“Why creating unity is key to improving our future”
I grew up in a very isolated community, attending faith schools my entire life. Everything I knew about other religions, which wasn’t much, came from the perspective of my own faith and from the media.
It wasn’t until I arrived in Leeds, in September of last year — 2017 — that I finally began to break that ‘bubble’ around me.
The creation of mass media is, arguably, one of the most influential factors of our generation. To be able to obtain that instant connection to a situation occurring, at that very same moment, halfway across the world is unsurpassable.
Mass media can be used for so much good. So why is it that near every time I turn on the news, or my phone pings, it’s to inform me of another extremist attack, somewhere across the world?
In the past year alone acts of violence have ranged from the Sinai Mosque attack in Egypt, killing 311 people and injuring over 100 more, to the systematic ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, to the London bridge attack in early June of 2017.
Media coverage is to be expected, however it has become all too common for our first thought to be to jump to religious extremism. That thought process expresses the very bigotry and hate that we are trying to stamp out of the world.
The problem is so vast and the rise in religious extremism is all too real.
We need to generate an equilibrium in the world, balancing this division with unity and a sense of common ground.
‘We’re just a couple of students trying to juggle exams and our social life’, I hear you say, ‘how can we do anything?’
Introducing… Interfaith Week!
A national initiative created with the sole purpose of strengthening inter faith relations, at all levels, and increasing awareness of faith communities and understanding between religious and non-religious people.
We’re putting on a range of events over the course of the week. From ‘Speed-Faithing’ and prayer observation, to yoga classes and football matches. Our hope is that there is something which appeals to everybody.
We aim to encourage discussion and collaboration, to ensure a long-lasting impact between the communities of the future generation.
So, keep your eyes peeled for information to the events.
11th – 18th November
Hope to see you there!
Dalia Landau
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LUUInterfaith/
Events: https://bit.ly/2QnJQiU
All faiths. One common goal.
