Interests and Passions

In 2001, just post the events of 9/11, Jaan wrote some poetry to accompany what was the first ever exhibition of Islamic Art, within a Church of any denomination. This was the ‘Faith 2 Faith’ Islamic Art Exhibition, in Rotherham’s’ All Saints Church. As the exhibition was then made an annual event, aimed at education and religious tolerance, he subsequently wrote a variety of poems, on topics such as the Iraq war, International Terrorism – 9/11 and Angels. At a special event, ‘An evening with Terry Waite’, at Rotherham’s All Saints’ Church, a poem Jaan wrote, entitled ‘Jerusalem’, specifically to accompany a one off oil painting by Zahir Rafiq, was incorporated into the art work and presented to Mr Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Special Envoy to the Middle East and former hostage.