Islam week to build understanding

Non-Muslims in Gloucester are being invited to find out more about the Islamic faith during a week of events.

Discover Islam Week has been organised by the city and county council and the police in partnership with the Friendship Cafe in Barton Street.

Organisers say the idea is for visitors to taste, feel, touch, see, and hear the sounds of Islam.

Exhibitions will be taking place at the City Museum and Library and Eastgate Mall between 10 and 17 January.

There will be display panels with various information and Islamic objects and workshops will be held.

Dispel misconceptions

The event is aimed at helping people from all cultures and backgrounds understand each other better.

Gloucester's MP Parmjit Dhanda was due to launch Discover Islam Week in the Eastgate Mall, Gloucester at 1200 GMT on Saturday.

Selmi Piperdy is one of the organisers and says the week aims to dispel some of the misconceptions about their faith.

"One of the most common ones is - because we don't celebrate Christmas - that we don't believe in Jesus," she said.

"That is quite wrong because, as a Muslim, I have to believe in Jesus."