RUNNERS (and walkers) of all faiths will gather in north London on Bank Holiday Monday for the second London Interfaith Fun Run.
Participants can choose between 10 km, 5 km and 1 km routes within the StoneX Stadium in Barnet, or opt to tackle all three at the event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday.
Alongside the athletic challenges there will be a “festival area” with a diverse array of performances, from dancers and musicians to storytellers, along with a charity fair. There will also be opportunities to engage in facilitated dialogue, along with a space set aside for prayer and reflection. Participants can refuel at various food stalls, or make use of the picnic area.
Over 40 charities and schools are taking part in the event, and participants are asked to choose which to support with their fundraising efforts.
The chair of Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith, David Dangoor, has described the fun run as “an opportunity for Londoners, whatever their ethnic group or faith, to come together and send a message of unity and friendship”.
The day is being organised by the Faith & Belief Forum and Maccabi GB. The marketing and communications manager at Maccabi GB, Brandon Hammé, said that there can often be friction between different faith groups, but events such as this “help break down those barriers and bring people together”.
The Church Times is one of five media organisations supporting the event. The others are Eastern Eye/Asian Media Group, Jewish News, the Sikh Channel, and Voice of Islam Radio.
Runners can sign up at interfaithrun.org.