Faith and diversity celebrated in Dangoor Awards

Almost 50 special awards were given out at the Royal Society of Medicine last week in the first Dangoor Awards for the Faith and Belief Forum. A steady stream of winners queued up to receive awards in a variety of categories, celebrating the rich tapestry of faith and diversity in the capital’s communities.

It was the eighth year in which the Faith and Belief Forum had hosted the events, but the first under the Dangoor banner, as philanthropist David Dangoor joined forces with the Greater London Lord Lieutenancy to mark the numerous projects up for recognition — from people trying to challenge the cost of living crisis, to those working to inspire young people, and almost everything in between.

Keynote speaker at the packed event — co-hosted by the Faith and Belief Forum’s head of programmes, Carrie Alderton, and the chief executive of the Peace Alliance, the Rev Nims Obunge — was Lord Khan, the UK’s Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement.

Lord Khan struck an immediately familiar note in his opening remarks by quoting Daniel Defoe’s early 18th century poem, London, which opens: “No city in the spacious universe, Boasts of religion more, or minds it less”. Even in those days, Lord Khan said, London “was already a global, diverse and multi-faith city, welcoming Sephardi Jews from mainland Europe and Protestant refugees fleeing suppression in France”.

He reminded the audience that in Defoe’s time, Bevis Marks Synagogue had opened in 1701, preceding even St Paul’s Cathedral, which did not open its doors until 1710. And he noted that even though London’s first mosque did not open until 1895, there were, nevertheless, Muslim-faith sailors, the Lascars, who lived in the city in the early 1700s.

Lord Khan exulted in the multi-faith city that London has now become, “shaped by centuries” of diverse faiths and communities. Over a quarter of its residents, he said, were today adherents of faiths other than Christianity. And he praised projects such as Mitzvah Day, which reached across the faiths to promote inclusivity.

More than 100 organisations were nominated for awards in different categories, ranging from interfaith relations to supporting women. Each of the presentations was interspersed with success stories illustrating the work of a particular project.

Two Jewish charities that run youth volunteering programmes —- Hand In Hand and Project impACT — won awards in the category “Inspiring Youth”.

Additionally, seven individuals were recognised for their contributions to their communities, having given “exemplary acts of public service, embodying values of inclusivity and compassion”.

Among those honoured were Mitzvah Day’s chief executive, Stuart Diamond, and Rabbi Laura Janner Klausner, now rabbi at Bromley Reform Synagogue and former senior rabbi for the Reform Judaism movement.

Closing remarks were made by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa.