We have seen communal tensions fueled by the social media across many areas in the country recently. Luton has stayed calm and mature, and Luton’s faith communities have remained focused on working together for peace and human flourishing, locally as well as globally.

The evidence of this was seen at Luton’s Annual Peace Walk held last Saturday. People from different faiths and those with no particular faith affiliation came together for the 26th Annual Peace Walk. It was an opportunity to be together in our solidarity and walk and talk with one another, while visiting different places of worship too. Commemorating International Day of Peace, it is one of the most popular events led by Luton Council of Faiths (LCoF) in partnership with GRASSROOTS and support from Near Neighbours Programme and Luton’s different faith communities.

It was inspiring to hear the amazing refugees & asylum seekers support work carried out by Madinah Mosque and All Saints Church in partnership with one another in Bury Park Beech Hill area of Luton.

A few teachers & pupils from Chantry, Southfield and Whitefield Primary Schools gave away their week-end to join in this noble initiative. Children recited poetry on the theme of Peace. A teacher said events like these help nurture young minds positively. We must leave a legacy for our young people to latch on to this belief that peace and harmony are not abstract theories; instead they are practical and life fulfilling possibilities, provided we work to turn these possibilities into living realities.

Peace Walk started at High Town Methodist Church, where people’s donations for Luton Food Bank were collected. People were then led to visit High Town Peace Garden, where Konni of Edible High Town shared how she and others maintain the Peace Garden and enable people to use it. Next stops were areas in People’s Park & Pope’s Meadow where trees have been planted in memory of those who passed away due to Covid. At the Ukrainian Chapel, people expressed solidarity with Ukrainians and all those who are suffering because of wars and conflicts in different parts of the world. Peace Walk concluded at the newly built Guru Nanak Gurudwara on Dallow Road, where the Sikh hospitality known as ‘Langar Seva’ (a Sikh religious obligation) was, as always, outstanding and admirable.

Faith & community leaders in our town have worked very hard over the years to create a culture of dialogue and cooperation resulting in respect, tolerance and harmony across Luton’s diverse communities. We felt so proud that one of our young volunteers Nitin Verma, a Hindu, studying in Cambridge, came with a Muslim friend to join the Peace Walk, to give a clear message that as young people we want to create an environment where people from all diverse backgrounds can flourish, so that together we can make our world a better place for everyone. He strongly condemned Hindu-Muslim hostility recently shown in the media across the country.

LCoF Chair Prof Zafar Khan and Vice Chair Gulie Butcher thanking all for their participation and engagement in the peace walk, encouraged all to continue energising ourselves with what is good in us all and said “May there be peace in the world and let it begin with me”!

Luton's Annual Peace Walk commemorates Int'l Day of Peace