300 Remember Islington 7/7 Bombing Victims

from left to right: Fionnaighal Reid (Acting Minister at Union Chapel), Shiv Charan Singh (Director of the Karam Kriya School and Kriya centre for Kundalini yoga), Narendra Makanji (Chair of Whittington Trust), Arthacarya (North London Buddhist Centre), Rabbi Shulamit Ambalu (Liberal Judaism Representative), Rev Miek Christie (Pastor for New Court), Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North), Father Jim Kennedy (Roman Catholic Borough Dean), Lady Mayor (Mrs Dearth), Mayor (Jonathan Dearth), Khalid Omer (Muslim Welfare House), Colonel  Brian Kay (Royal Artillery Company and Deputy Lieutenant of Islington), Emily Thornberry MP (Islington South and Finsbury), Rev Nigel Williams (Baptist Borough Dean), Halima Chergui (Muslim Welfare House), Helen Bailey (Chief Exec LBI) and David Sylvster (Church of England Borough Dean).

Thursday 22nd September 2005

Three hundred Islington people gathered, on Thursday 22nd September, to pay tribute to Islington victims of the 7/7 London bombings. This included friends and family of the victims, the police and emergency services, local residents and business, and representatives of community groups. More people from Islington lost their lives as a result of the bombing than from any other borough. The memorial meeting was led and organised by representatives of the major faiths, Emily Thornberry MP and Jeremy Corbyn MP.

Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, said:

'The Islington community has been severely affected by the London Bombings, with at least a dozen people losing their lives. The memorial meeting provided an opportunity for all of us to express our sympathy to all those affected by these outrages. This was an important part of the grieving process, many of those who attended were relatives, friends or work colleagues of those killed in the bombings, or were victims who had been injured or traumatised by the bombings.   We also thanked the emergency services for all their hard work.' 

'The meeting demonstrated that we are standing together at this difficult time. Islington will not allow itself to be intimidated, or let the bombings wreck the diversity and tolerance we treasure.'

The meeting was held at 6.30pm on Thursday 22 nd September in the Union Chapel on Upper Street, Islington, N1. It was a multi-faith event to which all were welcome. There were readings, music and a one minute silence in memory of the victims who lived or worked in Islington.

Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North drew the meetings attention to the Islington statement, on the back of the programme:

"I particularly like the part that reads ' We want our community to respect the fact that we are not all the same, and to celebrate our common humanity.'"

Rev Miek Christie, Pastor for New Court said:

'nobody from my family died, so I don't know how you must feel. But I know what it is to experience loss; I know what it is to grieve.'

Rabbi Shulamit Ambula linked the similarities and differences in the texts of the Bible, Koran and the Torah with those that we share as the Islington community:

'Although the Bible, Koran and Torah are the holy texts of different religions they demonstrate common values of humanity'

Khalid Omer, from the Muslim Welfare House said:

'The Muslim community will not allow a minority of fanatics to hijack a faith of peace and love'

Arthacarya, a Buddhist, read a poem and Shiv Charam Sing, a Sikh, offered a prayer about the soul.  

Hundreds of Islington residents, businesses and community organisations have also signed up to the 'Islington Statement' [see attachment for the full statement]. The statement expresses the support of the Islington community for the families of those affected by the bombings. It thanks the Emergency Services and states the determination of the community that the legacy of these outrages will be to strengthen the diversity and tolerance of Islington.