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Sangha is a word in Pali and meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community" and most commonly refers in Buddhism to the monastic community of bhikkhus (monks) and bhikkhunis (nuns). These communities are traditionally referred to as the bhikkhu-sangha or bhikkhuni-sangha. As a separate category, those who have attained any of the four stages of enlightenment, whether or not they are members of the monastic community, are referred to as the āryasaṅgha "noble Sangha".
In this context Sangha is taken to mean 'connecting people, building community.
I attended the soft launch of a new charity, called Sangha set up by Manchester Cathedral with the aim to encourage the Asian, and in particular the Indian, communities to work together. Although we were told that Sangha will not exclusively be for Asians.
Guest speakers made speeches and the learning was thus. Samiya Butt - Building bridges between cultures and faiths. People do not like to bring us closer together and in reality these are the perfect types to people to bridge with those who do not want to mix with us, for fear of the unknown about us. We need to collectively listen to one another, learn from one another. Story telling is a powerful way to build bridges. Don't fear what you don't know, respond to hate with love and kindness.
Ms Kavita Roy - a solicitor. Due to some many societal labels, names, so many groupings, sub-groups within sub-groups as a result we are narrowing our vision of togetherness rather than expanding it.
I agreed wither analogy of the '3rd Sider' talk or labelling as she called it. Such labelling over time about each other by each other eg: if they don't speak the same language; wear the same clothes; go to the same church; we then set boundaries and stay away from them. We build giant walls around ourselves and these boundaries become 'fractures' and actually fracture communities. We find ourselves compartmentalised by our own doing into Asian, African, Jamaican etc. We, therefore, begin to see each other separate from ourselves. We focus on the differences, which divide us than what unites us.
Before you do anything ask: 'Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? Ask these questions before you do anything as a form of self discipline test.
Talk and listen. Listen to understand. Understanding brings empathy and Empathy brings change.
The Chief Superintendent talked about Communication- Tolerance - Understanding. Personally I do not like the word Tolerance. I do not want to be tolerated, I want people to understand me for all that I Am.
The Dean stated that 'Face to Face' communication is good, however, 'Side by Side is better.

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March is normally a very busy month for me, especially with it being International Women's Month (as declared by Manchester) with International Women's Day being 8th of March.
One of the earliest things I did this March was to take part in a Café Conversation organised by Common Purpose.
Everyone likes to have a chat over a cup of tea or coffee. This is what the café conversation is. It is based on the methodology called World Café methodology and is a simple, effective, and flexible format for hosting large group dialogue. World Café can be modified to meet a wide variety of needs. Specifics of context, numbers, purpose, location, and other circumstances are factored into each event’s unique invitation, design, and question choice, but the following five components comprise the basic model:
1) Setting: Create a “special” environment, most often modelled after a café, i.e. small round tables covered with a checkered or white linen tablecloth, butcher block paper, coloured pens, a vase of flowers, and optional “talking stick” item. There should be 4 to 6 chairs at each table (optimally) – and no more than 8.
2) Welcome and Introduction: The host begins with a warm welcome and an introduction to the World Café process, setting the context, sharing the Cafe Etiquette, and putting participants at ease.
3) Small Group Rounds: The process begins with the first of three or more twenty minute rounds of conversation for the small group seated around a table. At the end of the twenty minutes, each member of the group moves to a different new table. They may or may not choose to leave one person as the “table host” for the next round, who welcomes the next group and briefly fills them in on what happened in the previous round.
4) Questions: each round is prefaced with a question specially crafted for the specific context and desired purpose of the World Café. The same questions can be used for more than one round, or they can be built upon each other to focus the conversation or guide its direction.
5) Harvest: After the small groups (and/or in between rounds, as needed), individuals are invited to share insights or other results from their conversations with the rest of the large group.
During the Common Purpose Café Conversation the questions posed to me were:
1) As a leader, how did you get to change the minds of people with regards to gun crime?
2) What did you find difficult being a leader?
3) Where did you get support?
4) How did you know you were making a difference?
5) How do you lead when it is your own organisation, and not a hierarchy?
6) How did you deal with family?
All very relevant questions to Leadership. Answers were given and such will be in another later blog.

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In order to create community cohesion the women of the Ahmadiyya Mosque, Moss Side opened up their doors for other women of Muslim faith and other faiths to come and share knowledge about each other's faith and look at the similarities of each other's faith.
Sikism - first we had a woman from the Sikh faith address the audience. She was born in Kenya to Indian parents. She was educated in India then moved to Britain. Her place of worship is known as the Guduwara Temple. It is believed that the first Gurunanak brought about women's equal rights and tried to abolish the caste system. Women had no rights up until the 14th century - women had to die with their deceased husbands. This practice was called 'Sutty', where women had to sacrifice themselves to cremation - burning alive! They do celebrate Christmas, Divali, Eid with respect.

Jewish Faith - The second speaker was a Jewish lady. She informed us that as a Jewish person they do eat Halal foods and Kosha foods are similar. However, they do not eat prawns or pig meat. They read the holy book- The Torah. In the Jewish community, a child is Jewish if the mother is Jewish. After 8 days of the birth of a male child, circumcision is performed on the penis area (this is simarly done in the faith of Islam and in Nigeria - even amongst non Muslims). In Hebrew this is called Brit or Covenant between God and Abraham. Genesis (of the Bible) speaks of circumcision. There marriages are arranged. During a wedding ceremony the Groom covers the glass and breaks it with his foot. I remember doing this at my wedding (and we are not Jewish). The Jewish do this because they believe that you cannot have good without bad and this is done to ward off evil spirits. Also simbolizing the last time the man will put his foot down.
We were told that in the Jewish religion women do not count during a service and for a service to be held there needs to be 10 men present. In an orthodox Jewish church the women sit separately (similarly in a Mosque). Women are obligated to light two candles to welcome the Sabbath. They are not obligated to go to church because their men say they have a very important already very busy role of bringing up the children; teach them the ways of Judaism; keep the house and cook - sounds like most households and including going to church!

Beha'i Faith - this religion is believed to have started about 175 years ago in Iran. It is believed that this was started in 1863 by a person known as Bahaullah, born 1817. They say that they are the fundamental investigators of truth. They are encouraged to investigate all religions. They believe that religions, social things and even the manifestations of God change according to the need of humanity. Known as 'progressive revelations'. They say men and women are equal and ladies are mothers of the future. Their women are well educated because they educate the next generation. In this faith they do not have separate services for women. They do fast for 19 days during this time of year. There are 361 days a year in the Beha'i calendar consisting of 19 days x 19 months. The basic fundamental law = Unity. No sects just Beha'i faith.
Christianity -This guest speaker was a Reverend from the Church of England, St Johns Church. She explained that Christianity is Abrahamic like Judaism and Islam. All our religions have more in common than what divides us. Although men and women in the Christian faith do worship together. Christians have different seasons and times of worship - Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Ascension and these are a few of many celebrations. Mainly worship on a Sunday but not exclusively. There are 5 Marks of Mission. Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure.
1) Proclaim the good news story of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.
2) Teach the Gospel and the teachings of the Bible through scripture and baptize new believers.
3) Attending to those who are in need, hungry, homeless, sick or suffering - with loving service.
4) To work against injustice in our society, to challenge violence of every kind an to work for peace and reconciliation.
5) Look after and protect the Earth, the animals, plants because they are all Gods glory.
Fundamental law - To love God and Love Our Neighbour is important to Christians.
Ahmadiyya Five Pillars of Islam - These are 1) Declaration of Faith (PBUH); 2) Salat (Prayer) 5 times a day facing Mecca; 3) Zakat - 2.5% of ones annual assets to be given to charity; 4) Fasting -no eating, drinking, smoking, or acts of intimacy; 5) Hajj - each Muslim is expected to go Mecca at least once in their life, to do Hajj.
Fundamental law- Love for All Hatred for Non. They are very well known for their charitable giving to enhance the dignity of man. Constantly searching for what it means to be human.

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This was another event put on in celebration of International Women's day. The event was held in the Chuck Gallery, Longsight Manchester. A delightful and very unassuming looking building on the outside, however, when once you are in - you are mesmerised by the beautiful, exciting and tantalising pieces of African Art. It's like a 'tardis'. You could never imagine the interest, which you find inside.
There were three guest female speakers plus an artist from Guadalupe who spoke about her work.
The first speaker was Emma Elston MBE and the CEO of UK Container Maintenance. She spoke about how she has built a million pound business as a woman in a male business environment. I liked how she referred to the men around her within the business of containers - Male, Stale and Pale.
The second speaker, Dr Ngozi Ed-Osagie, is a Clinical Head of Division, Consultant Neonatologist. Dr Edi-Osagie is of, what I call mixed heritage, a Nigerian father and West Indian mother. Within her family four generations of her family, all women, have all worked at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Now this needs to be celebrated and highlighted. Especially with regards to our NHS celebrating 70 Years of existence and with the confusion Brexit brings about immigrants and jobs. There is something she said which stuck with me. She told a story of how to celebrate the neo-natal ward a photo was taken of babies. The doctor asked a question of the photo: "why are there no babies of colour?" The response was: "the photo is in colour". Now this type of response makes it clear that some people even the educated require 'cultural intelligence' to this day.
The artist of the Legacy Collection, Josephe Cocles, also made a statement, which resonated with me. "We are Spiritual Beings having a human experience and NOT human beings having a spiritual experience."

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70th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights

16/2/2019

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After attending the Africa Peace Symposium in October 2018 speaking about Human Rights it was indeed a pleasure, as Deputy Lieutenant to the County of Greater Manchester representing Her Majesty The Queen, to welcome Kate Gilmore, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights to the City of Manchester. The event took place in St Peter's House, a University of Manchester building for students from across all the Universities in Manchester and Salford.
The event was part of the United Nations Human Rights Office for the High Commissioner's activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each event is shining a light on Human Rights and calling for people to Stand up for the declaration's enduring principals.
Manchester was chosen as a City to host this event because of the way in which we, as a city of people, are 'Shining a Light on Social Cohesion'. We not only talk about it as a buzz phrase but actually do it in practice.
In practice CARISMA's experience in shining the light on social cohesion has been by 'doing' public community engagement in tackling gun crime and enabling conflict resolution. We advocated for peace. Whether this meant peace in the school playground, in the streets, neighbourhood, colleges, workplace or community. We galvanised people together to create a ground swell - a concerted citizen effort to come together and rid our streets of the gun and gang violence that was blighting our communities and neighbourhoods. This concerted galvanised effort has brought about a 92% reduction in gun and gang crime across Greater Manchester. We all have a 'human right' to live in a peaceful safe environment, no matter where we hail from.
We boast of multicultural Manchester and, therefore, should respect that.As a DL I see many people choose to reside in the UK and Manchester (Article 15). The articles were adopted in 1948 as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and established the equal dignity and worth of every person. If that be so, let me get political for a second. Why does our Government still sell arms globally to countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan etc, countries which clearly abuse Human Rights? Article 3 states: "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." This is not simply an Enlightenment reflex, but a profound reaction to what went on in the concentration camps. So why do we have people committing knife crime and it being seen as a norm in social practice. We can look at Articles 10: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him - where does Joint Enterprise it into this? The principles of the UN Declaration of HR are as relevant now as they were 70 years ago.
We are very honoured to host his even in our City of Manchester and shine a light on how we are standing up for Human Rights in Manchester and trying to build social cohesion.

Finally, in the words of Desmond Tutu: "I am a prisoner of hope. We are more connected than ever before, we have more knowledge and there are solutions if we work together."

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Peace activist and community champion Erinma Bell was welcomed to The Manchester College ‘Greater Mancunians’ project. This is an ambitious three year project with students (16–24 years of age) photographing people born, bred, or who have made their home within the current Greater Manchester boundary and have in some way culturally shaped the city and its surrounding boroughs.

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Hate Crime Awareness Week

11/2/2019

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Nigerian Women's Group Manchester held our annual Hate Crime Awareness event. There was a good turnout. In small groups we looked at our own sub-conscious bias around religion and other issues such as voluntary returns via the Home Office.

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Sunday Assembly

10/2/2019

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Continuing on with my attendance at various Hate Crime Awareness events I was invited to be a guest speaker at the Sunday Assembly.
What is the Sunday Assembly I hear you ask? This is the same question I asked. They are a global movement and have been in existence for about 5 years. The Assembly was first set up by two people, one a Christian and the other not. The Sunday Assembly in Manchester meet in the NIAMOS community space in Hulme.
It is a non-religious group and movement, however, they still keep the model of a service. At first I questioned this because I thought do they think I am non-religious. This reminded me of when I spoke as a guest speaker at the Atheist Forum - we had very interesting discussions after my talk where I showed them that just because you are an atheist does not mean you do not believe in anything. The opposite is actually true because we all believe in something - The God/Allah/Most High Theory; The Big Bang Theory: The World is Round or Flat!
Anyway the members of the Sunday Assembly welcome all who welcome all. Their ethos was that '...they do not know if there is an after-life, but they do celebrate being alive. Now I thought, yep, I'm down with that one. I love life and enjoy being on planet earth, plus I am definitely not in a hurry to meet my makers - at least not just yet.
Sunday Assembly motto: Live Better, Help Often, Wonder More - What can I do to help me on the inside and help others.
This is where I came in focussing on "What Is Community and What Is the Power of Community?"
I showed the listeners that we who come together because of what we have in common whether within a neighbourhood, street, school business are a community - otherwise known as bonding social capital. We need to focus on the real issues that affect all of us in whatever shape or form or size. Do not get side tracked. Focus on the real issues for the benefit of all, and not just self. This is how you get all people concerned on to the same page to effect change. That's the power of community.

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Wonderfully Made Women

17/12/2018

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It was a pleasure to be asked to address so many different women this morning at the launch if the Magazine entitled "U Are Not Alone" by Wonderfully Made Woman.

A magazine full of women's stories of hope. Collated together to bring hope and a feeling of can do to others.

A problem shared is a problem halved. We all have stories to tell. Some happy ones and some not so happy. However, we can all and actually do find inspiration in hearing the stories of others. Through listening to others we often find that we have much in common and secretly admire.

This is my point: let us not admire in secret and actually reach out and let 'her' know that you admire what she has said, or done. You will feel a deep happiness to see and know you made another woman, a sister happy.

Even if you are jealous, that's ok. This means you secretly have admiration and that's ok. Speak it and learn how to. Do not allow jealousy to turn to hatred, because that is unhealthy.

Quote of the day: Admire and Aspire.

Dr Erinma Bell MBE DL JP