Around 50 community members and religious leaders took part in an interfaith walk in Regent’s Park, London, to mark St George’s Day and promote unity across faiths. The event, held on a sunny afternoon, began at St John’s Wood church and concluded at London Central Mosque, tracing a route through the city’s diverse religious landscape.

The gathering was welcomed by the Rev Anders Bergquist, who highlighted the significance of St George’s Day and the Church of England’s stance against rising Christian nationalism. Participants carried St George flags and placards as they set off, stopping first at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue before continuing to the mosque. At the mosque, Imam Sheikh Khalifa addressed the group on themes of unity, peace, and courage.

The walk is part of a broader series of events across the UK aimed at fostering interfaith dialogue amid growing concerns over religiously motivated hate crimes. Similar initiatives this week included Muslim and Jewish women collaborating on a “doves of peace” project in London and about 100 people of diverse backgrounds walking to a Muslim centre in Birmingham recently defaced with racist graffiti.

The heightened attention to interfaith solidarity follows a surge in antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents nationwide. Keir Starmer, during a visit to Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow—a site among several Jewish communal venues targeted in recent arson attacks—expressed his growing concern over criminal activities carried out through proxy groups. The prime minister emphasized the need for the UK to be a safe environment for all citizens, describing the fight against such hatred as a collective responsibility.

Maurice Ostro, founder patron of the Faiths Forum for London and a longtime interfaith advocate, reflected on how the perception of his work has shifted over time. Once dismissed by some as unnecessary, the ongoing rise in hate crimes has underscored its importance. Ostro, whose family includes a sole Holocaust survivor saved by Christians, noted that contemporary efforts to politicize St George’s Day could undermine its historical significance. He cautioned against conflating the national symbol of the St George flag with nationalist or racist ideologies, warning this could fuel divisiveness and societal harm.

Events like the Regent’s Park walk aim to reclaim the message of St George as one that resonates positively with Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, promoting a message of inclusivity in place of division.