Campaign launched by Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy to fight hatred and intolerance becomes a charity
It
aims to celebrate our differences, fight hatred and intolerance, build a
safer and stronger country and promote community cohesion but not shy
away from difficult issues
A campaign group set up in a bid to celebrate diversity and fight hatred and intolerance has launched itself as a charity.
The We Stand Together movement began in 2015 when former Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy used it to bring Jewish and Muslim groups together following the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris.
Community and faith representatives from across Greater Manchester came together to establish the city region’s We Stand Together campaign as an official charity and to pledge their support for its ideals.
The hashtag #WeStandTogether was prominent after this year’s attack at Manchester Arena.
And #WeStandTogether has also been adopted as the slogan for the Manchester Evening News' peace campaign, which was launched in September.
The setting up of the charity was celebrated at a gathering of supporters at KPMG’s offices in St Peter’s Square today.
Sir Peter said: “After the Paris attack Muslim and Jewish communities in Manchester felt very vulnerable and asked me for more armed protection. I felt it would be better if they came together with other communities to say extremists will not have their way.”
He said the We Stand Together spirit was particularly evident after the Manchester Arena attack and symbolised the unity of local people and the refusal to be divided by extremists.
There has been a host of community events under the campaign and the hashtag has been used at national events such as football internationals at Wembley.
The We Stand Together Charity will carry on promoting the three main aims of the campaign:
- To celebrate our differences
- To fight hatred and intolerance
- To build a safer and stronger country
Sir Peter added: “We cannot just ignore those issues which can cause division and suspicion. We have to create the opportunities for those issues such as gay rights or the wearing of the Hijab to be debated but in a spirit of mutual respect.
“While there are important differences and disagreements, what unites all the people of Greater Manchester is much stronger than what divides us. I believe we are an example to the rest of the world of how people from a huge diversity of backgrounds can live peacefully together.”
Rob Irvine, editor-in-chief of the Manchester Evening News, said: “Our two campaigns share the same name and ideals – to make Greater Manchester a more peaceful and more tolerant place.
“The M.E.N. is emphasising the need to teach children about peaceful living and to encourage all Mancunians to perform simple acts of kindess.
“These fit well with the charity’s aims to celebrate our cultural differences and also to not shirk from the difficult questions we need to answer.”
Carl Austin-Behan, former Lord Mayor of Manchester, explained what ‘We Stand Together’ means to him.
He said: “I truly believe that it doesn’t matter whether your gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, whatever your creed or colour, we should all be treated with the same respect regardless of our own personal differences, for me We Stand Together means equality, diversity and inclusion.”
Rogers Govender, Dean of Manchester Cathedral also backed the campaign, adding: “Celebrating our diversity and showing respect to everyone without discrimination is fundamental to a peaceful society. We Stand Together seeks to promote these values in our country. I am happy to be associated with WST for these reasons.”
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/we-stand-together-campaign-charity-13961173
NWN: Who is it that was killed in Manchester when Salman Abedi let his bomb go off Mr.Fahy ? You remember, the Libyan terrorist who was allowed to 'swan about' to and fro to Libya with that Al Qaida group the 'Manchester Boys' ? It was his group that are also to-ing and fro-ing to Syria. The one 's who are/were on your 'radar' Mr.Fahy. But he still killed many people in Manchester city centre.
This muslim extremist group Al Qaida that was allowed to go about their deadly business under your/their nose Mr.Fahy. And who were the target ? Muslims ?
It wasn't a mosque that was bombed .
Jews ? It wasn't aimed at such as a synagogue. No, the terror was aimed at white British people, mainly young girls. Jews have been at the forefront of promoting mass immigration into the UK.They were the planners for this 'multi-racial madhouse' that has unfolded here in the UK. But yet people like you still come out with the tired old cliches of 'celebrating diversity'. Who the hell celebrates diversity ? We've never heard any drunks being hauled through the Courts for their drunken behaviour and saying in mitigation......"Sorry your Worships but we all got blind drunk because we are all celebrating diversity." Total madness !
We haven't enough Police to do what is required for law & order in Greater Manchester. But yet your priority is the continual 'fannying about' promoting more of what has brought this discord and terror onto British streets in the first place.Your failed social engineering.
You weren't a 'real copper' Mr.Fahy.
Your just another marxist/politically correct clone, that all the Civil Services in the UK are seemingly full of. The same one's who 'turned a blind eye' to all the paedophile gangs in places like Rochdale in the ongoing grooming scandals. Under your watch Mr.Fahy.You were and probably still are too afraid to do anything, in case you get called 'racist'. It was probably that issue that made you decide to retire from the head of GMP, as the buck stopped with you for the Rochdale grooming scandals.
We bet hardworking coppers on the streets cringe when they see the rubbish you continually spout in the media - and which is always the same PC agenda.
What about the indigenous British people Mr.Fahy ? They are the one's who are being targetted by the bombers. Who is protecting them ? Because it certainly isn't you and your type ! Begone with your crackpot schemes!