All different, all equal

It was so good to see Exeter's Respect festival even bigger and better yesterday, with well over 10,000 attending in a single day (and hopefully even more of the same today!) Exeter Respect is Exeter's largest annual cultural event, and celebrates our community in all its diversity, to increase awareness and understanding, and to challenge ignorance and prejudice.

Unplugged and colourful in the acoustic tent

Although Exeter has a non-white ethnic population of just 2.4% (according to the 2001 census) compared to an England & Wales average of 9.1%, the city nonetheless has significant communities of people of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern heritage. There are also significant numbers of people who are living and working here from Poland, Russia, Bulgaria and other Eastern European nations. 2.6% of our population who have a faith, describe themselves as "non-Christian", while 20.5% of us have "no religion." The city is fortunate to have a vibrant multi-cultural University that does so much to promote learning between people of different backgrounds, and the city's sizeable lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community contribute enormously to the city's economic, cultural and political life - including a strong annual Exeter Pride event.

One of the reasons I am most proud to live in Exeter, is that it is a city of tolerance and understanding, with a rich cultural scene that regularly showcases and celebrates arts, food and cultural life that orginates in - or is influenced by - other countries, races or communities. Organisations that would seek to divide us tend not to fare too well in our city, and I have happy memories of the day that Exeter's people - Christians, Jews and Muslims; trades unionists and students; men, women and children, turned out in numbers to embarrass a tiny cohort of EDL demonstrators. Exeter Respect is an extension of that spirit, and is a free, two-day festival held in Belmont Park to revel in the diversity of our city and to enjoy the added depth that this diversity brings. The strap line "All Different - All Equal" sums up the values of the weekend. 

To die for! A Hindu hearse at Respect.

Walking into the park, your senses are immediately engaged by a gamut of colours, noises, rhythms, smells, song, chatter and laughter. Aromas of the many foods on sale got my stomach rumbling almost immediately: Thai, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, Eastern European, Mediterranean... Vegan, Vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free, kosher and halal (and even burgers and pizzas!) For those curious about faith and spirituality, there were colourful stalls staffed by adherents to Islam, Hinduism, Bah'ai, several strands of the Christian faith, spiritual healing, meditation, and shamanism. For those with little time for such ethereal pursuits, there was always the Devon Humanists' stand. Music catered for (almost) all tastes: acoustic to hip hop, folk to Samba, reggae, rock and roots; and the small craft and fashion stalls and other little retail outlets included everything from incense sticks to magic sticks, jewellery to massage oils, books, beads and banners. 

Part of the effective Amnesty display

Exeter Respect is a lot of fun - and there was a real party atmosphere throughout. The police were present (in fact they had a display) yet there presence was extremely low-key, and although well in excess of 10,000 people attended, I didn't see any trouble at all, nor did it look like there might be any. Maybe that is because Respect is a celebration of values - tolerance, understanding, peacefulness and, well, respect. Respect for the essential common value we all place on humanity - we may all be different, but we are all equal; no matter our nationality, our ethnicity, our (dis)ability, our sexuality, gender, and faith (or absence of faith.) So the festival also hosts organisations that have values that resonate with those of the festival itself - the Cooperative movement, trades unions, environmental and social campaigning organisations - all of them organisations that seek to celebrate common humanity, and that believe, as I do,  that communities like ours in Exeter are better when we come together, rather than when we allow prejudice, fear and ignorance to divide us. 

Cllr Roger Spackman, me & Jenny, Cllr Greg Sheldon &
Cllr Phil Bialyk