Statement following the Southport attack
A statement on behalf of the Oxfordshire Faith, Civic and Community Leaders’ Group from Imam Monawar Hussain (Founder, The Oxford Foundation) and Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford:
“As faith and community leaders across Oxfordshire, we share the grief of the people of Southport following the tragic loss of life on Monday and Tuesday.
We are committed together to building a strong, coherent, and supportive community across our diverse city and county. We deplore the attempts by some extremist groups to spread disinformation and to stir up hatred and violence against particular groups. We are grateful for the ongoing work of Thames Valley police in ensuring the safety of
all.
We encourage everyone in our community to verify reports on social media before circulating them further and to continue to demonstrate compassion peace building and mutual respect, especially in this season.”
The 2024 FRIENDSHIP WALK was held on Thursday 27 June
A link to a page with the current Friendship Walk details and links for donations is here)
Starting at 6.15pm from the Jewish Centre, Richmond Road via St Giles Churchyard, to Radcliffe Square, where light refreshments will be provided by the University Church; from there to the Madina Mosque in Stanley Road.At about 8.00pm there will be a shared meal provided by the Moslem and Jewish communities.
The synagogue will be open to visitors from 5.30pm.
The Walk provides an opportunity to meet and walk with people from Oxford’s many different faith communities. At each place the Walkers are greeted and there are reflections from members of different faith traditions. People of all faiths and none are welcome to join in the Walk.
The Walk is organised by the Oxford Council of Faiths (OxCoF)
A link to a page with the current Friendship Walk details and links for donations is here)
Oxfordshire’s Communities Vigil for Peace
The Bishop of Oxford and Imam Monawar Hussain hosted a second meeting
for faith and community leaders from across Oxfordshire on Tuesday 31st
October 2023. The group will meet regularly in the coming months to give a
collective voice in promoting understanding, peace, and strong community
relations across the area and have issued the following statement and
invitation.
We are aware of the need to draw together the diverse communities of
Oxfordshire at this time and renew bonds of friendship and a common
commitment to peace. We invite all people of goodwill from across
Oxfordshire to come together for a vigil for peace in Broad Street in
Oxford on Sunday 5th November at 5 pm. We invite everyone to bring a
candle. There will be some short reflections, shared grief and words of
comfort offered and we will light our candles together at 5.15pm and
stand in silence, as an act of solidarity with those who suffer on all
sides of the conflict.
Together, we are horrified by the violence that we are seeing in lsrael
and Palestine, and the suffering of ordinary people who have lost loved
ones and who fear for their own lives and for friends and family
members. We hold all the victims and their loved ones in our prayers.
We stand together here in Oxfordshire as religious and community leaders
to say that we must continue the good work of community and relationship
building that has taken place over many years.
We support and encourage all those working to facilitate honest and
respectful conversations and to strengthen the network of good
relations, friendships, and trust between our communities of which we in
Oxfordshire are so proud.
Let peace and understanding continue to be the solution.