Love Our City is a project funded through RadEqual, Manchester City Council. The RadEqual programme is based on rethinking radicalisation and recognising the challenges relating to our collective understanding of prejudice, hate and extremism which are all very complex issues. The programme recognises that part of the solutions to these big issues has to involve people and the places where they live. 
RadEqual is Manchester’s campaign, co designed with communities to build resilience and a safer City. It has three key principles referred to as the three C’s which build on the overarching Our Manchester approach:
- Challenge – Identifying and understanding the concerns and challenges across and within communities that could create divisions and tensions (hate, prejudice and extremism) – not just the stats and research, but also the less obvious causes of tension, such as events and incidents and people's attitudes and behaviours that have the potential to lead to conflict or division.
- Connect – Connecting communities, groups and organisations, and building relationships to create a network of credible voices - not just newcomers, but also long-standing residents, coming together, making neighbourhoods and communities stronger; not just face-to-face, but also via social media.
- Champion – Championing Manchester’s radical reputation for campaigning for equality and inclusion, and welcoming difference – not just by focusing on what we have in common, but by preparing people for difficult debates, and asking the tough questions that help us to find better alternatives and the right support and interventions.
Love Our City is aimed at engaging Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women and girls (although not exclusively). The Manchester BME Network has organised a series of three events on different themes with a ‘Chai and Chat’ style approach that brings participants together in a safe and relaxed space for conversation aimed at empowering BAME women, giving them more knowledge, awareness and confidence.
Love Our City - Chai and Chat: Blame and Belonging
Thursday 21 February 2019, 9.30am-1.30pm
St James Church, Princess Road, Moss Side, Manchester, M14 4TH
Performance by OddArts
'Blame and Belonging' is the second performance created in Odd Art's programmes exploring vulnerability and radicalisation, developed from the successful tour of 'Isolation to Radicalisation'; 'Blame and Belonging' is designed to deconstruct and widen the narratives around pathways to extremism. The performance questions some of the stereotypes around who might become radicalised and asks people to look at the internal feelings of individuals, and where these might stem from, that could lead them to become a danger to others.
Love Our City - Chai and Chat: Far Right Extremism and International Issues
Thursday 21 March 2019, 9.30am-1.30pm
Jabez, The School Hall, The Church of God 7th Day, Slade Lane, Longsight, Manchester, M13 0GL
Facilitated by Small Steps this is a combined awareness and counter narrative learning session looking at:
- the different types of organisations operating on this issue
- the grooming and training techniques used by the far right
- the signs and symbols used by the far right
- the counter narratives to far right arguments
Love Our City - Chai and Chat: Understanding online safety and social media
Monday 25 March 2019, 12.30-4.30pm
Burnage Community Centre, Burnage Lane, Burnage, Manchester, M19 1EW
Facilitated by the Peace Museum (Bradford) this event is focused on looking at the increasing use of social media and online platforms; it provides a broad understanding of this issue, building knowledge and awareness in the community.
To book a place, email: [email protected], or contact Fiona McInroy on 0781 153 1160 / Atiha Chaudry 0778 051 4143