-- I have noted, sadly, that parallel lives has started to be created with Hindu areas, Muslim areas etc. I am quite sad that some of this has taken place. Hence the need for mutual understanding of each other is even more crucial now, says Suleman.
Suleman Nagdi was 19 years old when he moved with his family to Britain from Zimbabwe in the late seventies. The security situation was difficult and they had to leave Africa and start from scratch in Leicester. Suleman spent all his spare time on voluntary work for the community, and has been building structures of cooperation during four decades. Among these are FMO, the Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicestershire, where he is elected spokesperson for more than 200 organisations. The Muslim Burial Council of Leistershire is another important accomplishment of his. In this conversation he talks about his life and service that has made him both a Member of British Empire (MBE) and Her Majesty's Deputy Lieutenant (DL).
The Suleman Nagdi episode is published Thursday 4. June. Please find other episodes of Ypsilonsamtaler here.
The podcast is Norwegian language. Every now and then we will launch an episode in English. This is the second one. Please stay tuned and find new ones coming. A new episode of Ypsilonsamtaler is released every Thursday morning. You will find Ypsilonsamtaler in most podcast apps.
Ypsilonsamtaler (Ypsilon Conversations) is a podcast hosted by Ivar Flaten, Director of the Church Dialogue Centre of Drammen (Kirkelig Dialogsenter Drammen.) The centre is working with The Church of Norway, the Diocese of Tunsberg. We do a lot of regional and national projects where the idea is to involve in community coesion work, cultural events and activities. The Ypsilonsamtaler podcast is named after the iconic pedestrian bridge Ypsilon built in 2008. Drammen is a river town and a we like to look upon ourselves as bridge builders in several aspect of the word. The Ypsilon bridge is connected to a sound sculpture, The River Harp.
Serving as Tunsberg Diocese Dialogue Officer and Director of the Kirkelig Dialogsenter Drammen, I invite people to conversations where cross cultural encounters, immigrant experiences, daily life and lesson learned form the exchange. The invetees has made - and are making the community a better place through their work, volonteering and service in so many ways.
Drammen Municipality has100.000 inhabitants after merging with two neighbouring municipalities January 2020. The citizens originate from more than 150 different nations. Here lives peoploe with a lot of different life stories, cultural references and relegious traditions. During 15 years as a minister Revd Ivar Flaten has met with many both as a minister and a dialogue partner.
Pubilshed by: Kirkelig Dialogsenter Drammen
Program host: Ivar Flaten
Music: Ole Jørn Myklebust
Sound design intro: Are Tågvold Flaten
Photo in logo by: Per Ulleland
