Ten days of celebrating the city’s various faiths will start on Sunday.
Presented by Preston Faith Forum, Guild Interfaith Week aims to explore Preston’s multi-faith culture and traditions.
There will be a variety of different events taking place over the ten day period, which has been extended because of the Diamond Jubilee and the Guild, including trails, exhibitions and workshops.
Interfaith week is a national initiative, the date is set nationally by the Interfaith Council, but at local levels organisations create their own agenda for the week.
Organiser Ali Amla said: “Interfaith had been running for four years, I have been the lead for three years.
“I just pull all the organisers together. We have been organising Interfaith Week this year since January and because it is the Guild year we wanted to do something a bigger and better than before.”
The events are made possible because of numerous volunteers who have given up their time to ensure the celebrations are a success.
Ali said: “We have pulled together quite a big list of events this year, considering the restraints and costs I think we have done quite well.
“It is our desire for Preston to unite and explore the diversity of the faiths it has.
“It is a great opportunity to see the diversity of action. We have got a whole host of events to suit different types of people with different interests.
“It is a great opportunity to learn more about different faiths.”
The activities will start on Sunday with an opening event at the Gujarat Hindu Centre. Starting at 3pm, the launch event will focus on how celebrations take place in different faiths, for example, through dance, reflection and music.
Other events will include an open evening at Ashton Methodist Church on Monday night from 7.45pm for people to explore the basics of Christianity.
Throughout the week there will be various open nights at different places of worship for people to learn more about individual faiths.
And on Thursday morning there will be a lecture about Islamophobia.
Leading academic Chris Allen will talk about the subject, explore the extent of the problem and discuss solutions.
The lecture will be held at the Salvation Army between 10am and 12pm.
For a full list of events taking place throughout Interfaith week visit: www.prestonfaithforum.org.uk/downloads/guildinterfaithweek.pdf
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