A community gathering to exchange thoughts and feelings and explore how Leicester can continue to grow as an ‘intercultural city’ was hosted by Leicester Cathedral on Monday (3 March).
Sharing a vision for a city where people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures don’t just coexist but connect, more than 100 people came together to celebrate Leicester and talk about how we can embrace our diversity and shape a future of inclusion and belonging.
Speaking before the ‘Together in Hope – building an intercultural city’ event, Bishop Martyn said: “I love living in Leicester; yet I am aware that it is possible to live here and have very little contact with people of different backgrounds. This event is a first step in exploring how all businesses, charities, and public sector bodies in the city can take a fresh look at how they encourage people to mix across differences. This is likely to be a long journey but one that has the potential to be hugely rewarding for everyone who lives and works in the city.”
A cross-section of the community through education and academia, the arts, faith, health, charity and the public sector, got involved on the day. This included around 20 school and college students from WQE, Gateway, City of Leicester, and Avanti Fields School; the Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police; the Vice Chancellor of De Montfort University; arts organisations such as the Centre for Indian Classical Dance and Inspirate; charities including City of Sanctuary and Wesley Hall; representatives from the health service; leaders from our Ukrainian and Polish communities; and representatives from our Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian communities.
The gathering began with a series of short and powerful speeches from a selection of young people aged between 14 and 18 years, who shared their hopes and dreams, their fears, pride, and lived experiences of Leicester.
They spoke about the city’s greatest strength being its diversity, a place of community spirit in times of need, its people generous in support of refugees fleeing war and their tolerance of other cultures.
But they also felt unsafe, unseen and unequal. They want to help build a bridge across difference that the people of Leicester can cross together, unified in purpose. Young people have gifts they want to give now, not just in the future.
Seeking a city where everyone has a place - and where everyone is invited to take part in each other’s traditions and celebrations - the gathering split into relevant groups for more intimate discussions and were given five questions to discuss.
They were:
- What hopes do you have for Leicester?
- What do you imagine an intercultural city to be like?
- What are the barriers that stop people learning to live well together?
- What are the opportunities for people to learn to live well together?
- What role might we play?
Suggestions that came out of the discussions have given impetus for moving forward, with people vowing to step out of their ‘comfort zones’ and join in with what’s already happening in the city, collaborating, and sharing the tremendous resources they have in each other.
This initiative has been made possible through the support of Near Neighbours, a programme of CUF (the Church Urban Fund), with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Elizabeth Carnelley, Director of Partnerships for Near Neighbours, said: “Leicester has long been a city where diversity is not just acknowledged but embraced, where communities come together to support and celebrate one another…
“Near Neighbours is proud to have played a role in bringing people together for this conversation, and we look forward to seeing how these connections grow and strengthen in the future.”
Tom Wilson, director of St Philip’s Centre, said: “I am really encouraged by the number of people who attended the event and their enthusiasm to work hard at learning how to live well together. This event is only the start of the conversation. We have follow-up conversations booked in and are already working on intercultural events that will take place in the next few months.”
Please email admin@stphilipscentre.co.uk if you would like to be informed of future activities.
We invite all who share this vision to join us in conversation and action.
Images by Will Johnston Photography