Talking makes big difference
THEY were places of worship, venues for entertainment, locations to meet friends and other ordinary milieus: Linwood and Al Noor Mosques in Christchurch; The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh; Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta; Manchester Arena; Bataclan Theatre in Paris; Westgate Mall in Nairobi; The Admiral Duncan Pub in Soho and, unfortunately, too many more. They now bear the legacy of hate but also, in response, of resilience and community spirit.
When each attack happened, the vast majority reacted with horror.
There are those who try to explain, to rationalise and even to justify.
For some, making sense of all of this is important. Living in a world where such atrocities are happening all too frequently causes distress and fear.
We need opportunities to share our grief and the vigils of the last week have given appropriate space to do this. But there is also need for space to talk and share our views safely.
Tomorrow, at Manchester Museum, we will extend the opportunity to consider Importing International Conflict. How does playing out disputes from Kashmir, Israel/Palestine, Myanmar, Ukraine and elsewhere impact on our communities? Do such debates have value or should they be avoided?
Often we leave these discussions to those we view as leaders but, for #WeStandTogether, it is more important for near neighbours to meet and converse.
And we want to go further. We want people to take more opportunities to come together, meet those they would not normally chat with, better understand and respect each other and build strong relationships in and across communities.
So, through this column I ask you, the reader, to join us. Show your love for your neighbours and make a difference to your world.
● You can book for any #WeStandTogether events through http://WeStandTogetherBritain.eventbrite.com and find out more by emailing: support@westandtogether.org. uk.