Interfaith Fun Run raises thousands for good causes
More than 750 runners and spectators descend on the StoneX Stadium for the event, which also included musical performances and the chance to sample food from various cultures
Runners raised a sweat – and thousands of pounds for good causes – at the second London Interfaith Fun Run.
Participants were able to take on 10k, 5km or 1km routes around the StoneX stadium in their efforts to support 50 organisations from those supporting the homeless and refugees to those bridging the divide between faith communities.
Organised by the Faith & Belief Forum and Maccabi GB and supported by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith, the event also featured a charity fair, crafts, the opportunity to sample foods from different cultures. There were also diverse performances included Capoeira with the African Portuguese Speaking Community and Afghan, Kurdish, Iranian and Arabic dances by refugees from New Citizens Gateway.
Phil Champain, Director of the Faith & Belief Forum, said: “The Fun Run showcased the amazing variety of communities that make London the great city it is. It was fantastic to see 8-year-olds and 80-year-olds running alongside one another and everyone dancing together to music that ranged from jive to Farsi pop.”
The event featured speeches by Sir Ken Olisa, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, and David Dangoor CBE, Chair of the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith, who initiated the London Interfaith Fun Run project.
Dangoor said the Fun Run is an opportunity to “send a message of unity and friendship. It clearly shows the enormous amount of good this city’s diverse communities and cultures can do when we all work together”. He hailed the fact it incorporates young people in a way some other interfaith efforts don’t.
The event was partnered by JVN, Saracens, Arnold Clark Community Fund, Groundswell Project, Community, Asian Media Group, Church Times, Eastern Eye, Jewish News, Sikh Channel, and Voice of Islam Radio.
Michael Ziff, President of Maccabi GB, said: “If we’re running together we’re all going in the same direction. If we can bring everyone together in this way we can improve interfaith relations.” Mayor of Barnet Alison Moore praised the event as “Barnet at its best”.
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