ByJennifer Lipman, Jennifer Lipman
Year five pupils from Moriah Primary in Pinner enjoyed a trip to Arsenal's Emirates stadium as part of the club's interfaith education programme.
The Premier League-funded Arsenal for Everyone scheme brought together children from several London schools and a variety of religious backgrounds. Run jointly by Arsenal in the Community and the Islington Faith Forum, the scheme combined sessions about the major world religions with football coaching to encourage teamwork and respect.
Representatives from each religion also addressed pupils on the importance of their faith.
When the original Jewish speaker was a last-minute withdrawal, Moriah headteacher Alan Shaw stepped in, illustrating his talk with a shofar and a box of matzah.
"It was nice for them to hear about other groups' customs. We'd certainly want to go again," Mr Shaw said. "And, of course, for the kids, the stadium tour was a highlight."
Arsenal in the Community head Alan Sefton hoped "that by drawing upon the experiences of the team and highlighting their different nationalities and faiths, Arsenal Football Club is used as a relevant example of cohesion in action".