AN Interfaith Peace Conference hosted at Warrington Town Hall brought together community leaders, faith representatives and members of the public for an evening focused on peace, unity and understanding.
The event was organised and led by the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Mo Hussain, who has previously run similar interfaith gatherings. The idea was first suggested by Cllr Kuldeep Dhillon and Cllr Balvir Dhillon, and developed by the Mayor to create a space for meaningful conversation across Warrington’s diverse communities.
Faith representatives speaking at the conference included Archdeacon Simon (Church of England), Father Raymond (Catholic community), Harjinder Kaur (Sikh community), Ibrahim Syed (Muslim community), Michelle Hayward and October Wright (Jewish community), Dr. Priya (Hindu community) and Judy Ding (Mulan Culture Warrington).
Attendees also included Police & Crime Commissioner Dan Price, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Alan Davies, crime writer Simon Michael, local school leaders, councillors, the Public Protection Team and many residents.
The evening featured thoughtful questions and open dialogue, with a shared message of rejecting division and strengthening community bonds.
Mayor Hussain said: “This event showed the strength, diversity and togetherness of our Warrington community. It was a powerful reminder that peace and unity must always be at the heart of who we are.”
Guest speakers also shared reflections, including:
• Andy Moorcroft, CEO TCAT: “The late MP Jo Cox said we ‘have far more in common than that which divides us.’ This event was a powerful reminder of that message.”
• Ibrahim Syed, Deputy Principal of Padgate Academy: “People of all faiths and none must stand united against those who seek division.”
• October Wright: Deputy Headteacher at King David High School in Liverpool
“Interfaith work is about using our differences for a shared purpose—peace and understanding—and it felt as though we achieved that.”
The Mayor said he hopes the conference will lay the foundations for continued interfaith collaboration and future community-focused initiatives in Warrington.
