On Saturday, 19 October, Sunderland came together at the Minster for a "Unity in the Community" festival, organised by a range of community and faith groups, from across the city, and supported by the Community Foundation and local businesses.
The event attracted well over 1,200 attendees from every sector of Sunderland's diverse communities.
Held at Sunderland Minster and the newly restored Minster Green, the festival featured live music, dancing, activities and food reflecting the multi-cultural nature of the city. The event brought together a diverse crowd, with notable attendance from the Nigerian, Muslim and Sikh communities, as well as Christians from many local churches, and those of other or no faith.
Canon Provost at Sunderland Minster, the Revd Canon Clare MacLaren said: "We have been blown away by the overwhelming and positive response from local people to this initiative! Over 60 local organisations were able to showcase their work, and we were supported by dozens of students, asylum seekers and refugees - all eager to contribute to the life of the city they have come to call 'home'."
Responding to the August riots, the festival was a chance to express solidarity and inclusivity as the city undergoes its major regeneration and moves towards a brighter future with the Minster Church at its heart.
See more photos on the Sunderland Minster Facebook page.