Category Archives: Olympic Truce

Faith pin badge & Local Leaders for 2012

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Here’s a short clip (this link will download a 2’21” film on Quicktime) of the launch of the new Faith pin badge yesterday – thank you Duncan Green of LOCOG for sending it over :)

There are interviews about the Games (and the chaplaincy service) with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Indarjit Singh and Maulana Shahid Raza (Chairman of the Mosques and Imams Advisory Board).

Plus – the Local Leaders initiative was launched on Monday.  This could be just the thing to support our local activities, including those connected with the Olympic Truce.

The 2012 website says

The summer of 2012 will be extraordinary. Across the whole of the UK, millions of people will be part of the celebrations. And at the heart of every celebration will be the person who makes it happen. If that’s you, we want you to sign up and become a London 2012 Local Leader.

Being a Local Leader is pretty simple: you just need to have an idea of how you want to celebrate the Games and then get organising.

Local Leaders will benefit from:

  • Exclusive Local Leader merchandise, including a very special pin badge
  • ‘Save the date’ cards to send to your list of invitees
  • Fun stuff – conference calls with celebs, recipe ideas, DIY decoration guides

Find out more and register for Local Leader emails here and find more ideas here.

We will include a 2012 item on our agenda next week.

16-18 yr olds – volunteer for the London 2012 Games!

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Groups of young Londoners – and that includes groups (& their leaders) from churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, gurdwaras and all religious, multifaith and community organisations – are wanted to be Games Makers for 2012.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young people to get involved in the greatest show on earth – while learning new skills, gaining experience and making new friends.

More info here and see the video here – the deadline is midnight on 31st October.  Good luck!

London 2012 update

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The London 2012 page of the blog is now updated regularly.

Have a look at the latest information – there’s a growing list of organisations and government departments involved and LBFN is developing partnerships which will complement our own strengths and capacity.

We’ll be discussing the 2012 Games at our next meeting on Wednesday 14th September – contact the Convener for details if you’d like to join us.

Next meeting – Wednesday 14th September

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With very many thanks to John Woodhouse, we are invited to a venue in Victoria for our next meeting on the morning of Wednesday, 14th September.

Let’s gather for coffee at 10am, meet from 10.30am to 12.30pm and finish, as we did last time, with light snacks and an opportunity for informal networking, ending at around 1pm.

I’ll send out details nearer the time – please let me know if you’re not on the email list and you’d like an invitation.

As ever, please leave a comment here or get in touch if you’d like us to discuss a particular topic.  The Olympic Truce (and plans for 2012 in general) will feature, as will developments in Europe and a round-up of news across the capital.

See you then – but in the meantime, please use the LBFN blog to publicise your own activities & to exchange news & views.

Today’s meeting

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Here are a few quick photos of yesterday’s meeting at the National Bahá’í Centre in Knightsbridge.  Big thanks to Katie (of Anthony Nolan) for taking the pictures :)

Harmander, Alan, Steve, Haider, Karen, Catriona & David

Chris & Siriol

Networking lunch in the kitchen

Karen, Katie, Haider and Malik

Siriol, Chris, John, Barbara & Malik

Harmander & Muhammad

People from five different religious traditions and several public agencies had far-reaching discussions on health and the co-production of public services led by Malik Gul, Director of Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network.

We’ll be exploring the possibility of an Olympic Truce over the weeks of the Games next year – maybe a knife amnesty, a call for a halt to domestic violence, anti-bullying in schools and the workplace, initiatives to reduce hate crime, anti-social behaviour and postcode violence.  Along with plenty of opportunities to learn how to resolve conflict in a positive and creative way.

The emerging religion and belief network across Europe will be gathering, we hope, in Brussels at the end of the year.  Many of us have religious and other links across the continent – if any of your contacts are interested in joining the network, please get in touch asap – things are now moving quite quickly.

A small working group is looking at the future potential of LBFN.

Thank you to the National Bahá’í Centre and to John Lester and Barbara Stanley-Hunt of Havering Inter Faith Forum for arranging for us to meet in such a lovely place – the welcome and hospitality were wonderful.

Olympic Truce

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21 September: Peace One Day

I’ve been asking around to see who else might be interested in partnering us on a London Truce during the 2012 Games.  LBFN members work with our local public agencies, so there are plenty of possibilities – knife amnesties (police), a halt to domestic violence (Community Safety), anti-bullying campaigns (schools, workplaces), challenging post-code violence (youth services), peaceful public transport (TfL).  I’m sure you have plenty of ideas, too.

Peace One Day is starting a countdown to the 2012 Peace Day on 21st September this year.

“So, we have decided to officially launch the 365-day countdown to the Global Truce at our first concert in conjunction with the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad at the O2 Arena London on Peace Day 21 September 2011.

Representatives from all sectors of society will be present at this show, and their commitment to the Global Truce announced on the night.”

Sounds good – let’s talk more on Tuesday.

Do you know others who are interested?  I’ve heard the Bishop of London is, so I’ll make contact.  People from other denominations and religious traditions?  Leave a comment here or let me know.