As Honorary President of North Wales-based NWAMI, ‘Networking for World Awareness of Multicultural Integration’, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has sent a positive recorded message which will be played at their Interfaith Gathering in Colwyn Bay today.
The Gathering has been funded by North Wales Community Cohesion Officers and will take place later today.
In his message, Mr Isherwood refers to the fact that Wales is a country with long-standing multicultural and multi-faith traditions which are deeply rooted in many communities and states that “promoting tolerance and respect for all helps to build inclusive societies that are more stable, more prosperous, and better able to resist extremism.”
He further states:
“The friendship and respect between these communities is embodied by the Interfaith Council for Wales – which includes, but is not limited to, Muslims, Christians, Bahái Community, Sikhs, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists.
“Events in the world can bring problems and tensions to the surface between communities of mixed cultures and faiths.
“The Interfaith Council for Wales is a member of the Faith Communities Forum, established by the Welsh Government with cross-Party support, to enable dialogue and close co-operation between the different faiths in Wales.
“I have been a fortunate guest at several of the Muslim Council of Wales’ Annual Interfaith Dinners, listening to guest speakers including the Chief Rabbi, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Wales and the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, talking on themes including “The need for faith in the 21st Century”, and “Following the Scriptures: The Road to Peace”.
“Having worked with the Board of Deputies of British Jews over a two year period to bring the “Jewish Living Experience” Exhibition to Wrexham, I was proud to speak as sponsor at the Exhibition’s launch there in 2016 “about how important it is for everyone to have an understanding of each other’s faith and culture to help prevent racism”.
“And last year it was a pleasure to attend a lecture & audience in the Senedd with His Holiness Sivarama Swami, on Hinduism, Bhakti Yoga and Krishna Consciousness.
“As the Chief Rabbi said at the Muslim Council of Wales’ Annual Interfaith Dinner in 2014, we all, ‘share faith in God’ and “need to celebrate what we have in common, and respect with dignity our differences….. we should reach out with tolerance and compassion to one and all”.