Hundreds of Jewish and Muslim women from across the country met at a university to discuss the impact of an ongoing conflict.

More than 200 women, including delegates from Harrow, met for a conference entitled “Change Makers”, held by Nisa-Nashim - Britain’s Jewish Muslim Women’s Network at the London School of Economics, on April 22.

Jewish and Muslim representatives travelled from Manchester, Leeds, Exeter, Peterborough, Surrey, Bournemouth, Luton and Birmingham to hear speakers on a range of topics and to come together to “fight hatred in an increasingly difficult and dangerous world”.

The event’s keynote speaker was Robi Damelin of The Parents Circle – Families Forum, a joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation of more than 600 families who have all lost a relative in the conflict.

The Parents Circle – Families Forum works toward reconciliation between the two nations.

Nisa-Nashim conference members 

Harrow Times:

The women heard from a panel of speakers including Helen Pankhurst, the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, Gabby Edlin of Bloody Good Period, Curzon PR chief executive officer, Farzana Baduel and deputy lieutenant and women’s champion, Pinky Lilani.

The panel was chaired by BBC journalist Nomia Iqbal.

Laura Marks, Jewish co-founder of Nisa-Nashim spoke of recent tragedies including Grenfell Tower, the Manchester concert bombing, car attacks in Stockholm, Barcelona, New York and Finsbury Park, saying the world continued to be “difficult and dangerous”.

She said anti-Semitic incidents had reached a “record level” in the UK alongside anti-Muslim acts here and abroad.

Adding: “But what we are focusing on at this conference is the need to stick together and support each other – no ifs, no buts, just friendship and support.”

She went on to say women are driving change in society.

Julie Siddiqi, Muslim co-founder of Nisa-Nashim, said: “We must not allow people around us to pitch Jews and Muslims against each other, to fight over who is most hated.

“We need to be the change we want to see in the world and we need to take others with us.”

Nisa-Nashim organised a letter by 50 Jewish women including MPs Luciana Berger and Ruth Smeeth urging local election candidates to protect Muslim women.

Laura marks said: “Not one of the 50 women asked said no. Not one questioned what we were doing.”

Nisa-Nashim works to unite and mobilise Jewish and Muslim women to combat misconceptions in their communities, and wider society.