The terror attack in Manchester cast a shadow today at an international workshop in Delhi, as British participants voiced their anguish over the deaths, with some saying that cultural concerts are "soft targets" for the attackers.
About 20 academics and experts from the UK attended the opening session of the two-day workshop on 'Cultural Heritage and Rapid Urbanisation in India', two days after the bombing at a pop concert in the British industrial city which left 22 people dead and 119 wounded.
Clare Copley, a faculty at the University of Sheffield, before making a presentation on the city of Manchester, made a brief remark to express her solidarity with the people of her country.
"This could not have been more poignant. Our thoughts are with all those who been affected by this attack," she said.
Copley, who earned her PhD from the University of Manchester, then went on to make a presentation on the urban history and heritage of the city, while recounting some of the brave struggles of its residents to save many of its iconic landmarks, including the Victoria Baths, which opened in 1906.
Manchester is a heavily industrialised city, some 260 km from London, and home to a significant number of people from South Asia.
Deborah Sutton, Senior Lecturer at the Lancaster University, says, the incident had "left us deeply upset".
A resident of Lancaster, located close to Manchester, Sutton told PTI, "It feels terrible. Such concerts are always a soft target for terror attacks. But, people are coming together and braving the tragedy strongly."
The Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) and the UK's Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) are jointly hosting the workshop. The AHRC is governed by the Research Council UK (RCUK).
Director, RCUK India, Daniel Shah, also expressed his solidarity with the victims' families, struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones, saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people affected by this attack."
The attack at the Manchester Arena took place on Monday night and has drawn global condemnation.
The terror strike by a suicide bomber, claimed by the ISIS, also left dead several children at a concert by pop singer Ariana Grande.
The bomb tore through the entrance hall of the Arena just as the crowds began exiting the venue.
Manchester, famous globally for its beautiful heritage buildings, an eponymous football club, and its flourishing industry, led the city's name being associated with even those outside England--like Indian city of Surat and Kanpur-- which are also known as 'Manchester of the East'.
The British city has also been featured in various films.
"Manchester is a beautiful city, home to iconic landmarks such as the Town Hall, Barton Arcade and John Rylands Library, among other buildings," Copley said, fondly reminiscing about the city trying get back on its feet after the attack.
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