News – Page 5 – BRISTOL MULTI FAITH FORUM

Christmas Greetings & an overview

Dear friends and colleagues,

Bristol Multi-Faith Forum wishes you and all dear ones a joyful, healthy, and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Christmas is a time of reflection and care. It is the time to look back on the year that has passed and prepare for the year ahead and to spread the tidings of great love and fellowship.

Christmas symbolizes simplicity and benevolence. It gives the message to be with the marginalized, the homeless, the poor, and the voiceless. Let us help and keep in our thoughts all those who are not able to celebrate Christmas as well. May this joyous season be a blessing to you and the community.

With the year 2022 drawing to a close, Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF) would like to take this opportunity to convey seasonal greetings to all our members, partners, stakeholders, subscribers, and well-wishers.

After the difficult Covid period, the year 2022 has been optimistic and fruitful. Bristol Multi-Faith Forum partnered with British Science Association and celebrated British Science week in March. On the occasion of British Science Week, we organised a virtual Science workshop for youngsters. The workshop was inaugurated by the Avon and Somerset Police Commissioner Mark Shelford. The workshop was fun-filled and interactive. Participants were thrilled to be part of it.

After two years of a break due to the pandemic, BMFF was able to physically host our popular annual event Diverse Doors Open Day in May. Diverse Doors Open Day provided an opportunity to celebrate our religious diversity and showcase the multifaith flavour of Bristol.

The theme of this year’s Diverse Doors Open Day was ‘Spirituality and Mental well-being’. BMFF collaborated with the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP). A ‘Multi-Faith Trail’ has been organised to 8 core venues, which included a Buddhist Shrine, a Mosque, a Greek Orthodox Church, an Evangelical Church, a Sikh Gurudwara, a Jewish Synagogue, a Hindu Temple, and a Bahai centre. Her Majesty Lord-Lieutenant, Bristol Lord Mayor, Bristol City Council Cabinet members, other dignitaries, and many community members participated in the faith trial.

BMFF also participated in the ‘Spring Clean’ event and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee celebration. BMFF also focused on world peace and efforts to support the distressed people affected by the war have been made and participated in the Ukrainian migrants’ welcome events and the Hong Kong migrants’ welcome events.

BMFF Chairman Cllr Tom Aditya proposed an idea this year, to celebrate India-Pakistan Harmony Day in Bristol on the occasion of the 75^th Independence Day celebrations of India and Pakistan, in order to bring more cohesion amongst those communities. A Harmony Buffet Dinner was organized at Zaza Bazar restaurant on the 14th of August. It was the first time such a friendship gathering has happened in the UK. It was a very joyous event attended by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant, the Bristol Lord Mayor, the High Sheriff, the Police Deputy Commissioner, the Chair of South Glos Council, and many other dignitaries, civic officials, and community leaders. The event was well appreciated by various communities. Participants and community leaders requested to organise such events every year.

BMFF joined the Remembrance Day service organised at Castle Park by Sikh Community leaders. BMFF Chair and Steering Group members also attended different Remembrance services at different venues and paid tribute to the brave soldiers. BMFF participated in the Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s Day event organised by Arnos Vale Cemetery and offered tributes. During Inter-Faith week, BMFF joined hands with the Punjabi Forum and celebrated the festival of lights ‘Diwali’. Diwali is one of the major festivals celebrated across the globe by Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities.

BMMF is actively promoting the message of blood and organ donation amongst various communities with the support of the NHS BT. BMFF work along with the Police to promote diverse recruitment campaigns. BMFF also upholds the principles of equality, fraternity, and justice for all, and works for the community’s well-being and social harmony.

We would like to thank everyone for joining us on our journey this year. Wish you all a safe, happy, and restful festive season.

Soliciting your continued support,

Bristol Multi-Faith Forum

India-Pakistan Harmony Buffet 2022

A community harmony buffet dinner has been arranged at Bristol ZaZa Bazaar on Sunday, 14thAugust 2022 as part of the community cohesion campaign by the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF) to jointly celebrate Independence Day festivities of India and Pakistan

A community harmony dinner has been arranged at Bristol ZaZa Bazaar on Sunday, 14^th August 2022 as part of the community cohesion campaign by the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF) to celebrate the Independence Day festivities of India and Pakistan, jointly and to spread the message of community cohesion and the awareness of Blood and Donation amongst ethnic minorities.

August 14 marks Pakistan Independence Day and August 15 is Indian Independence Day. Due to the trauma of partition and communal conflicts as well as the history of wars between both countries, there are tensions and misunderstandings between both communities worldwide. We need to alleviate such animosities and divisions amongst both communities at the grassroots level in the West of England region. Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF) is an equality organisation instituted by the Bristol City Council in 2004 for inter-faith and inter-cultural social harmony and to promote community well-being. BMFF is providing a platform for both communities in the West of England region to come together and have an India-Pakistan Friendship Meal, which has been attended by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor, MPs, Chair of the South Glos Council, civic officials and community leaders, as well as representatives from the Indian and Pakistan High Commissions in the UK.

BMFF’s campaign for 2022 – 2024 to promote blood donation among Black, African and Caribbean communities was officially launched by the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol Peaches Golding during this ceremonious gathering.

The friendship meal became a symbolic expression of the harmony and friendship that needs to exist amongst communities in Bristol, and to join hands together with the Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Bahai, Jewish, Buddhist, and Parsi faiths in the West of England region. Earlier, Bristol Multi-Faith Forum was involved in arranging similar events with Palestinian and Israeli communities and was successful in combating prejudice and spreading the message of harmony. We consider it essential to organise a symbolic get-together of these two communities in this part of the world and convey a message of harmony to the rest of the world.

Zaza Bazaar Restaurant, Canon’s Road, Bristol BS1 5UH is a world of culinary adventure with over 300 dishes from across the globe and a wide variety of delicacies from different cuisines. In this global restaurant, you can choose from as many dishes and sweet treat desserts as you can enjoy across 5 continents of flavours, especially from South Asian, Far East, Caribbean, Tex Mex, American and European cuisines. On Sundays, they have a medley of a lot of exclusive ethnic dishes including Rasam, dosa, Uttapams, Cholle Poori, kadhi chawal, Keema, Biriyani, all-day English breakfast and Sunday carvery. Also, the specialist chefs will cook the dishes of your liking at the live cooking stations too. There will be music and cultural programmes to enhance the harmonious spirit of the gathering. The programme will finish by 3 pm.

We invited all people of goodwill to join the “Harmony Buffet Dinner” on Sunday, 14th of August, and to herald the message of peace and harmony amongst communities. This self-funded friendship initiative has been arranged on short notice, yet we are thankful to all the dignitaries, civic officials, community leaders and people of goodwill for their confirmation of attendance. All seats have been booked now. All those who requested seats via email to info@bristolmultifaithforum.org.uk, by the 11th of August were allocated seats and added to the guest list. We thank the Chair of the South Glos Council for offering to help us with the partial cost of arranging this friendship initiative. We express our acknowledgement and gratitude to the Chair of South Glos Council, and its Member Awarded Funding programme for helping us and for enabling us to help the ‘Feed the Homeless initiative’.

With warm regards,

Cllr Tom Aditya
Chairman, Bristol Multi-Faith Forum.
Tel: 07852456253

Afzal Shah, Mohindra Singh Chowdhry, Mohammed Arif Khan and Tripti Megeri
Facilitators- Harmony Dinner.

Bristol Multi-Faith Forum, 43 Ducie Road, Barton Hill, Bristol, BS5 0AX
Tel: 07789040267; Email: info@bristolmultifaithforum.org.uk
www.bristolmultifaithforum.org.uk

Bristol Diverse Doors Open Day 2022

Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF) is organising this year’s Bristol Diverse Doors Open Day on Sunday, the 8th of May 2022 from 9.30 am to 5 pm. This year’s Diverse Doors Open Day also commemorates the platinum jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne. Bristol Diverse Doors Open Day celebrates the religious diversity of Bristol, giving communities the chance to experience and learn each other’s cultures and beliefs; and offering the opportunity to visit a range of places of worship and discover many faith communities that exist in Bristol.

Over the years, many places of worship have opened their doors to the general public and to members of other faith communities as part of this event, which is unique to Bristol. All places of worship in Bristol are invited to participate in the Diverse Doors Open Day. Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor, the Mayor, civic dignitaries, various community leaders, and people from different walks of life will be participating in the Diverse Doors Open Day programmes at different venues. BMFF always requests guests and community members to respect and follow the customs and practices of the visiting place of worship.

*Faith Trail at the Greek Orthodox Church*

The theme of this year’s Diverse Doors Open Day will be ‘Spirituality and Mental Wellbeing’, and the theme message will be delivered to various communities in collaboration with the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP). AWP is dedicated to connecting, helping, and supporting the mental health needs of the diverse communities in the region, and delivering high-quality care. Please feel free to be connected: https://www.awp.nhs.uk/. AWP wishes to take away the stigma attached to mental health and care for the mental well-being of all. BMFF will also focus on world peace and efforts to support the distressed people affected by the war.

BMFF will arrange a scheduled tour providing minibus transport for people who have signed up for the tour in advance, for a small donation of £5. The Faith Trail will pass through a Buddhist shrine, a Greek Orthodox Church, an Evangelical Christian Church, a Muslim Mosque, a Sikh Gurudwara, a Jewish Synagogue, a Hindu Temple, and a Bahai Centre. Due to covid restrictions, seats are limited on the tour. Please email info@bristolmultifaithforum.org.uk to book your seats in advance. We are planning to provide special care and provisions to elderly persons on the Multi-Faith Trail, as part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations.

Diverse Doors Multi-Faith Trail will start at 9.30 am on Sunday, the 8th of May 2022 from the BMFF office at the Barton Hill Settlement, 43 Ducie Road, Bristol (BS5 0AX), and will finish by 5 pm. We request all those who are interested, to join this year’s Diverse Doors Multi-Faith Trail.

*Faith Trail at the sanctuary of the Jewish Synagogue*

A group gathering of the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum led by Mayor Tom Aditya