Life

Building community through faith

COMMUNITY Relations Week starts on Monday, under the 'One place, many people' banner.

Community Relations Council chief executive Jacqueline Irwin said the theme reflected "the wide range of people and cultures in our region and what it means to share one place as many different people".

Among the hundreds of events taking place are many in churches and with a faith perspective; here are seven highlights:

1. Columba Heritage Trail

Derry city

Monday September 28, 10.30am

A guided tour of the Columba Heritage Trail and a chance to learn about the shared history and heritage of St Columba, the city's founding father.

fionafagan@thechurchestrust.org.uk

2. Protestants and the Irish Language

Banbridge Good Relations Forum

Banbridge Integrated Primary School

Wednesday September 30, 7pm

Irish language teacher Linda Irvine will talk on the strong heritage of the Irish language within the Protestant community.

dolores.donnelly@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk

3. Galvanising the Peace

Jennymount Church and Community Network

Jennymount Methodist Church, North Queen Street, Belfast

Wednesday September 30, 10.30am

A dialogue to affirm the work of local community initiatives and a workshop to explore the challenges still faced in building a peaceful and united community.

derek.poole@thelincproject.org

4. Omagh Faith Trail

Thursday October 1, 7pm

The faith trail takes in the four landmark churches on the hill in Omagh town, spending half an hour in each church with clergy and ending with a networking opportunity at the end of the evening.

pauline.clarke@fermanaghomagh.com

5. A Musical Celebration of Diversity with the Children of North Belfast

St Anne's Cathedral, Donegall Street, Belfast

Friday October 2, 2.30pm

Taking place on the anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Ghandi, also marked as UN International Day of Non-Violence, this is a schools project which seeks to provide an alternative creative outlet for children attending three primary schools - Sacred Heart, Edenbrooke and Cliftonville Integrated - in north Belfast, an area characterised by sectarian antipathies, depriveation, social dysfunction and sectarian violence.

catherine@belfastcathedral.org

6. Youth Music Presentation

Church of Ireland Chaplaincy, Elmwood Avenue, Belfast

Friday October 2, 4.30pm

Drum circle workshops and storytelling help celebrate the diversity of cultures in Belfast, bringing together people from different backgrounds to work towards a shared future.

davidmaganda@aol.com

7. Community Gospel and Culture Music

Mission to Seafarers' Flying Angel Centre, Princes Dock Street, Belfast

Saturday October 3, 12 noon

An exhibition of culture and gospel music which will help promote good relations through celebrating cultural diversity in Belfast.

davidmaganda@aol.com

:: More information on Community Relations and Cultural Awareness week at www.nicrc.org.uk