The head of more than a million evangelicals in the UK has called on the government to accept the fact that a renewed approach is required for its Respect Action Plan to progress and ultimately for a degree of respect to be restored to Britain’s society.

|PIC1|The General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, Rev Joel Edwards, urged, “Respect is a fundamental value that is vital to the wellbeing of every community. However, rather than focussing its strategy on simply the negative actions of a small minority the Government should highlight the positive contribution of the respectful majority of young people up and down the country.”

Edwards was speaking as the Evangelical Alliance launched its second annual Champions of Respect Awards, which is being operated in partnership with the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance and leading Christian youth organisations Youth for Christ, Crusaders and the Girls’ Brigade.

In 2005, Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, along with Rev Edwards, presented Gemma Gibson with the Anthony Walker Memorial Prize for her pioneering community radio station.

Following the success of the event in 2005, the EAUK is hoping that the 2006 event can continue to acknowledge young men and women that are acting as role models in their communities.

The Evangelical leader continued, “The absence of respect leads to a breakdown in relationships at every level of society. The Evangelical Alliance wants to challenge the negative stereotypes regularly associated with young people in Britain today. So often, people talk about drugs and gun crime in the same breath as young people. The Champions of Respect competition is all about celebrating the good things young people do in our communities.”

|AD|This year the Champions of Respect award winners will receive their prize from Trevor Phillips, the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, as part of the Evangelical Alliance’s annual Temple Address, on 15 November 2006. This year the Temple Address will focus on diversity.

To be nominated for one of the awards for a Champions of Respect award, a young person or group between 10 to 25 must be put forward by a youth leader, teacher or someone that can testify their contribution to the community in bringing about unity and harmony.

Project partner, Matt Summerfield, Executive Director of Crusaders, said: “We want to see a more positive image of young people presented in our world today. The Champions of Respect awards provide a fantastic chance to show what great things many young people do, often unsung, up and down the country.”

The EAUK describe the Respect campaign as an integral part of the Evangelical Alliance’s Values engagement and follows the previous themes of Forgiveness, Hope and Trust.

Over the next 12 months the Respect campaign seeks to challenge the Government over the implementation of its Respect Action Plan and through an active citizen programme being developed for churches, help restore respect at the heart of community life.