An inter-faith group of Leeds students have taken to social media to put out positive stories about religions working together in an attempt to counter negative stories and ‘bad news’.
The students, who include young Jews, Christians and Muslims, have been meeting together in Leeds. Together they have started a Facebook Page, ‘FaithsTogether’, which they began because they say they felt that there wasn’t enough good news about religion.
Pictured (left) on the steps of St George’s Leeds are members of the student team, (left to right) Lauren Keiles and Carla Bernstein of Leeds JSoc, David Kibble and David Kemball of St George’s, and Hamad Haroon and Ayad Marhoon from two Muslim youth groups, the Leeds Muslim Youth Forum and the Leeds Muslim Youth Group.
The group has collected a variety of relevant stories over the last few months and will now add to those stories as they are reported. The Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/faithstogether
David Kemball, a medical student and member of St George’s who is a member of the tri-faith team said, “We felt that this was something we could do together as members of three different faiths. Each faith has distinct beliefs but there are many things we can do together.”
Ayad Marhoon, a student at Leeds City College and a member of the Leeds Muslim Youth Group said, “I always enjoy meeting people of other faiths; it means that we are helping to bring our different communities together. Sometimes we don’t communicate well.”
The team won’t be stopping at producing the Facebook page. They are now promoting the page within their own faith communities, and they will also be delivering school assemblies to broadcast their message: that being a member of a faith community is something very positive and that Jews, Christians and Muslims often work together.