More than a hundred people of all faiths and none marched to many of the borough’s places of worship in a display of peace and unity.
Redbridge Faith Forum’s tenth annual Peace Walk took place on Sunday (September 23) in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Taifur Rashid initiated the walk by planting a tree in Valentines Park as the forum’s co-chair Phil Butcher read aloud the declaration.
Peter Musgrave, one of the organisers, said: “It rained while we were planting the tree and then it stopped and the sun came out.”
Rabbi Larry Becker, of Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue, in Wanstead, delivered a speech of peace before the walkers journeyed to the Buddhist temple in Balfour Road; the Hindu Temple, in Cleveland Road; Ilford Islamic Centre, in Albert Road, Vine Church, in Riches Road and finally the Karamsar Gurdwara, in High Road.
Redbridge Music Lounge serenaded walkers with songs of peace as they passed Ilford station while Congolese band Kimbanguist regaled them with African rhythms in a concert at Vine Church.
A moment of silence was observed in memory of all victims of knife crime at Ilford peace moment.
The walk culminated in with a communal meal - referred to as Langar in Sikhism- at the Gurdwara.
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