City's festive tree celebrates all faiths

A multicultural festive tree has been unveiled in Bradford to unite communities and celebrate the city's diversity.

The tree has been organised by the Bradford Bronte Rotary Club and president Saleem Kader said it was important to remind people of the city's success at integrating different communities.

Businesses and individuals from different religious groups were invited to contribute decorations for the tree by funding baubles.

Faith leaders from across Bradford took part in helping to decorate the tree, which stands close to the traditional Christmas tree in Centenary Square.

Mr Kader said he has always felt he had to work to create greater understanding between different communities.

"In the 1970s we experienced that lack of understanding, I would say rather than use the word racism. It was a difficult thing to go through."

He said it was a "huge responsibility" to create social integration between people of different backgrounds.

"In Bradford we already have that, so I think it's sometimes important to remind people and to celebrate this."

Among the religious leaders taking part was Nathan Javed, pastor at the Grace Urdu Hindi Church.

He said the tree and those who gathered earlier had a "great meaning".

"We come with unity and joining the cultures together and it is something of immense love and care we can show to the city itself."

Mr Kader's fellow Rotary Club member Anne Griffin said it was important to show that multiculturalism was genuine.

"The beauty of Bradford is we work together, we are a team, we love our city and we want the best for it and the people who live here," she said.

Mr Kader said they had a good turnout to launch the tree and all five major faith groups spoke at the event.

He also thought it "brilliant" that there were two trees in the square.

"There's the Christmas tree and our festive tree," he said.

"This is the symbolism of what the city is about. The baubles represent people from different backgrounds, the organisations and businesses who have sponsored the event.

"The religious leaders have put those baubles on again to symbolise what we have here and we can never celebrate this enough."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.