The Race Equality Advisory Group (REAG) is responding to the Prophet Isaiah’s vision by launching a diocesan-wide art competition! They have asked all of our church schools students to help them design a logo to identifythe diocesan ongoing commitment to racial justice.
The team need your help. Children and youth have responded by submitting 71 entries from a spectrum of students attending primary, secondary, and sixth form schools. Now, they would like your opinion. So they have launched the People’s Choice Award.
This is the first level of the competition to determine which entrants move on in competition. And, there will be a special prize awarded to the winning school that receives the most votes from you.
All of our churches and schools – their members, teachers, visitors, family, friends, and neighbours are invited to participate in judging which designs will go through to the next level of the competition. Please take a moment NOW to view the entries and vote! Voting closes on Sunday 20th November 2022.
The final artistic composite will be unveiled on Racial Justice Sunday, 12th February, during a special celebratory service being held at Coventry Cathedral. On that day, the winner of the People’s Choice Award will be revealed, along with the three winning finalists used in the final logo composite.
Bishop John, Race Equality Champion, says:
"I am thrilled to commend to you the Racial Justice and Equality Logo Competition that has been launched in our schools. Wonderful work is happening in our schools to celebrate the diversity and difference that is part of our common humanity as the one human race. Young people can teach us all so much about this and it is a delight to publicise this initiative."
Mary Gregory, Canon for Arts and Reconciliation, Coventry Cathedral, says:
"Images can capture our emotions, our deep-seated longings, for the future, for a better world. Sometimes, when words fail, an image can express all that we hope for and long to bring to birth. I am so excited to see how the children of our Diocese will depict our desire and determination to work for a society, a church family, where racial justice and equality is embedded into all that we are and do."
April Gold, Diocesan Director of Education, says:
"Church schools seek to deliver a rich curriculum which allows children to imagine what the kingdom of God might look like and develop the skills to go out into the world and live towards that aim. This competition provides an opportunity for schools to work together on this."
Jennifer Jenkins, RE & Spirituality Officer, says:
"I have been delighted to help create the lesson plans and collective worship to support this excellent and important competition. The Church Schools in Coventry Diocese are very much on a committed learning journey with regards to racial justice. This competition offers our students and teachers a wonderful opportunity to take this experience even further and celebrate all they are learning."
Emili Lowery, Chair Artistic Task Group, says:
"Children and young people are so creative and I'm excited to see what designs they will come up with for this competition! Racial justice is an important issue that impacts our daily lives. And, I'm overjoyed to be part of the Diocese of Coventry’s efforts to increase awareness, and be a catalyst for change. This is only the beginning!"
Neil Masih, Intercultural Missioner, says:
"I am looking forward to seeing the creative and imaginative ideas that school pupils use to produce a Racial Justice Logo that will capture the minds of the Diocese. God has made us all in his image and given people skills to be creative and I’m sure this competition will reflect this."
Rosalyn Murphy, Chair REAG, says:
"Scripture teaches us that in God’s perfect and peace-filled kingdom ‘a little child will lead’. Today, there is so much we can learn from our children, because they view the world through innocent, hopeful, idyllic eyes."