HATE CRIME is the focus across town this week with several events. One involves a theme close to Confidential's heart: food.
The Cathedral event Food Brings Communities Together is a clever (and appetising) method of revealing common human themes. It highlights that more binds us together than pulls us apart.
Tuesday 21 January sees food helping tackle the problem. The strapline for the event in the Cathedral in the Street - the wooden building at the Cathedral's west entrance on Victoria Street - is 'Food Brings Communities Together'.
Every 20 minutes there will be samplings from a range of cuisines represented in the city. These starting from around 2.20pm will be, in order, Kosher, Nigerian, Caribbean, Halal, Polish, Ghanian, Syrian and British.
People in the audience will be given raffle tickets. After the food is cooked the winning raffle ticket will receive a free lunch - late lunch.
The objectives of Hate Crime Awareness week are to raise awareness of hate crime, encourage people to report hate crime (this year's focus is on third party reporting centres) and to promote community cohesion.
Hate crime has been defined as 'when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group'.
Examples of such groups include but are not limited to racial, religious, sexual orientation or ethnicity.
Darren Callaghan of Greater Manchester Police explains the 2014 initiative.
"This time round we want to look at third party reporting.
"I see the victim is the most important person in this so they are the first party, the police are the second party. A go-between in the event a person doesn't wish to speak directly to the police is the third party.
"We have developed Third Party Reporting Centres as a safe neutral location within the community where people can report Hate Crime or Hate Incidents without having to contact the Police directly.
"Anybody can use this facility regardless of whether they are a victim, witness, or just someone who is aware of information that needs to be reported. Trained staff are based at the centres to assist people with the completion of the reporting.
"In addition to reporting Hate Crimes and Incidents the Third Party locations can be an invaluable source of support for those that require it. The sites are also aware of other organisations that can offer support and help and will assist people in making contact with the appropriate groups.
"A full list of Third Party Reporting sites can be found on the Greater Manchester Police Website this will be updated regularly with details of any organisations that wish to offer this community support. If anyone is interested in becoming a third party reporting site they can contact the City of Manchester Partnership Team by emailing here."
Hate Crime is obviously a fraught subject but the Cathedral event Food Brings Communities Together is a clever (and appetising) method of revealing common human themes. It highlights that more binds us together than pulls us apart.
