Over 380 local school children studying key stages 1, 2 and 3 took part in a series of inter-faith days at Salisbury Cathedral hosted by the Education Centre on Monday July 10, Wednesday July 12 and Thursday July 13.

The Cathedral Education Centre had received funding from the Home Office as part of their Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund, to set up these three days for local schoolchildren looking at social and cultural aspects of four different world faiths on each of the days.

300 primary age pupils all from local schools studying Key Stage 1 and 2 looked at Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, whilst 80 secondary age pupils at key stage 3 focused on Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism.

The aim was to increase understanding of and respect for different world religions and to appreciate their differences and diversity through meeting with individual representatives from each faith group.

The five world faith's covered over the three days were chosen to match the Wiltshire teaching syllabus and the representatives and organisations picked because of their reputation for dealing with schools.

On the Monday and Thursday Demi Ladwa conducted the workshops on Hinduism. The Bournemouth Islamic Centre sent representatives to all three workshop days and Jane Silver Corren covered Judaism.

The Monks of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, that visited the Cathedral as part of the 2005 Salisbury Festival, explained their Buddhist beliefs and customs on the Wednesday workshop.

Finally Christianity was explained by the staff of the Cathedral Education Centre.

The pupils were involved in a variety of activities. They each took part in four hands-on workshops on their day which included activities like henna painting and dancing, storytelling, music, and handling artefacts as well as looking at traditional clothing and tasting food.

The older pupils also had an additional opportunity to take part in a Question Time' event with the representatives and to be involved in discussion sessions.

Each day ended with a celebration of diversity and a look back at what the children had learnt.