School pupils across the county, aged 7-11 years old, are behind the imaginative and colourful artwork for each month of the latest Hampshire Inter Faith Calendar.
Being launched during Inter Faith Week (8 to 15 November 2020), the 2021 calendar marks the twelfth edition and honours a range of diverse faiths and their religious holidays. The children’s illustrations are a reflection of their school studies in Religious Education.
Councillor Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education and Skills said:
Each year the Inter Faith Calendar competition recognises and celebrates the multi-faith diversity across Hampshire. Despite the challenges of having a much shorter timescale to produce the calendar, due to the impact of COVID-19, the artwork included in the 2021 calendar has been of exceptional quality and demonstrates the enthusiasm of all the children and young people who took part.
I would like to extend my gratitude to all the school pupils who participated for using their creative skills at home and at school in order to produce this wonderful calendar.
With the difficulties the year has brought in terms of COVID-19, young people have been particularly creative in producing a unique visual celebration of religious life in Hampshire. More than just a calendar of dates, with the information it contains, the Inter Faith Calendar is a useful resource for both schools and families, to understand more about different festivals, faiths and cultures. Students whose artwork is featured have been awarded certificates for their original and inspired designs.
Harriet Crabtree OBE, Executive Director of the Inter Faith Network for the UK said:
As National Inter Faith Week approaches, it is very good to see the publication of this vibrant new inter faith calendar by Hampshire County Council. The children’s artwork reflects, in a beautiful way, the diversity of faiths in Hampshire and the importance of learning about them and living well together.
Priced at £5 each, the calendars make excellent Christmas gifts, and will be available through Hampshire County Council’s online shop www.hants.gov.uk/shop
Inter Faith Week aims to strengthen interfaith relations and increase awareness and understanding of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK. For more information visit: https://www.interfaithweek.org/
