The International Inter-faith Gardening Work Camp takes place every summer over a period of approximately 10 days in locations around the city. The camp works to foster mutual respect and understanding between people from different faiths, nationalities and cultural backgrounds and hopes that volunteers will gain a deeper understanding of the variety and commitment of faith communities in the multicultural city of Leicester. The underlying aim is to raise participant®s awareness and understanding of the importance of international understanding and tolerance.

The work camp involves various gardening projects in places of worship, which change slightly depending on the year. The summer 2005 camp involved practical gardening projects in the grounds of buildings of worship of different faiths in the city, including Mosques, Churches, Synagogues and Hindu and Buddhist temples.

Each year the camp is named after an individual or theme. In 2002 it was 'In memory of the 11th September New York fourth Ladder fire fighter who did not return', in 2003 'Asylum Seekers & Refugees' and next year it will be held in memory of Anthony Walker a young black man killed because of his colour, and in 2007 in memory of Rosa Parks (mother of modern civil rights movement).

Organisation: The lead project is the Elchanan Elkes Association for inter-community understanding (in memory of Dr Elkes who died in Dachau) and it works in partnership with the IVS (International Voluntary Service) Leicester Council of Faiths and Christians Aware.

Project type

• Interfaith

Region

• Leicester