10 years on: Interfaith journey from Leeds to retrace 7/7 bombers’ route
Young people of different faiths will be travelling from Leeds to London tracing the steps of the 7/7 bombers, hoping to inspire unity among different faiths.
Everyone is being urged to take part in #WalkTogether.
Tomorrow on 5 July, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and atheists aged 18 to 25 will travel 200 miles to mark the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings, one of the worst terrorist attacks Britain has seen for decades.
The bombers, three whom had travelled from Leeds, detonated four bombs at Kings Cross, Aldgate, Edgware Road and Tavistock Square in London. 52 people lost their lives and over 770 were injured.
The walkers from Leeds will lay flowers at King’s Cross and visit the Hyde Park memorial.
The walkers will visit the 7/7 memorial.
They will also visit the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London – which opened its doors to Muslims after the local Somali community centre was burned down – and learn how the two communities have worked together since.
A riders group who are cycling from Oxford to London in memory of Synagogue member Miriam Hyman, who was killed in the Tavistock Square bombing, will also finish their cycle ride and are expected to arrive at the Synagogue around the same time.
On 7 July, a community Iftar will take place at Elland Road football stadium in which people of different faiths will break bread together and share a meal as a symbolic gesture of unity.
Standing together
Qari Asim, imam of Leeds Makkah Masjid mosque, who will be taking part, said: “10 years on, people of Leeds stand together with the same determination against all kinds of hatred and fanaticism.
“Citizens of Leeds will come together on the eve of 7/7 at Eland Road to pay tribute to those who died, to their families and the injured and survivors of 7/7, and send out a strong message to the terrorists - their attempts to divide us and destroy our society were neither successful then, nor they will be successful in the future. They failed then, they will fail now.”
People across the UK are being urged to join in the #WalkTogether initiative on 7 July.
The idea is to get off the bus, train or tube one stop early and walk, in a quiet moment of unity and remembrance of those who lost their lives.
