Leicester Speaks (3)

At Leicester Adult Education College this morning, for the latest weekly meeting of the steering group for Leicester Speaks (AKA Local Democracy Week). Our group today consists of Bipin Anand (TouchRainbow Productions), Parmjit Basra (Project Officer, Leicester City Council Adult Skills and Learning Services), Max Boden (Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce), Peter Bradley (Speakers' Corner Trust), John Coster (Citizens' Eye Community News Agency), Bez Kileen (Active Involvement Youth Worker, Leicester City Council), Irene Kszyk (Head of Equalities, Leicester City Council), Chris Minter (Head of Leicester City Council Adult Skills and Learning Services), Alison Taylor (Drugs and Alcohol Team, Safer Leicester Partnership).

Our discussions have been lent a new urgency, reflecting local concern over the demonstrations by the English Defence League (EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF), which are hardly more than a fortnight away now. We're already talking, in practical terms, about the legacy of this week-long event and about continuing the Leicester Speaks initiative beyond Local Democracy Week.

One of the items on today's agenda is appointment of a Chair for the event. Much to my surprise, Parmjit proposes me! I can't accept this in good faith, as I won't be in Leicester for the final two days. When I say I'd love to be Chair, but ... I'm asked if I'll be Chair on a joint basis with John Coster. We're glad to assent to this proposal.

Find out more about Leicester Speaks:
http://www.leicesterspeaks.org/

EDL/UAF briefing for Voluntary & Community Sector

To Leicester Town Hall this evening, for a briefing session jointly hosted by the City Council and Leicestershire Constabulary, updating us on preparations for the visit of the English Defence League, as well as the proposed counter-demonstration by Unite Against Fascism, on Saturday 9 October. There are a dozen or so attendees, specifically invited, representing a variety of Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, working across the city or based and operating in specific parts or with specific communities. I'm accompanied by Gursharan Thandi, who (as well as sitting on the Board of Directors of Leicester Council of Faiths) is also one of two representatives for communities of interest in terms of religion and belief on Leicester Partnership.

Below is a copy of the presentation we were given this evening, word-for-word. My occasional interpolations are in brackets.

An overview of the proposed march and counter-demonstration

Briefing for Voluntary and Community Sector Stakeholders
Leicestershire Constabulary, Leicester City Council

Agenda

·      Introduction: Councillor Veejay Patel [Leader, Leicester City Council]

·      Overview Briefing: Sheila Lock [Chief Executive, Leicester City Council], [Chief Superintendent] Rob Nixon [City Commander]

·      Q&A

·      Summary of main action points

Who are we talking to?

·      Four Levels

·      The community stakeholder groups

·      Key partners in the public sector

·      The media

·      The EDL themselves and any counter protest groups

Objectives

·      Reassurance that we are working together

·      Let you know what we know

·      Make you aware of the legal position

·      Tell you what the police and council are doing

·      Inform you of what the police role is

·      Inform you of what the council role is

·      Explore what your role could be

·      Discuss next steps in relation to this event

·      Discuss how we as a city “move on” after this event

What we know

·      An early indication of an intent to march in September that came to nothing – through informal routes

·      Indication to the police from the English Defence League (EDL) that they intend to stage a march in Leicester city centre on Saturday October 9

·      The EDL formed in June 2009 – not legally defined as an extreme right wing group – previous events in the country have attracted those with strong right wing views

·      Indication from Unite Against Fascism (UAF) that they wish to hold a counter-demonstration

·      Application received on 15 September by UAF

·      Busy day for City – open day for universities (7000 international visitors), Somali event (smaller event), National Trade Union Conference, Navratri, Saturday morning Cathedral Service (600 people) – following day, Leicester Marathon [Option simply to close everything down for the day was considered, but it was decided in the end to go for “business as usual” – although taking this route requires that there be a strong plan in place.]

Legal position

·      Any ban for a march has to be made by the Council to the Home Secretary.  Supported by evidence that can demonstrate significant risk of disorder and risk to cohesion

·      Even if ban is applied for and is successful does not prevent static demonstrations taking place.  EDL can still come to Leicester

·      No legal powers to prevent a lawful peaceful protest

·      Legislative changes since BNP ban in 2001

What are Police and Council doing?

·      We take our community leadership role very seriously

·      Working with partnership agencies to jointly plan and manage the response to the event and any issues that arise before or after

·      Learning the lessons from other areas who have had similar events [good practice and bad]

·      Police and council engaging and listening to all communities

·      Police are in dialogue with groups who may seek to protest/counter demonstrate on the day

·      Exploring all our legal powers [e.g. ban on sale of alcohol in city centre on the day, management of public transport network]

·      Planning will continue in the weeks ahead – continued liaison

·      Police and council have considerable experience in planning events

·      Dealing with this in an objective way that is professional, to do otherwise leaves the city open to challenge and potential further risk

Police role

·      Facilitate peaceful protest and comply with duty under Human Rights Act

·      If anyone commits a criminal offence will be dealt with fairly but firmly

·      We will not tolerate damage to the city or acts of violence

·      Anyone involved in violence, disorder or racist behaviour which is unlawful will be liable to prosecution

·      Celebrate diversity and be proud of our city

Council Role

·      To exercise its community leadership role for the city – in partnership with others

·      To follow a lawful decision making process that considers objectively all the available advice and views

·      To make an application on behalf of the city to the Secretary of State if that is the outcome following the lawful process

·      Actively working with the Police to enhance security and traffic management

·      Clear united leadership [not a party issue; everyone putting political differences aside to work together for the good of the city, both Leadership and Opposition]

As community leaders: your role

·      Conveying the strength of feeling in Leicester is important, but so is conveying it in the right way

·      Support for non confrontational means

·      Getting out the message re consultation and alternative events

·      Helping to identify “vulnerable” groups and individuals [and sites] and providing diversionary activity

The message to the community

·      If you feel strongly about what is happening, express those views to your local councillor, trade union branch, community or faith leader or to the council chief executive so that your view can be fed into the decision making process.

·      If you are concerned please speak to your local police.

·      The police and council want to reassure and support all communities and encourage them not to be provoked into reacting to the protests [need to be sensitive to changes in mood as the day approaches]

·      We don’t want people coming into the city intent on confronting any protestors.  Please let the police handle events.

·      We would ask that you don’t get drawn into inflammatory dialogue on social networking sites.

·      If you want to come to Leicester to shop/normal business expect some disruption.  Busy but wish to see business as usual.

·      Celebrate in City event. [to take place on Sunday 10, the day following the march and counter-demonstration]

What next?

·      We will promise to keep you informed as the situation develops

·      To help us we really need a two-way conversation – tell us your concerns or any information you think we need to know.

·      ConsulationEDL@leicester.gov.uk

·      [email only opened at start of this week, but already more than 500 posts received]

·      If you don’t want to speak to the police or council speak to a community leader who will speak to us on your behalf.

·      Any questions?

Several minutes are given over to questions, answers and comments at the end, in which all those attending (including Gursharan and I) take the opportunity to chip in. Our Chair, Manjula Sood, had been to a similar breifing held in the same place the night before. She called me this afternoon and asked me to make sure that I'd speak here this evening. I said that, if the opportunity arose – "Don't wait for opportunity", she told me, "You should speak!" This evening's proceedings are being webcast; comments made here will form part of the body of evidence required for the City Council when making its decision whether to apply to the Home Office for an order to ban the march at its emergency Cabinet meeting tomorrow. Manjula doesn't want the meeting to go on record without something being heard from the Council of Faiths – and quite right too.

Well I've never exactly been backward at coming forward, so: several times this evening, Sheila has mentioned a meeting of the Faiths Leaders Forum this coming Monday, at which those present will agree a joint statment expressing a united view about 9 October. So I take the floor briefly to explain the distinction between the Faith Leaders Forum and the Council of Faiths, and the different functions they perform, saying how each supports and complements the other. While I'm on, I say that one of our objectives at the Council of Faiths is to collate and disseminate accurate infomation, as a way of building up confidence and playing down fears. We don't want our members or those they represent to be influenced by rumour. When I say that I'll be putting the text of the PowerPoint presentation on our blog, Sheila responds over the mic by saying, "That's just what we were hoping for" and giving me a double thumbs-up.

As the meeting nears its end, Gursharan expresses her heartfelt view that, as difficult as this issue is, it presents us with the opportunity to do the right thing by our city and its people and how we’ll be judged by our actions on 9 October and on the days leading up to it and following it. As she's speaking, what comes to mind is the recent meetings that Sheila Lock has convened on promoting Leicester as a centre of excellence in community cohesion - at which we're discussing how to bottle "essence of Leicester" and promote it around the country and further afield. The coming weeks will test out whether we really can walk the walk here or do we just talk the talk. Is our unity in diversity genuine or will it crumble at the first real challenge?

Gursharan's words nicely set up Councillor Mohammed Dawood, Cabinet Lead for Community Cohesion, who sums up the meeting and signs off on a positive and upbeat note.

Converse reverse: Axis axed!

Well, I hold my hands up ...

I really didn't think this would happen, but Converse have bowed to Hindu complaints and withdrawn their Jimi Hendrix commemorative All-Star shoe based on cover artwork from the album, "Axis Bold as Love". This had caused much unhappiness because the artwork used images from a popular Hindu devotional poster on which a number of deities and sacred figures are represented.

When I saw that local Hindus had got the show removed from sale at one shop here in Leicester, I was surprised at that! So this development has really bowled me over.

It's not entirely clear whether the recall only applies in the USA, but I can't imagine that the company would do this in their biggest market, then leave themselves open to further attack in other parts of the world.

Read the story on "Hindu Blog":
http://www.hindu-blog.com/2010/09/converse-withdraws-shoes-carrying.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hindublog+%28Hindu+blog%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail

how to be an amplified individual

At Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre this evening, for the first session in a new season of Amplified Leicester. The presentation this evening is by Sue Thomas, Professor of New Media at De Montfort University. Sue is the guiding spirit of Amplified Leicester and her session this evening is entitled, "How to be an Amplified Individual".

The Leicester Mercury had carried a "First Person" piece by Sue about Amplified Leicester, inviting people to come to the talk, just two days ago. Perhaps that did the trick as there's a very good turnout: plenty of new faces among the two dozen people attending and the room is just about full. Everyone seems pleased at a strong and positive start to this new season!

Here's the link to the PowerPoint presentation Sue gave this evening:
http://ampleic.ning.com/forum/attachment/download?id=3909254%3AUploadedFile%3A1855

Take the test, "How Amplified are You?"
http://api.ning.com/files/0rgVzFjfX965Gg-IMW*2NoEdToN5z78kIi76NCttB0nS8TR4X24Buar0*XThXEgP0WtR7-m3a-u1C19*C9G6dT7AervMcVdt/AmplifiedTest.pdf

LAUNCH OF ANSAAR'S EMPLOY-ABILITY PROJECT

At very short notice, an invitation arrives for our Chair, Manjula Sood, to attend the launch of the Employ-Ability Project, a new social enterprise initiative run by Ansaar. Ansaar is a Leicester-based charity which since 2003 has been working with adults who have mild or moderate learning disabilities and their carers, improving their opportunities, choices and quality of support. Ansaar is also tackling issues regarding disability of all kinds within the Asian and BME community, by making a practical difference to the lives of its service users and proving that they can participate actively in life. "Ansaar", in Arabic, means "helper".

The invitation only arrives this morning and the launch is at lunchtime today in the Highfields Centre. Manjula is out of the city (she's in Nottingham attending a Sport England event) but she has asked me to go in her place, to support what she calls "a great organisation". I give Manjula's apologies to those I meet there (and pass on her "great organisation" comment) - but when they show a DVD about Ansaar's work, she's in it, giving them her glowing testimony!

Research shows that only one in ten people with a learning disability are in employment. People with learning disabilities are the most excluded from the workplace, more so than any other category of disabled people. Ansaar hopes that its Employ-Ability initiative will create opportunities for people with learning disabilities to obtain voluntary or paid work. It will be selling services and goods to the private, voluntary and public sector, including mailouts, leaflet distribution, event management and learning disability awareness training.

I'm very impressed with combination of touching personal stories and professional approach by staff and volunteers. The Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Colin Hall, is here but before he makes his contribution I have to leave - for a dental appointment, of all things (and when I travel out to Saffron Lane for that appointment, I'm told that my dentist has had to take the day off, so I have to go back tomorrow. Honestly, I despair sometimes!)

This organisation is surely one of the best that Leicester has to offer; you can only hope that it gets the recognition and support it so richly deserves.

Cathedral AM (5)

To Leicester Cathedral Visitor Centre this morning for Cathedral AM. This bi-monthly networking breakfast brings together people working in, living in, or otherwise concerned with Leicester city centre. When I lived in the West End, barely a ten minute walk from the Cathedral, I hardly ever made it here in time for breakfast. Now I live halfway across the city, I arrive half an hour early and have to park myself in Cafe Nerro with a cappuccino and the morning paper!

The scheduled speaker for this morning (Deb Watson, Director of Public Health and Health Improvement, NHS Leicester City) has called in sick. Into the breach steps Police Sergeant Nick Westwood, Deputy Local Policing Unit Commander, based at Mansfield House Police Station, Belgrave Gate. He was going to speak this morning for five minutes about the forthcoming demonstrations by the English Defence League (EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) in Leicester on Saturday 9 October - so now he has the floor for longer.

Nick speaks about the preparations that the Police are making, in association with Leicester City Council, to ensure that the day passes off as peacefully as possible. He asks thqat we take this information back to our own communites, groups or organisations, so that as many people as possible might have confidence in what is being done to ensure that they are kept safe and that normal life can go on. He tell us that a large number of officers from other forces around the country are being drafted in for what will be the biggest policing operation that Leicester has seen in 25 years. Police will be patrolling not just the city centre, but will be visible and available in all parts of the city. There will be more officers on duty (on and around the day) specialising in public order and in hate crime. Police will be visiting locations, premises and sites that are considered vulnerable and speaking to local shops and businesses well in advance of the day. The routes of the two demonstrations have not yet been declared. This is one of the areas with which Leicestershire Police are negotiating with both the EDL and UAF.

There will be a prayer vigil in Leicester Cathedral on the Friday evening before the demonstrations. The cathedral is busy with prearranged activities on the Saturday, otherwise it would be publicised as a safe haven for anyone in the city centre who feels threatened (as was done with the Cathedral in Bradford). Canon Barry Naylor expressed the hope that some other church in the city centre might be able to fulfil this role.

Both Leicester University and De Montfort University have open days on Saturday 9 October, when potential students and their parents, many of whom will never have seen the city before, will be coming to Leicester. Both those institutions are understandably anxious about what kind of impression visitors will get about Leicester that day.

Sarah Levitt, Head of Leicester Arts and Museums, tells us that on Sunday 10 October, the day after the two demonstrations, there's going to be a big, positive public event around the gaint TV screen in Humberstone Gate. "Celebrate One Leicester" will allow the people of Leicester to show how much we love the diversity and harmony of the city. Details will be announced soon.

On other matters, I get to speak to John Florance of BBC Radio Leicester, about Leicester Speaks (AKA Local Democracy Week). He expressed interest in his Sunday morning show covering the Council of Faiths contribution to the week's events.

I also get to meet Jaz Mann (and his Signer, Adam). Jaz works with Action Deafness, where he is Lead Development Officer on the HearNow Project. He's looking for opportunities to promote this project within the faith communities. We discuss ways in which the Council of Faiths may be able to help him.

Find out more about Action Deafness:
http://www.actiondeafness.org.uk/

there's more to amplification than just noise

I sign up this afternoon for the first in the new season of Amplified Leicester events at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre. This coming Wednesday, Prof. Sue Thomas is speaking on "How to be an Amplified Individual". In today's Leicester Mercury Sue has the "First Person" column. Here's the text from today's paper:

Prof Sue Thomas, of the Institute of Creative Technologies at De Montfort University, goes in search of superheroes

For some, amplifying yourself is just about getting louder, but according to Californian thinktank, The Institute for the Future, there's a lot more to amplification than making noise.

According to The Institute, "New technologies of cooperation are combining to create a generation of 'amplified individuals' - workplace superheroes. In some cases, they will compete with traditional organisational models; in others they will amplify capabilities of organisations where they already work.''

So how do you become a workplace superhero? Or are you one already? It seems that the amplified workers of the future share several important characteristics: They are very social people, who don't just share what they know, but are also not afraid to ask for information, help and advice when they need it. They might do this the modern way, via the people they know on Facebook and Twitter, or perhaps they simply adopt the time-honoured methods of personal networks across businesses and communities.

They work well in groups and collaborate with partners online and offline. And they know how to improvise when necessary, creating relationships and infrastructures quickly and on the fly when the situation demands rapid action.

Lastly, they are not afraid to extend their abilities with tools that help them stay in touch with their networks and sources of knowledge, so that they can quickly access and process information. The Institute for the Future is deeply embedded in Silicon Valley culture and it takes some perseverance to get past some of the West Coast language in its research, but it's worth the effort because there are real insights to be found in the list of skills required of an 'amplified individual'. These are skills you probably already have, but have not recognised in quite this way.

For example, how is your "Cooperation Radar"? Are you one of those people who can sense intuitively which of your colleagues would work together best on a particular task?

And how would you rate your "Ping Quotient'"? Are you quick to respond when people contact you? Are you comfortable in many different kinds of social and business milieus, and do you adopt different communication styles appropriate to differing situations? These different ways to understand what many of us already do well can be useful in the workplace where such skills are increasingly important. Earlier this year, 30 Leicester citizens participated in the Amplified Leicester project at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre. Involvement in the first stage was by application only, but now Amplified Leicester is hosting a series of talks and conversations which are free and open to the public. The first meeting looks at 'How to be an Amplified Individual'. Its at 7pm this Wednesday, September 22 in the Etc Suite at Phoenix Square. It's free to attend but please register via http://www.amplifiedleicester.com/.

Find out more about Amplified Leicester (and sign up if you like the look of it - you don't need to be in, or anywhere near, Leicester)
http://ampleic.ning.com/

Nagarjuna Buddhist Centre revisited

A brief meeting at Nagarjuna Buddhist Centre early this afternoon with Kadam Chris Heyes (Resident Teacher) and Chogma (Education Officer). We're following up on initial contact made yesterday at the Centre's Open Day. We spoke about common interests and ways in which their community and the Council of Faiths might be able to work alongside each other. I show them the blog entry I wrote yesterday about their Open Day; they're pleased with it, though I have to correct a few misspelled names! I look forward to adding some photos to that entry too.

Find out more about Nagarjuna Kampada Buddhist Centre in Leicester:
http://www.meditateinleicester.org/

NAGARJUNA KADAMPA BUDDHIST CENTRE OPEN DAY

At the newly opened Nagarjuna Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Guildhall Lane for their Open Day, 1100-1600. I've been familiar with the name of this group in through the centre they run in Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, but wasn't aware that they have a long association with Leicester, dating back some 18 years, when they had a centre in the Knighton district of the city.

The premises are certainly impressive, with a big, open and bright reception area leading into a cafe of the highest professional standard (with an imaginative and impressive vegetarian menu) that's open to the public 1000-1600 Monday to Saturday and a book and gift shop on the ground floor. I join a 15-minute tour of the building, starting in the meditation room which would easily seat over 60 people and is adorned with statues and images, the significance of which are explained to us by our guide. Then we go upstairs to a large meeting hall, where (for today only) there are various fund-raising stalls (tombola, cakes, retro clothing and bric-a-brac) and an art demonstration. I get a veggie hot dog with onions and mustard and enjoy a brief chat with Lekmo, a nun who lives at the centre.

St Katharine's Building, where the Centre is located, used to be part of the complex of properties belonging to Leicester Grammar School before it moved out to its new site in Great Glen. A visual record of the transformation of the building for its present use (in a slide series on show in the cafe today) testifies to the amount of work they've put into making it this good. We're told that the big blue door which serves as the entrance to the Centre had been sealed up on the inside and hadn't been used for twenty years.

As well as the fine premises, friendly people, warm and professional welcome, I have to give a nod to the Centre's full and imaginative programme of activities. They're running lunchtime meditation sessions every day of the week; more in-depth weekly classes on Monday evenings; day courses (topics including "Experience Inner Peace", "The Art of Enlightenment", "Finding Stillness", "The Kind Heart"); and weekend meditation retreats. I particularly fancy what they're calling, "Stop the Week ... Start the Weekend" - a relaxation meditation followed by a three-course vegetarian meal. The Centre is being promoted as an island of calm in the middle of the city - and a jolly good thing that'll be too!

I'm going back tomorrow at noon, to have a talk with Kadam Chris Heyes, Resident Teacher at the Centre. There are a few ways in which we might be able to work together, such as during the week-long Leicester Speaks event (October) and during National Inter Faith Week in November. Barry Naylor (the Urban Canon) and I have also discussed making some sort of "Spirituality Trail" through the city centre, taking in Leicester Cathedral, the Jain Centre, the Dark Side Cafe in Cank Street (meeting place for local Pagans) and this new Buddhist Centre. In particular I mention the next meeting of Cathedral AM this Wednesday (21 October). The Nagarjuna Kadampa Buddhist Centre would appear to fit right in with the kind of organisations that attend that event so I'll obtain an invitation for them.

PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE FAITH IS RESPECTED

This is Bishop Tim Steven's First Person column, published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Proud to live in a city where faith is respected

After a US pastor threatens to burn the Qur'an, the Bishop of Leicester speaks up for religious tolerance

This week was the ninth anniversary of 9/11. The occasion was overshadowed by the furore surrounding the threat by a hitherto anonymous pastor called Terry Jones to burn 200 copies of the Qur'an.

Pastor Jones is the head of a small evangelical Christian church in Florida called the Dove Center and his threats were in response to the plan to build a mosque close to where the Twin Towers once stood. The poet Andrew Motion said that "book-burning is first and foremost a monumental manifestation of intolerance". Pastor Jones' threatened book burning and lack of tolerance has resulted in inflamed emotions and heightened tension across the globe. His actions have been widely condemned by leading Americans from President Obama downwards.

This week's events in America are a far cry from the mood of the nation during President Obama's inauguration in January 2009, the theme of which was 'Hope'. In his augural speech, President Obama urged Americans to acknowledge the power of faith and its diversity as a positive rather than a negative force in shaping people's lives.

This theme was reflected in a statement issued this week by Christians and Muslims in Leicester in response to Pastor Jones' threats. In a joint statement, faith leaders committed themselves to continuing to build strong interfaith relations in the city and county and urged Muslims and Christians to work alongside each other to overcome bigotry and prejudice.

Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, said that "the burning of any religious scripture is a degrading act which all of us must speak out against''.

This week, civic leaders in Leicester and Leicestershire also committed themselves to 'unity of purpose' when they signed a new charter which expresses a wish for a society where all people can live together in peace and prosperity. By signing the charter, the leaders have committed themselves to the development of "a thriving and cohesive society of many communities, cultures, faiths and beliefs, working together for its continued success for ourselves, our children and for future generations''.

The planned actions of the pastor of the Dove Center do not reflect the true values and beliefs of Christianity whose greatest commandment is that "we love one another''.

I am proud to live and work in a city where faith is respected and where we as Christians are able to live in peace with our friends from other faiths. I hope and pray that in Leicester and Leicestershire we will continue to stand together against hatred and violence and promote harmony in our common life.