A LECTURE on the Middle East helped raise cash for the Friends of Pershore Abbey in their bid to preserve, maintain and improve the ancient building.
A packed Pershore Abbey was gripped by a lecture on ‘Islam Today’, by leading Middle East authority Penny Hamilton.
For 25 years, Mrs Hamilton lived in the region, mostly in Saudi Arabia, with her husband Michael who was killed by Al Qaeda terrorists in May 2004 during what became known as the Al Khobar massacre.
Her knowledge of Islam, the Arab people and their lands is extensive and she gave her audience a clear briefing on the history and current situation.
She believes that a resolution to today’s tensions may lie in a greater understanding and dialogue between Islam and other faiths.