Dear friends and supporters,
We’re buzzing with excitement to bring you the Dialogue Society’s October newsletter, packed with incredible updates and upcoming events that highlight our vibrant community work!
In this edition, you’ll find:
- Big news from our Oxford branch—Mahmut Gunaydin, our amazing Oxford Branch Director, has won the prestigious BBC Oxford “Make a Difference Award” for his inspiring work on the “Life of a Chickpea” project!
- A celebration of peace and unity at our “One World, Many Faiths” community breakfast in Birmingham, where diverse voices came together for the International Day of Peace.
- Highlights from our team’s participation at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, where we amplified our mission of dialogue and social cohesion.
- Updates on our fantastic projects like the “Knitting Club,” “Diverse Tea, Diverse City,” and lively interfaith dialogue sessions.
- Plus, don’t miss our upcoming events, including the “Life of a Chickpea” session in Leicester and the thrilling 2024 London to Brighton Cycle Ride to support the Talking Bubble project!
We’re so proud of all we’ve achieved together, and we can’t wait to continue this journey with you. As always, we appreciate your unwavering support—please subscribe, share this newsletter with others, and if you can, consider donating to fuel our mission even further. Together, we can make a real difference!
With gratitude and excitement,
The Dialogue Society Team
BBC Oxford Community Award Winner
Our Oxford branch Director, Mahmut Gunaydin, had the immense pleasure of receiving the Make a Difference Award on 11th of September, organised by BBC Oxford, for his outstanding work on the Life of a Chickpea project. He is now recognized as the Community Champion, celebrated for his efforts in fostering community cohesion, cultural understanding, and positive social impact through this project.
I believe that if my children can meet with faith and community leaders from an early age then it will help them to better understand others.
Mahmut Gunaydin
One World, Many Faiths
22 September 2024
A Community Breakfast for Peace was held in Birmingham on the International Day of Peace in partnership with the Dialogue Society, Unitarian New Meeting Church, and Birmingham Progressive Synagogue. The event brought together diverse individuals to discuss and celebrate peace, unity, and dialogue, highlighting the power of collaboration in building a peaceful community.
Community Picnic
1 September 2024
Manchester Dialogue Society Volunteer organised two picnics for the Community as a community get- together in Queens Park Heywood and Springfield Park Rochdale.
Leeds Branch Cooking Club
Manchester Volunteers Attended the Peace Walk
Our volunteers actively participated in the Peace Walk, demonstrating their commitment to promoting harmony and solidarity within the community.
Knitting Club
Dialogue Society Hull Volunteer who is partner of Knitting Club of knitting house group. She prepared beautiful Knit and Natter mats for club friends.
Dialogue Society Branch Managers Workshop
Labour Party Conference
Our team attended the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool from the 22nd to the 24th of September to represent Dialogue Society and promote our work and values. This participation provided an excellent opportunity to connect with key stakeholders, share our mission, and highlight the importance of dialogue in fostering social cohesion within our communities.
Interfaith Peace Walk
Our Basingstoke branch had the pleasure of attending the Interfaith Peace Walk. After a warm welcome from the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Putty, we began our walk to St Michael’s Hospice. The event concluded with a brief presentation, offering a wonderful opportunity to promote harmony and celebrate the contributions of different faiths in our community.
Reading Branch Annual Workshop
Our Reading branch hosted our Dialogue volunteers for our annual training and workshop focused on fostering more effective dialogue and expanding our outreach to diverse communities.
Interfaith Visits
The Dialogue Society Coordinator for the North recently visited both the Sikh Temple and the Bradford Cathedral to explore potential opportunities for collaboration. The visit was aimed at fostering relationships between different faith communities.
We attended Bishop Olivia Graham’s farewell ceremony at Reading Minster on 29th September. It was a heartfelt gathering that celebrated her contributions and leadership. The event brought together people from diverse backgrounds, and we had the opportunity to connect and strengthen relationships.
Liverpool Scriptural Reasoning
Dialogue Society volunteers help to organize a Scriptural Reasoning session in Liverpool with L8 Interfaith Group, where individuals from different faith backgrounds came together to engage in thoughtful discussions around sacred texts. If you are interested in joining, please contact josephramsden@kuumbaimani.org.uk.
New Project: Diverse Tea, Diverse City
A project by the Dialogue Society Leicester recently held its first session featuring masala tea. This initiative aims to celebrate cultural diversity through tea, where participants from various backgrounds share their traditional tea-making processes, history, and cultural significance. Every two weeks, different guests will present teas from their cultures, fostering an atmosphere of learning, respect, and community bonding. The project encourages participants to connect and appreciate diverse traditions, one sip at a time.
Oxford Scriptural Reasoning
Our Oxford branch held its monthly Scriptural Reading session on the 9th of September at St. Nicolas Church in Littlemore, Oxford. The theme for this session was “Dream and Vision,” where participants engaged in thoughtful discussions and reflections.
2024 London to Brighton Cycle Ride
14 of our incredible volunteers have just completed the 55-mile ride from London to Brighton! Dialogue Society and Time to Help UK invite you to support the Talking Bubble project by sponsoring our 2024 London to Brighton Cycle Ride!
Loneliness Workshop
Moira Darlington, Deputy Lieutenant, and Oxford Hub invited our Oxford branch to join the Combating Loneliness in the Leys workshop on the 30th of September.