A JOINT pledge of peace and unity was made by community leaders on Wednesday as they launched Bolton's Year of Harmony.

Members of the borough's different faiths and communities gathered at the town hall to launch the major project, which aims to make the borough a place where all cultures and faiths are valued.

The Year of Harmony began with a statement known as the community cohesion charter.

The pledge reads: "Our vision is that everyone in the borough will be able to live peacefully and in harmony with their neighbours and in their communities.

"We are proud of this diversity and recognise that it is one of our borough's great strengths."

The Bolton Vision partnership is committed to creating a modern, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-faith society which celebrates diversity and is based on mutual respect, understanding and tolerance.

It is hoped that businesses, community groups and other organisations will back the pledge and promote it at their events.

Richard Hurst, chairman of the Bolton Vision strategic partnership, told the gathering that the new approach was essential to the future of the borough.

He said: "As individuals we are all different, but together we always achieve more than we can alone."

The pledge was also backed by the mayor of Bolton, Cllr Prentice Howarth, the leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Barbara Ronson, Superintendent Dave Lea of Bolton Police, and Steve Hughes, editor-in-chief of the Bolton Evening News.

Afterwards, the vicar of Bolton, Canon Michael Williams, said: "This charter is about faith groups working together for the sake of the community to promote a harmony of spirit that is particularly important in times when tensions are rife.

"We need to learn from one another and contribute to the whole. It is encouraging to see so many different faith groups represented here."

Priti Merai, of the Hindu Forum, said: "We are hoping that people will realise that community cohesion can be achieved at a higher level by building on Bolton's history of good race relations." Mohammed Adam, of the Bolton Council of Mosques, added: "This is a wonderful chance to work in peace and harmony and Bolton will reap the results in the future.

"I believe this will help to develop respect between different communities and help people feel secure in their neighbourhoods."

A copy of the community cohesion charter can be obtained by calling 01204 331043.