04/07/2026
Things have been feeling heavy; so much effort being put into creating division and so much inflammatory language and rhetoric. It can be easy to fall into despair.
Then you go on the L8 Inter Faith walk and you find yourself lifted.
5 hours spent with over 200 people of all faiths and none.... starting at St Philip Neri Catholic Church, moving onto St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, then into Princes Road Orthodox Synagogue and on to Al- Rahma Mosque.... followed by food in the mosque cafรฉ.
Participants were invited to be curious, to ask questions, to speak to people they don't know, and to be respectful when in other people's spiritual and religious homes. And that's what is so refreshing, everyone does ask questions, everyone is interested in knowing more about each other's way of believing, practising, and each other's histories in this great city of ours.
In these times of division, we must remember that this is Liverpool, a truly great city and we owe it to ALL of those who came before us to find ways of speaking respectfully towards each other, to find solutions to complex issues, and to move forward - together.
At one point on the Interfaith Walk, we were standing outside on the street as it was so packed and warm inside the church. There was a man with a glass of beer - really quite drunk - outside with a couple of Police officers. When the man saw us, he came over and started talking to us, the Police started to move him away, but we said it was fine and carried on talking to him.
The man had tears streaming down his face, and he was telling us about his life in L8. He was apologising for getting so upset, but he just said,
"I love it here, I just love it. To see all of you here and to know that we can all live together like this is the best feeling, and I just don't want that to change. I love it here"
Not a headline moment, but it means the world.
Join us next year? ๐๐๐
