Time:
4.45PM – 7.00 PM
on 6th
April 2006
Venue:
Harrow Teachers'
Centre, Tudor
Road,
Wealdstone,
Harrow,
Middlesex
5 April 2006
- The Hindu
Forum of
Britain, in
partnership with
the London
Borough of
Harrow, is
launching the
country's first
national
Religious
Education
toolkit for
teaching
Hinduism in
schools on 6
th
April 2006. The
pilot project,
which will
initially see 72
schools of
Harrow being
presented
official RE
toolkits, will
be expanded to
include at least
ten other
Boroughs by the
end of the year.
The RE toolkit
entitled the
Heart of
Hinduism
is a multi-media
resource pack
for teachers and
students of RE
to enable better
understanding of
Hinduism through
GCSE-aligned
books, posters,
audio CDs, CD
ROMs, websites
and teacher
training guides.
The toolkit has
been produced
after
considerable
research and
consultation
with different
sections and
branches of the
Hindu community
in the UK. The
national launch
at Harrow will
include
demonstrations
from the ISKCON
Educational
Services to an
audience of RE
teachers and
students and an
official
endorsement of
the toolkit by
the Harrow SACRE.
Councillor
Sanjay Dighe,
Deputy Leader of
Harrow Council,
said: "Harrow
has the highest
percentage of
Hindu
residents in the
country I
am therefore
very pleased
that we are the
first authority
to roll out RE
toolkits for
teaching
Hinduism to all
our schools.
This pack will
help ensure that
Hinduism is
properly
understood by
our children. I
would like to
thank our
partners at the
Harrow Advisory
Council on
Religious
Education, the
Hindu Forum of
Britain, ISKCON
Educational
Services for
facilitating
this important
launch."
"The RE toolkits
adopted by the
Hindu Forum of
Britain are
educational
resources that
explain the
Hindu tradition
in clear terms.
They are
produced by
practitioners of
the tradition
and is meant for
all who wish to
broaden their
knowledge of
Hindu
traditions,"
explained Ramesh
Kallidai,
secretary
general of the
Hindu Forum of
Britain. "The
roll-out of the
RE toolkits to
schools across
the country will
ensure that
Hindu traditions
and beliefs are
taught to
children in an
accurate and
thought-provoking
way. In
particular, it
will highlight
the way in which
the religion is
practised in
Britain."
Pat Stevens,
chair of Harrow
Standing
Advisory Council
for Religious
Education, said:
"This is an
extremely
valuable
resource and
SACRE is
delighted that
it will soon be
available for
use of schools
in the borough.
Its interactive
and lively ideas
will enrich the
teaching of
Religious
Education and go
a long way to
helping promote
an understanding
of the beliefs
and traditions
of Hinduism
among the young
people of
Harrow."
Ends
For more
information
contact Sanjay
Mistry on
07810368772 or
Ramesh Kallidai
on 07915 383 103
or 07867 837 241
Editor's Notes
:
1. The Hindu
Forum of Britain
is the
representative
umbrella body
for British
Hindus with
formal
membership of
over 270 Hindu
organizations
from different
regions and
cultural
backgrounds in
Britain. The
Hindu Forum of
Britain has
conducted some
of the largest
community
consultation
activities on
behalf of the
Hindu community
to influence
Government
policy and runs
a number of
projects for
Hindu youth,
women and
temples.
Although the
Hindu Forum is a
national
organization, it
has a large
regional
presence through
its membership
from the largest
regional
umbrella
organizations,
religious
organizations,
community
organizations
and youth
organizations.
At the core of
the Forum's
activities is a
strong belief in
the richness and
diversity of the
Hindu culture,
its value system
that encompasses
respect for all
beings and
faiths, and a
cultural
heritage that
facilitates
community
cohesion and
coexistence. For
more information
visit the HFB
Website:
www.hinduforum.org
