A candlelit peace vigil will be held in Oxford city centre as the Israel-Palestine conflict continues.
People are being asked to bring a candle and attend the vigil in Broad Street at 5pm on Sunday.
The Bishop of Oxford and Imam Monawar Hussain hosted a second meeting on Tuesday for faith and community leaders from across Oxfordshire.
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The group will meet regularly in the coming months to give a collective voice in promoting understanding, peace, and strong community relations across the area.
A statement from the group said: “We are aware of the need to draw together the diverse communities of Oxfordshire together in this time and renew bonds of friendship and a common commitment to peace.
“There will be short reflections, shared grief and words of comfort offered. We ask everyone to bring a candle and we will light our candles together at 5.15pm, standing in silence as an act of solidarity with those who suffer on all sides of the conflict.
“Together, we are horrified by the violence that we are seeing in Israel and Palestine, and the suffering of ordinary people who have lost loved ones and who fear for their own lives and for friends and family members.
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"We hold all the victims and their loved ones in our prayers.
“We stand together here in Oxfordshire as religious and community leaders to say that we must continue the good work of community and relationship building that has taken place over many years.
“We support and encourage all those working to facilitate honest and respectful conversations and to strengthen the network of good relations, friendships and trust between our communities of which we in Oxfordshire are so proud.
Last month Thames Valley Police said there would be an increased police presence on the streets of Oxfordshire to "reassure and protect communities" amid the ongoing conflict.
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The force said in a statement last month: "We understand that the impact will be far reaching to those living within the Thames Valley and their connections beyond.
"As part of our local response to the ongoing events, we are increasing policing patrols across the Thames Valley in order to provide a visible presence.
"We will be engaging with our communities and local partners to ensure people feel safe and protected, whilst listening to any concerns they may have."
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About the author
Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
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