Osama, a Mental Health Foundation Young Leader, shares his story to help promote awareness of Islamophobia and the impact it can have on your mental health.
Content warning: this blog mentions depression and suicidal feelings, please read with care.
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has launched an interactive mapping tool for Londoners to tell us where action to improve nature should be prioritised.
The GLA will use the map, alongside other inputs, to set out the priorities for London’s nature in the London Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which is due to be published in Summer 2025.
This interactive map is open to all organisations and individuals across London, so please share this with your friends, colleagues, family and communities living and working in Greater London. The map will be open for input until 23:59 on Wednesday 2nd October.
The Barnet Multi Faith Forum (BMFF) were praised by Government minister, Sarah Sackman MP and other local MPs for an inspiring solidarity event organised at the Finchley Mosque last Friday.
The large congregation were joined by local councillors of both parties’, Rabbis, and a diverse gathering of prominent faith and community leaders. This harmonious event followed in the aftermath of the often-violent civic disobedient clashes provoked by far-right groups attaching, refugee centres and mosques exploiting for their own divisive motives, the tragic murders of three young girls in Southport.
In a statement, from the minister read out by Cllr Sara Conway, whilst thanking everyone present, she praised the professionalism of the police in standing up to these attacks, and especially to those that peaceably lined the streets of Finchley the previous week. This sent a powerful message about “who we are, and that this is our home”. In remaining vigilant to these threats, she proclaimed “there is no place for Islamophobia and racism in our society.”
She also explicitly stated that anyone calling themselves anti racist but who chose to promote their cause by patent use of antisemitic language or signs does this virtuous cause no favours. “This is racism, and we will call it out” she declared. “The vast majority of the people in our community come together to stand up to fascism and I could not be prouder.”
To loud applause from the huge gathering the BMFF Chair David Clare read out the Barnet Pledge which commits us to work together for the common good, alongside all who share our values of justice and peace, respect for one another, for the earth and its creatures and to build a better society and a better world now and for generations to come.
In thanking the Mosque and especially the kind invitation of Imam Hamid with the warm reception given by those in attendance for prayers, the coming together of Senior Rabbis, Imams, diverse ministers of faiths, councillors and community leaders to further loud acclaim Esmond Rosen President of BMFF, concluded “In choosing the language, of peace, unity over division, of hope over hate, the community gathered together last Friday, sent a powerful message of strength and friendship to the people of Barnet.
Barnet Pledge
We commit ourselves, as people of many faiths living in Barnet, to work together for the common good and uniting to build a better society in our Borough, in London and in the wider world.
Together, we are grounded in the following values and ideals: community, personal integrity, a sense of right and wrong, learning, wisdom and love of truth, care and compassion, justice and peace, respect for one another and for the earth and its creatures.
We commit ourselves, in a spirit of friendship and co-operation, to work together alongside all who share our values and ideals in Barnet and beyond, to help bring about a better Borough, a better capital and a better world – now and for generations to come.
On July 15th, 2024, the Barnet Net Zero team organized the Barnet Climate Action Month Closing Event at the RAF Museum. Four Barnet Citizen Assembly Action Groups, including the Faith-Based Action Group, reported on progress made over the past six months and outlined plans to achieve net zero for the borough by 2042.
Amir Ohadi, chair of the BMFF Sustainability Committee, presented the Faith Action Group and highlighted the recent Faith Partnership event and eco tour at New North London Synagogue led by Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg. This visit demonstrated how places of worship can inspire sustainable practices such as reducing waste, energy efficiency, biodiversity, gardening and green spaces, and all other aspects of the climate agenda across communities. Representatives from various faith groups and stakeholders, including Anglican, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Bahai, and Middlesex University, made significant contributions.
Looking ahead, the Faith Action Group will continue its mission within the Barnet Multi-Faith Forum Sustainability Committee. Farah Ali, representing the Barnet Council Sustainability team, has joined the BMFF Sustainability Committee to facilitate collaboration and faith partnership with the local government. The challenge is to establish robust data and communication infrastructure to deliver messages and support sustainable collaborations with faith communities. The establishment of a Barnet Faith Leaders Forum will be instrumental in further engaging faith communities in this green transition.
