Faithlink is a monthly meeting of students from all religious, ethnic, and political backgrounds that come together to discuss issues that affect British young people today and find ways to bridge gaps between their various races and social groups. The first such meeting was held on February 22nd at Bayley Street. The theme was “Religious and Racial Tension in Britain and How to Build Cohesive Communities.”
Dr. David Earle gave a presentation on his work relating to the theme. He spoke about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s notion that, “If we could read the secret histories of our enemies, we should find in each person’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostilities.” Among the attendees were Student Ambassadors for Peace, the University College of London Interfaith Society, SOAS students, the Somali Youth Forum, and members of the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP).
The presentation was followed by lively discussion. Some students were so engaged in the dialog that they moved to a local cafe after the event was over to continue to discuss how to develop the Faithlink initiative. It is not often that students from all these various backgrounds can come together develop ideas for building peaceful, cohesive communities. Faithlink seeks to provide the forum for these youth to come together to empower each other, and create the foundation for a better future British society.