to the meeting in support of this idea. It's been my experience that the Protected Characteristic of Religion or Belief is taken more seriously an treated with more respect when it is see in context with the other Protected Characteristics, rather than trying to stand alone outside the general scheme of things or to make special pleading on grounds of exceptionalism.