Jo Cox quote inspires artwork: “we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us”

The Spirited Arts competition, which is supported by the charity set up in memory of the late Batley and Spen MP, invited this year's entrants to develop a creative response to the 2015 quote from Jo Cox: “we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us”.

Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater, sister of the late Mrs Cox, said: "It’s heart-warming to see the words of my sister, Jo Cox, continuing to resonate and inspire young people.

“She believed passionately in strong communities where people of all faiths and none can find connections through shared values of compassion and mutual respect, and art is a powerful way of expressing and communicating all that we have in common.

“The growing number of entries to this competition speaks volumes about the importance of religion and worldviews for young people who, in an age of consumerism and technology, are clearly still fascinated by the big questions in life and are keen to understand their own personal worldview.

“These excellent competition entries play a vital role in highlighting the importance of good religious education in education, society and the workplace.

“Congratulations to everyone involved in this powerful competition.”

The competition, created and managed by the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE) - the subject teacher association for RE professionals - attracts thousands of entries from countries around the world every year.

Young people are invited to develop works of art that explore important topics relating to religion and worldviews, ranging from the existence of God, to climate change, and human division.

Fiona Moss, chief executive officer of NATRE, said: “The topics and questions that entrants explore are often discussed in classrooms every day in religious education lessons.

“They are the big questions in life, those that shape the way we see the world, and the way others see it.

“The fact that so many young people are keen to explore these themes through Spirited Arts shows just how important these questions are and how important RE is for life in today’s globalised world.”

Entries are now open for the 2023 Spirited Arts competition.

For more information, visit https://www.natre.org.uk/about-natre/projects/spirited-arts/spirited-arts-2020/