SO. FAREWELL THEN, CLARE CARR

At Southfields Library (AKA "Pork Pie Library") this afternoon for one of Global Education Leicester-Shire's celebrated Strawberry Teas. These are known far and wide as jolly liitle affairs, but there's mixed feelings at this one. It's a farewell do for Clare Carr, Schools Worker at GELS and one of its two part-time employees (on the left in the photo above, with Claire Plumb, Development Worker at GELS).

For the past eight years Clare has been a mainstay of Global Education Leicester-Shire and its predecessor, East Midlands Network for Global Perspectives in Schools (EMNGPS) Leicester and Leicestershire Locality Group. She's also been a leading proponent of Philosophy for Children (P4C) and Fairtrade initiatives throughout the city and county and is currently one of two joint co-ordinators for Philosophy in Pubs in Leicester.

Many of the people here today have given their support to GELS, EMNGPS (and directly or indirectly, Leicester Council of Faiths) in helping broaden the horizons of children, teachers, families and communities. We've done a lot of good work together over the years and it saddens me to think that this may be the last time many of us will be in the same room together. Still, there's little time for that, as we join in the party fun, including pass the parcel (photo below). And of course, the food is delightful, featuring virtually every edible use of strawberries than you could imagine!

Clare is moving on to a job based in one of the city's schools, starting at the end of August. Those who recognise and appreciate the contribution she's made to the current good name of Leicester Council of Faiths - either by her own direct efforts or by supporting mine - will wish her well in her new post.

MAKING A CASE BY SIMPLE DENIAL

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Making a case by simple denial

When I read the recent letters from Messrs Pendragon and Hipwell, querying the very existence of Jesus Christ, two reactions came immediately to my mind. The first was how lucky we all are to have sufficient freedom in this country, to be able to express an opinion openly, however, outlandish it may be.

The second was to draw a comparison with so-called Holocaust deniers: these people claim that the Holocaust of the gas-chambers of the Second World War and associated atrocities never happened – even though it is perfectly clear they did. This is one way of making your case: pretending that the subject in question never existed!

Mark W Jacques OP, Quorn

PROMISE OVER FAITH SYMBOLS

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Promise over faith symbols

I am pleased that the Prime Minister said that the Government will back the right to display a symbol of faith in the workplace.

He also said that the Government will change the law if that is necessary so that employees can wear religious symbols at work.

The way Ms Nadia Eweida was treated by British Airways because she refused to hide or remove a necklace that had a cross on it was a disgrace.

Also, the story of Shirley Chaplin, a nurse, who was banned by the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Trust from working on the wards because she refused to hide a necklace with a cross on it, was a disgrace.

They have taken their cases to the European Court of Human Rights and the cases will be heard at Strasbourg in September.

However, the Government's lawyers are resisting the appeal.It should be acceptable that people of all faiths should be allowed to wear symbols of faith in the workplace.

So I am hoping that the Prime Minister will stick to his promise.

Kevin Fletcher

ACCLAIMED EXHIBITION COMES TO CITY

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Acclaimed exhibition comes to city

An exhibition about religious tolerance which is touring European cities has come to Leicester.

The St Philip's Centre, in Evington, is hosting the "Religious Tolerance – Islam" in the Sultanate of Oman exhibition.

Leicester is the next stop on the tour after the exhibition visited Madrid.

Riaz Ravat, deputy director at the centre, said: "It is a great coup for us to be selected to host this exhibition."

The exhibition details how in Oman, which is a predominately Muslim country, the rights of minorities such as Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Jews are guaranteed by the state.

The Rev Canon Dr John Hall, director of St Philip's Centre, said: "We are proud and honoured to be hosting this exhibition."

The exhibition, which is free, is being staged in St Philip's Church at the centre in Evington Road, Evington, from 10am until 4pm up to and including this Friday.

CONSIDER TOLSTOY FOR ILLUMINATION

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Consider Tolstoy for illumination

With reference to F O Hipwell's letter (Mailbox, July 3), I recommend that he reads part two of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, in which he debates the nature of power and whether there is a deity.

He states that if the will of every man were free, all history would be a series of disconnected accidents.

People with expanded awareness, such as writers, have given their interpretations of the mysteries of life, but all experiences are those of one individual – i.e. "two men looked through prison bars, one saw mud and one saw stars".

Shakespeare covers life in all its facets in his plays and sonnets. "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." (Hamlet)

Wordsworth comes to the conclusion "And I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts, a sense of sublime, of something for more deeply interfused." (Above Tintern Abbey)

In searching for the God particle, may research bring answers.

Maureen Harrison, Broughton Astle

GOD'S EXISTENCE NOT DISPROVED

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

God's existence not disproved

The letter from FO Hipwell ('Offensive, but I'd go further', Mailbox, July 3) makes the sweeping statement that science has disproved both the Bible and Christianity.

But my question to him would be: "How does science do this?"

I have just been reading a book by Dr Steve Taylor, a senior researcher and lecturer at Liverpool University, in which he says: "Science is limited in scope and usually asks the questions 'what? and how? But, not usually, 'why?'"

Science is also empirical – it is based upon observation and experiment and so does not usually consider things that are not open to testing.

Therefore, science does not disprove, indeed cannot disprove the existence of God, nor the events recorded in the Bible.

To establish the truth of those things, we must turn to other methods for proof, such as the witness of eyewitnesses and personal experience.

In the Bible, the four Gospels provide eyewitness accounts of the life, teachings, miracles, death and resurrection of the central figure of human history, Jesus Christ.

It is He who divides time into two (AD and BC) and it is He from whom today's date is taken.

There are more books about Him, more songs to Him, and more people who claim to follow Him today than any other person in history.

The Bible is now in 3,000 languages and it still the world's best-selling book.

All over the world, there are thousands of people, young and old and from very different cultures, who have discovered that being a Christian and believing the Bible is not being "gullible".

I became a Christian when I was 19 and doing my National Army service in Singapore. It was in a Chinese church one Easter Monday and a big part in how this happened was by reading the New Testament for myself.

Over many years, I have travelled to many parts of the world and produced 18 missionary documentary films on the impact of the Christian gospel from the Amazon Basin, Africa and even Papua New Guinea.

The Bible and Christianity are very much alive with the largest growth in mainland China, estimated to be in the region of 70 to 90 million, more than the total population of Great Britain!

No, I don't think that God believes in atheists, but He does love them.

Peter Anderson, Leicester

BBC RADIO LEICESTER: DAMIEN ST JOHN SHOW

This afternoon I'm on BBC Radio Leicester as a guest of Damien St John. Damien (photo above) hosts a weekly panel show, broadcast live from 1200-1400, discussing news stories from the past seven days. Rather like "Mock The Week", but with fewer jokes.

The other guests today are Rob Gee (stand up comic, performance poet and former psychiatric nurse) and Suzanne Curley (a local woman taking Media Studies at the University of Aberystwyth). None of us know who'll be in the studio until we turn up ten minutes before the show goes on air. I know Rob, but haven't met Suzanne before.

The day before the show we each receive an email from Damien (photo above), briefing us on the topics we're most likely to cover. While it doesn't tempt me to do much research, it allows the chance for reflection - and a little discussion with one or two of my friends and colleagues. Here are the topics and Damien's briefing about them:

Slowhand Officers at Heathrow immigration were heckled by a crowd after they waited two hours to enter the UK. What's happened to our patience and our tolerance? Have you ever gone further than a tut or a sigh when faced with a queue or a problem? Are you worried about delays during the Olympics? What's your plan?

Milking It Farmers marched on Westminster this week against a proposed price cut to milk. Would you be prepared to subsidise British business with higher prices? Does it matter if we don't support "local" produce? What would happen if all the milk dried up? Would you drink synthetic milk if it was cheaper?

Space Oddity Newly declassified MoD documents reveal Britain's reported UFO sightings... Are we being watched by other beings? What would be the best way to take over this planet? Why do we have such a fascination (or fear) of alien life? When do you think we'll make "first contact" with a different race?

Paint it Gold The Rolling Stones this week celebrated their golden anniversary, 50 years since they started making music. You have 60 seconds to tell me why they are the greatest British band and why - If not, tell me why not and which band ARE the greatest. (you will be against the clock!). [I've never been much of a fan of the Stones, so I plump for a score draw between the Kinks and the Who.]

Tech a Look at Me Now The O2 mobile network crashed this week and the BBC website had a problem too... Are we too reliant on technology? Should we allow more of it into our lives like biometrics or are you a traditionalist who believes in keys, paper and letters? What positives can someone take from losing their mobile signal for 24 hours? Were customers right to get angry?

Fox in the City Leicester City are back in pre-season training having lost a lot of big-name players... Come up with a few well-known songs to play at the end of the show, think along the theme of "beginnings", "starting again" or "something new". [Despite my lack of fervour for the Rolling Stones, I suggest "Start It Up" - though Damien doesn't pick it.]

Lonely Boy A New York man felt alone in the big city and started giving his number to strangers... What has caused so many of us to become isolated and frustrated? Are cries for help too often confused for pathetic attention-seeking? What would it take to make everyone feel better? What's the last TRUE emotion you felt and what caused it? [unfortunately, we don't get round to this one]

There's nothing particularly "faithsy" about my contribution (though Damien states my job title and names my employer several times during the show), so I've not saved or transcribed any of the broadcast. I'd like to think that I make good use of my discernment, intelligence and wit throughout. It's fun and I'd welcome the opportunity to do this again sometime.

THIS WEEK'S VISITORS (1,816)

Regular update on the number of pageviews received from different parts of the world in the week just ending.

1. United Kingdom 730
2. United States 388
3. Russia 255
4. France 146
5. Germany 111
6. India 88
7. Ukraine 30
8. Canada 29
9. China 27
10. Iran 12

This week's total: 1,816 (last week: 1,701). These are aggregates of figures from the top ten countries only. Blogger's stats software doesn't show me numbers of pageviews below the tenth-ranking country.

The world map at the top of this post is the graphic that I see on the stats page. The darker the green, the more pageviews from that country. I can see different versions of that map for "now" (i.e. in the last two hours), "today", "this week", "this month" and "all time". They're updated each time I look at them.

UGANDAN ASIANS IN SPOTLIGHT

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

 

Ugandan Asians in spotlight

A series of exhibitions are to show the 40-year history of Leicester's Ugandan Asian community.

About 10,000 Asians settled in the city after dictator Idi Amin expelled them from Uganda in 1972. Now, the stories of those affected, from their expulsion to their arrival, adaptation and developing role in the city's culture and life, will be brought to life in displays at the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery.

The exhibition is called From Kampala to Leicester: The Story of Leicester's Ugandan Asian Community 1972-2012. A season of events will run from Saturday to September 30.

City mayor Peter Soulsby will officially launch the exhibitions today.

He said: "Anyone with an interest in the Leicester we see today will be fascinated by this important phase in its past, which is illustrated so beautifully, thanks to these events."

Full details of the exhibition and events programme is available at:www.leicester.gov.uk/ ugandanasianstory

In the photo: Cllr Manjula Sood, De[puty Mayor and Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths (who isn't one of those who arrived in Leicester from Uganda in 1972), to the left of City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby (centre). Photo from Leicester Arts & Museums Facebook page. 

BISHOP OF LEICESTER'S GARDEN PARTY

At Bishop's Lodge, Springfield Road, this evening for the annual garden party hosted by the Bishop of Leicester. Bishop Tim holds this event at a similar time each year, extending his hospitality to members of his Faith Leaders Forum. This particular gathering is dedicated to celebrating the 25th anniversary of the founding of Leicester Council of Faiths. This has meant that many people who are not normally invited to attend the Faith Leaders Forum have been asked here this evening. Representatives of the eight member communities which constitute the Council of Faiths are in attendance, as are friends and supporters, including those who don't identify with any particular faith - or, indeed, any faith at all.

After we've enjoyed some food together, Bishop Tim gives a welcoming address, in which he mentions the major events which have happened during his tenure: the millennium; 9/11; war in Afghanistan and Iraq; 7/7. All these events played their part in leading to the establishment of the Faith Leaders Forum and the St Philip's Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society, both of which have strengthened the Diocese's presence in inter-faith engagement.

We hear a message from Dr Atta'ullah Siddiqui, former Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths, followed by a speech from Cllr Manjula Sood and current Chair. She recognises the endeavour of founding figures and early members of the Council of Faiths, some of whom are here, some of whom are now too old and inform to be present at this occasion, some of whom have passed away.

There's a convivial atmosphere with a lot of praise for the progress that the Council of Faiths has made over the last quarter of a century, as well as recognition of some of the big challenges ahead. Much confidence is expressed that the Council of Faiths will meet the tests of the future, as it has the tests of the past. Such confidence is all very well, but from my point of view, with my sleeves rolled up, doing the day-to-day work of the Council of Faiths, I'd have liked someone to acknowledge that our biggest challenge will be meeting those forthcoming tests with less funding, fewer committed members and potentially (and most damagingly) no staff. I would deny that that's lack of faith on my part. I don't believe that all those who have the opportunity to speak this evening are actually aware of the oncoming difficulties in terms of resourcing and sustaining the work of Leicester Council of Faiths.

In the photo above: The Right Revd Dr Tom Butler (the previous Bishop of Leicester), Kayhar Singh, Tony Nelson, Minou Cortazzi and Cllr Manjula Sood cut the 25th anniversary cake. I get a lovely corner bit, which has the best icing coverage.