This event was the key flagship event on the range of outreach events that Faith Matters held in 2009/2010 under the Not In Our Name Project. The event was held at the Royal Chace Hotel and was attended by staff from statutory agencies like Enfield Council and by community and voluntary sector bodies like ECEN (Enfield Community Enterprise Network). There were also numerous attendees from community groups, an elected member, faith leaders and students. The event also received strong participation from the local police and with Superintendent Dave Osborne who started the day’s proceedings.

The key aim the day was built on supporting cohesion through a faith based perspective and the day had evolved through discussions that were undertaken between Enfield Council and key staff from Faith Matters.

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This programme provided young people with the opportunity to discuss matters around identity, faith and local issues that may be impacting on them. We worked with young Bangladeshi and young Somali groups in the London Borough of Enfield to look at these issues within a safe and secure environment.

The London Borough of Enfield asked Faith Matters to explore such issues of identity with three main aims. These included:

– What does it mean to be Somali or Bangladeshi, a Muslim and a local resident of the London Borough of Enfield.

– Providing counter-narratives to feelings of alienation and disaffection and providing an anchor through identity to the their local areas and borough.

– The programme looked at the history of Islam within Britain and promoted a sense that Muslims and Islam have a positive role to play with other faith communities in the country. Being part of a pluralistic set of communities is essential to developing strong links between communities.