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Flag Identity and Bridging Communities at Manchester Cathedral
February 2 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Manchester’s Hate Crime Awareness Week begins on Monday, 2nd February 2026. To mark this important week, Manchester Cathedral’s Challenging Hate Forum (CHF) is hosting a three-part event as part of the “Flag Identity and Bridging Communities” project. The project aims to address the recent flag protests that have been prominent across Greater Manchester and the rest of the country.
The event is split into three sessions, and the schedule is as follows:
Session One – Monday, 2nd February, 10.00am – 1.00pm
Cathy Hirst (Cathedral Research and Editorial Officer) will give an introduction to the St George Flag, followed by a group discussion around the theme of “What it means to be English and what it means to be British“. Councillor Eve Parker will also deliver a keynote talk.
Session Two – Thursday, 5th February, 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Enjoy lunch with the Talk English Café Group and take part in a poetry workshop led by Tom Branfoot, Manchester Cathedral’s Writer-in-Residence.
Session Three – Monday 23rd February, 1:30pm – 4:30pm
This session will include a discussion around “Identity and Flags – Addressing Exclusion and Racism”, a keynote talk from Diane Gray-Stephenson (Racial Justice Programme Lead) and a Q&A. Stretford High School Choir will also perform.
All are welcome to attend, and we hope to see you there!