Police in Edinburgh, the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh’s Third Sector are continuing to work with the community to create a city free from Islamophobia and associated prejudice behaviour.
A total fund of £40,000 has been contributed to by Police Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Government.
Its purpose of the Shared Vision – Your Decision initiative is to help local people deliver innovative projects which reduce prejudice and foster positive relationships between diverse communities.
Between 10 November and 12 December 2016, applications were submitted for projects to receive up to £5,000 from the total fund.
Residents were then asked to decide which of 34 projects, who collectively applied for over £120,000, were given funding. A vote was launched on 28 January, running until 13 February, at an event in the city which brought together the projects and the public.
Over 2500 people collectively voted at the event, online and at local libraries with thirteen projects now being given funding. Sergeant Scott Kennedy of Edinburgh’s Prevention’s Interventions & Partnerships (PIP) Team said:
“It’s been really encouraging to see so many people eager to be involved and the support received from the public throughout this process. We’ll continue to work together with all the projects to tackle prejudice and ensure that Edinburgh remains a welcoming and diverse city. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved and wish all the projects the best of luck!”
Councillor Maureen Child, Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhood Committee, said:
“Participatory budgeting exercises like this continue to be exceedingly popular, allowing local people to make real decisions about priority activities in their local area. ‘Shared Vision – Your Decision is a great example of the positive work being carried out across the city with partners to promote equality and tackle Islamophobia.”
Below is a list of the successful bids:
Amina, The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre – Based on the human library concept that breaks down prejudice through social interaction of people over a cup of tea.
Amina, The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre – Muslim women deliver interactive workshops aimed at building more integrated, socially cohesive communities, by safely challenging negative stereotypes & prejudices.
Edinburgh Lone Fathers Project / Edinburgh Central Mosque ‘Dads & Kids Day – A day of fun, conversation and learning at the Edinburgh Central Mosque.
Edinburgh Women’s Interfaith Group – EWIG would like to build bridges of friendship bringing the local community together celebrating all cultural, traditions and spiritual heritage.
Edinburgh Interfaith Association – Raising awareness of Islam’s peaceful message, inviting non-Muslims to ‘Unite4Ramadan’, joining a Ramadan fast & sharing an evening meal at mosque.
Just Enough Scotland – Delivering fun, educational workshops on radicalisation and terrorism in 10 Edinburgh schools. Trying to prevent further rise in hate crime.
Kids In The Street, One Team, Many Cultures, One Goal – Raises awareness of the true meaning of faith through football, fun, food & learning.
Leith Festival Association – Celebrating our Asian community highlighting and showcasing the varied communities, customs in the area through music, dance, art and food.
LifeCare (Edinburgh) Limited – Breaking down boundaries and eroding prejudice across cultures, communities and generations through friendships for isolated over 60s in Edinburgh.
Protest in Harmony – Singing and songwriting workshops at Edinburgh College to explore our similarities and differences, raising awareness of issues around Islamophobia.
Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees – An interfaith series of monthly gatherings and events to increase intercultural understanding and build bridges between locals, refugees and migrants.
Sikh Sanjog YGirls – A safe space for girls and young women to meet, share experiences, critically reflect and build self-esteem and resilience.
The Welcoming Association – Learn about the experiences of refugee families in Edinburgh through community screenings and discussion of our short film ‘Syrian Voices’.
