Strong message of peace and unity shared at WAMCF's Interfaith Gathering

A strong message of peace and unity was voiced as a diverse group of around 120 people of all faiths and none attended an interfaith gathering on Saturday.

Hosted by Windsor and Maidenhead Community Forum (WAMCF) for Week of Prayer for World Peace, the thought-provoking service saw representatives of different faiths share their messages of peace and togetherness at All Saints Church.

The event looked to bring people together to pray for peace and reflect upon the path to peace.

It started with a welcome from the church’s vicar Jeremy Harris who shared a message of togetherness and harmony among nations and communities.

He said: “We are experiencing difficult times in both this country and across the world, and this opportunity for prayer and reflection is important.

“Let us pray for friendship and trust among nations, for new partnerships between nations and for a world in harmony with itself and may our town of Maidenhead be a beacon of hope for this harmony.”

Rev Harris then joined representatives from St Edmund Campion Catholic Church to share a message of peace and unity from a Christian perspective through speeches, prayer and song.

The service also featured the recital of a hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib and Maidenhead Gurdwara president Ravinder Singh Zandu shared a message of equality.

Sajid Hussain of Maidenhead Mosque shared a peace message through a speech and collective reflection.

Representatives from the Humanist, Hindu, Jewish, Brahma Kumaris, Baha’i and Buddhist faiths also shared scripture, prayers, meditation, and song.

Towards the end of the service, guests stood and sang You’ll Never Walk Alone together.

The event was attended by Maidenhead MP Josh Reynolds, RBWM deputy mayor Sian Martin, and Vice Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Graham Barker, who also made a speech.

Earlier this month, Maidenhead Synagogue rabbi René Pfertzel called for a ‘strong voice’ to promote unity and

togetherness, in the wake of the attack at Heaton Park Congregation synagogue in Manchester during Yom Kippur on Thursday, October 2.

Zia Mahiudin, a trustee at Maidenhead Mosque, also encouraged harmony and interfaith dialogue, following the incident.

WAMCF has also been ‘very active’ in recent weeks, responding to ‘increasing prejudice and intolerance towards faiths’.

The mosque has recently hosted a meeting where representatives from different faiths across the area shared how their congregations are coping.

Leaders said they are ‘working hard to keep conversations calm and constructive’, while making sure ‘no one feels they must stay silent in the face of prejudice’, WAMCF said.

Many also spoke of the pressures they face as community figures, with worshippers looking to them for reassurance and guidance.

Faith representatives are seeking support from WAMCF to help provide this leadership and ‘strengthen interfaith co-operation’.

The meeting ended with a shared commitment to ‘highlight unity and kindness between faiths’.

Ideas included encouraging the town’s MP Josh Reynolds to raise interfaith work in Parliament and planning a programme of assemblies for next year in schools to help young people learn about different faiths and break down barriers.

Paul Samuels, a WAMCF trustee, said: “For 44 years, WAMCF has worked tirelessly to build trust and friendship between different faiths and the wider community in Windsor and Maidenhead. Sadly, we’re seeing a rise in prejudice and hate.

“As the rabbi said, we must come together and create a new narrative – one that values diversity and sees difference as a strength, not a threat.”