Interfaith Week, Radical Justice Walk

Noor Inayat Khan

On 13 November, after warm hospitality at Methodist Church House, on Tavistock Place, the Community Partnerships Team at Camden Council led a group of us around some of the many sculptures and memorials in Bloomsbury as part of Interfaith Week. At each one (including Mary Ward, Mahatma Ghandi, Emmeline Pankhurst, Noor Inayat Khan, Rabindranath Tagore and memorials to conscientious objectors, victims of Hiroshima and those of the 7 July 2025 bus bombing adjacent to Tavistock Square) we paused to listen to stories of their struggles for justice and peace. An during our short meanderings between locations there was time for friendly conversations between people of different faith communities. Time well spent, listening, learning, discussing and pondering words such as those of Rabindranath Tagore, inscribed on the plinth of the sculpture by Shenda Amery.

"Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresher life.

This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new. At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in a great joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable. Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass and still thou pourist and still there is room to fill."

Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)

Indian poet, philosopher and first Nobel Laureate from Asia.

For any who are curious, the route we walked (well, we only had time for part of it) is available as a booklet from Methodist Church House. Link Here

Many thanks to Halima Khanom and Rebecca Branch for organising and leading the event.