On Monday 31st August, between 7.30 and 9.30pm, at Eastwood Park Theatre in Giffnock, Glasgow, GJEF in partnership with UJIA Community Programmes will present a unique and very special educational programme for the youth of the Glasgow Jewish community.

The Scottish Government Minister for Community Safety, Fergus Ewing MSP, will attend an interactive workshop that will allow 60 to 80 young people, aged 14 and over, to look at the different aspects of racism, bigotry, sectarianism and stereotyping that they experience in their day to day lives. Mr Ewing will observe the workshop and take part in a facilitated question and answer session with the young participants. This is a unique opportunity for young members of the Jewish community to share their experiences with a Scottish Government Minister and look at how we build safer and stronger communities for all of the people of Scotland.

By putting issues like antisemitism into a wider context, the participants will gain a better understanding of how racism and stereotyping cuts across community boundaries and impacts on the lives of many individuals in Scotland. They will also see how an appreciation of the difference between particular cultures and religions, and the problems each encounters, helps to breakdown barriers and encourage dialogue between different communities.

Mr Ewing said:

“Scotland is a modern multi-faith and multi-cultural society where all of our young people must be allowed to fulfil their potential without the fear of prejudice or discrimination. Our individual backgrounds help to make Scotland a vibrant and exciting place to live and we should embrace and celebrate that diversity as united communities who will not allow prejudice to hold us back from being the nation we aspire to be.

“I am looking forward to this unusual event and to learning about the experiences of young Jewish people in Scotland first hand.”

The workshop and discussion will be run by JCORE, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, which was established in 1976 to combat racism and promote social justice. JCORE work with the Jewish and wider community to promote a positive multi-ethnic society. They are highly experienced in running workshops for schools, youth and community groups. Parents and the wider Jewish Community will be invited to observe the dialogue and, if time allows, there will be an opportunity for the wider audience to ask the Minister questions.