Wednesday 29 September 2010

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FAIR AT LEICESTER UNIVERSITY


At the University of Leicester this afternoon, for its International Student Fair. This is being held in the new O2 Academy in the Percy Gee Building (at the Students' Union). Julie-Ann Heath, from the University's International Chaplaincy, has asked me to bring all nine banners in our exhibition.

In terms of our reason for being here, we're sort of piggybacking on to the Chaplaincy's display, but in terms of the visuals, our banners rather dominate things. But they are not overwhelming, which I feared was the case when we used the whole exhibition at the Leicestershire Cares event at the start of this month (see blog entry, Thursday 2 September). In fact, the banners look bloomin' lovely here today!

As well as providing information about the diverse faith communities in Leicester, we're offering a more personal service today, by helping students newly arrived in the city to find an appropriate community with which to become involved. I've brought with me our list of places of worship in Leicester and it helps us find the right places for a score or so students from abroad. As well as those looking for the right church, gurdwarara, mandir or mosque, there's one student who is hoping to make contact with any local Pagans. She's sure I won't be able to help her but I'm delighted to be able to point her in the direction of the Dark Side cafe on Cank Street, where she'll be able to meet all the Pagans and Wiccans she could want. Mustn't forget to mention that there are also a (smaller) number of students asking how they might contact local Buddhist or Jain communities.

Some of the folk from the Chaplaincy are so impressed with the Council of Faiths display that they ask if I can bring it back on Monday, for the start of Freshers' Fair. I'd gladly do that, but Julie-Ann isn't sure there will be room this time to accommodate everything. She'll figure it out and let me know by Monday morning.

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