“STOP PREJUDICE-CELEBRATE DIVERSITY”
A MULTI-FAITH PROJECT

The above was an idea by Future Visions Youth Action Group, a youth group established by Govanhill Social Inclusion Project (GOSIP), to promote racial harmony and raise awareness of the different faiths in the Govanhill area. This included a multi-faith art exhibition, musical performances and still to come community action days within 7 schools.

This initiative was funded by Sense Over Sectarianism – Millennium Awards, and supported by Govanhill Social Inclusion Project (GOSIP), Strathclyde Police, Govanhill Trinity Church, Education Services, Culture and Leisure Services, Govanhill Housing Association and BTCV.

It involved nearly 250 school pupils from 7 local schools. 5 faiths were covered: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism. Each school was allocated a faith to research, an introductory talk given by a leader/religious educator from each faith. Then members of Future Visions and an art worker worked with each school over an 8-week period in order to produce a piece of artwork, which represented their allocated faith. In addition to this, 2 schools produced music and lyrics. For more details oif schools projects click here.

The launch of “Stop Prejudice – Celebrate Diversity” took place an 18 June 2003 within Govanhill Trinity Church. Over 600 school children and many invited guests were piped into the church to view an extravaganza of musical performances from Govanhill and Victoria nursery schools, Hollybrook School, Victoria Primary School and other artists.

Another aspect of this initiative will be the community action days to preserve some aspect of the multi-faith project within the schools after the 2003 summer break. This may be creating a garden or planting a tree, however, final arrangements will not be made until the schools have been consulted.

A memento diary is also being produced of the event and will be issued to all those involved in the project. The diary will include images of artwork created by schools and Future Visions and the 2 pieces of music by Hollybrook School and Victoria Primary School.
I come from Govanhill by pupils of Hollybrook School has been entered into Strathclyde Police – Schools in Harmony Competition, which will take place on 16th September 2003 at the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre.