The Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester
Established to develop the cultural and social ties between the Muslim and Jewish communities of Greater Manchester
29 October 2018
We held our 13th AGM at Salford Civic Centre in Swinton on Monday 29 October 2018. The guest speaker was the elected City Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett.
Before the formal proceedings began, a minute’s silence was observed for those killed and injured in the antisemitic attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Forum Co-Chair Cllr Heather Fletcher read out the Directors Report noting that the Forum had organised seven diverse events in the year ending 31st March 2018. These included a panel of lawyers debating the Prevent Strategy, and a large concert of culturally diverse music which was attended by approximately 100 people. The Financial Accounts for the year were presented by the Treasurer David Lewis.
Download link for the Directors Report and Financial Accounts.
We were delighted to have as a special guest, Mr Paul Dennett, who has been the elected City Mayor of Salford since 2016. Mr Dennett spoke at length about the issues facing the City of Salford generally and the value of its cultural diversity.
He stated that the Muslim Jewish Forum played an important role by creating time and space in the public realm for people to learn from one another. He said that Salford would lose part of its character if it did not have the Muslim Jewish Forum.
Mr Dennett mentioned although historically Salford had a relatively small Muslim community of Yemeni origin in Eccles dating back to the 1940’s, Salford’s Muslim community had expanded significantly in recent decades.
At the same time the Jewish communities in Kersal and Broughton were growing faster than anywhere else in the UK outside London, with the Jewish presence dating back to the 1870’s. Salford’s Jewish and Muslim communities had both added much to the city. He said it was heartening to see Jewish and Muslim people assisting with food banks and litter pick-ups and helping their fellow citizens in Salford in many other ways.
Mr Dennett mentioned that Salford had an Equalities Strategy which the city is fully committed to. Finally, he added that Muslim and Jewish people bring diversity to the cultural and spiritual life in Salford .The spirit of the city is its people and we should celebrate our multicultural diversity in Salford.
A new Executive Committee was elected for the year comprising Cllr Heather Fletcher, David Lewis, David Berkley, June Rosen and Jackie Harrison (all Jewish) and Mohammed Amin, Tahara Amin, Qaisra Shahraz, Cllr Naeem Ul Hassan, and Seamus Martin (all Muslim).
In the group photograph below from left to right are:
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The Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester
Established to develop the cultural and social ties between the Muslim and Jewish Communities of Greater Manchester