RHUL Interfaith Group

Nina and Asma, 22, have been outstanding in their promotion of peace and understanding between students of different faiths and none. Nina has been President of the Catholic Society and Asma is the Islamic Prayer Room Warden, and together they has promoted and modelled Inter-faith dialogue and understanding.

Over the last year, they promoted a brilliant Swap-Societies project for inter-faith week. This involved all the Faith Societies so that, for instance, students from the Islamic Society came to Mass and to a number of Catholic Society meetings and vice-versa. The traditional University Carol Service included a reading from a Muslim poet.

One of the highlights was when two Islamic students joined the pilgrimage to Rome for the Year of Mercy. Nina and Asma have promoted interfaith study sessions on Pilgrimage and celebrations and their work was so outstanding that the secular Students Union invited Nina to join their Community Council.

What they said: “Their work has been a completely new development” – John Dickson SDB, Catholic Chaplain

Emma Atherton

Emma, 23, has had a longstanding commitment to peacemaking since her school days. Most recently, Emma has created and found funding to set up the Women Together project in Liverpool for refugee women mainly from war-torn areas. It creates a unique safe, social space which also helps them access information and support.

Studying Peace Studies at Bradford University, Emma initiated a Festival of Ideas on issues of peace, social justice and change. Her choice of study and the voluntary work she does shows a  remarkable passion and determination to live out strong values. Emma is an Executive Committee member of Pax Christi UK.

What they said: “In an age where it is easy to give up, Emma has stayed with it” – Pat Gaffney, Pax Christi General Secretary 

Newman Catholic College London Citizens

These students, aged from 14-16, set up the largest CitySafe Zone in London with 64 local businesses signed up as Safe Havens. CitySafe is a community-led campaign to make our streets safer for everyone. The campaign is about young people building relationships with the police and local businesses to open CitySafe Havens.

CitySafe Havens are places of safety for people in immediate danger or feeling threatened. The students worked in partnership with their schools police liaison officer to make it happen. Acting on their own initiative, the group approached businesses and pusuaded them to sign up to be Safe Havens. Back at school, the students also conducted assemblies to promote awareness of CitySafe.

The students also ran a listening campaign on the theme of housing due to the issues being faced by many students and their families in our school. Their findings were taken forward to the Brent Borough and North London Citizens assembly.

What they said: “All of the students are out standing members of our school community” – Susan Grace, Headteacher