A BRADFORD-based organisation will host an event this month aiming to recognise the achievements of people from a range of different cultural, social and religious communities across the district.

The Africa4U Association will not only celebrate success stories, but will also attempt to 'bridge the gap' and improve dialogue between communities across Bradford, when it holds The Interfaith Virtual Awards and Community Cohesion Webinar on Saturday, 16 January.

The event - held over Zoom - will start at 8pm, and will feature a range of guest speakers.

Dr Chris Bem; consultant and surgeon at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Shipley MP Philip Davies, The Leap Bradford, Ismael Lea South; the CEO of The Salam Project, Bradford poet Sheena Hussain, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Team and Dionne V Hood; the development officer for Bradford Libraries are just some of the key speakers who will play a part.

Also speaking will be Bradford-based African restaurant owners Mr Kofi Amoateng - the CEO of Yam Spice Foods - and Andie, the founder of Andie's African Kitchen, which is based at the Oastler Centre.

Those nominated for awards include Bradford's United Sikh Association, Newjoy International Gospel Church, the Indian Women's Community Association UK and The Salam Project, amongst others.

Africa4U aims to champion the acheivements of the African diaspora across the world, while also promoting self-empowerment, creative confidence, positive mental well-being and community cohesion for ethnic minority communities in Bradford and beyond.

Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez is the CEO of Africa4U, and sees the upcoming webinar as a "vital" event for the people of Bradford.

"The aim of the webinar is to bring people from different cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds - across the Bradford district - together, and to celebrate their stories", said Tony, who was born in Nigeria and moved to Bradford from London three years ago.

"It will also serve to improve cohesion between communities in Bradford, which I personally feel is lacking".

Tony, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and World Literature, is well-travelled, in part due to his worldwide community work.

He has been a keynote speaker, a poet, an author, a foreign languages teacher and an activist, and also organised Black History Month celebrations at the Houses of Parliament for seven years in a row, only being interrupted in 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I have lived in many places and I've travelled to many countries, and I've seen how powerful community cohesion can be", he said.

"I feel there should be more integration here in Bradford, between people from all different backgrounds, so that we have more understanding and social harmony in our city and our district.

"That is one purpose of the event, while it is also to celebrate people from different faiths and backgrounds, too.

Speaking in February 2020, after Africa4U's Inspirational Women Awards - which commemorated the success stories of women across Bradford - Tony said: “I love Bradford. The people here make great contributions to humanity. We are privileged to have these great souls in our community".

The ID for this month's Zoom webinar is 9052848573 and the password is 691347.