inter faith week
TRANSCRIPT
Inter Faith WeekStories from 2017, Inspiration for 2018
Published 2018 by the Inter Faith Networkfor the UKISBN: 1 902906 77 2
©Inter Faith Network for the UKThe Inter Faith Network for the UKRegistered charity no 1068934Company limited by guaranteeno 3443823Registered in England2 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH
[email protected]/IFNetUKwww.facebook.com/IFNetUK
The work of the Inter Faith Network for theUK is supported by faith communities,Ministry of Housing, Communities & LocalGovernment, trusts and other donors.
FRONT COVER PHOTOSTOP LEFT:Pupils from local schools learning about Judaism at a Bolton InterfaithCouncil Inter Faith Week event (Photo: TheBolton News)TOP MIDDLE:An Inter Faith Week artscompetition organised by All Saints Church ofEngland Voluntary Aided Primary School,Suffolk (Photo: All Saints CEVA)TOP RIGHT: Participants at an Inter FaithWeek school visit organised by the LSE FaithCentre (Photo: LSE Faith Centre)BOTTOM LEFT:Attendees at a multi-faithRemembrance service in Leicester (Photo:Sikh Welfare and Cultural Society)BOTTOM MIDDLE:Faith leaders inWolverhampton ahead of an Inter Faith Weekschool assembly (Photo: Express & Star)BOTTOM RIGHT:Pupils at an Inter Faith Weekevent organised by Cambridgeshire,Peterborough and NorthamptonshireSACREs (Photo: IFN)
Design: Tattersall Hammarling &Silk Ltd
Inter Faith WeekInter Faith Week is a programme of the Inter Faith Network for the UK.
The Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN) was founded in 1987 to “advancepublic knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings, traditionsand practices of the different faith communities in Britain, including anawareness both of their distinctive features and their common ground andto promote good relations between persons of different faiths.”
IFN’s role is unique: linking national faith community representativebodies, local, regional and national inter faith bodies and academic andeducational bodies with a focus on inter faith or multi-faith issues andworking with them to deepen inter faith understanding and cooperationas part of working for the common good.
IFN carries out its work through raising awareness within wider society ofthe importance of inter faith issues, creating opportunities for linking andsharing of good practice, and providing advice and information to help thedevelopment of new inter faith initiatives and the strengthening ofexisting ones. Inter Faith Week is one of IFN’s major programmes.
IFN works for the public benefit and its wide ranging activity touches thelives of many thousands of people directly and through the organisationsand initiatives with which it engages. Working with its member bodies isan important part of this. Each of those makes its own contribution tointer faith understanding and cooperation in the UK.
To find out more, or to make a donation to support IFN’s work ofpromoting inter faith understanding and cooperation, please visitwww.interfaith.org.uk.
Inter Faith WeekStories from 2017, Inspiration for 2018
Foreword ..........................................................................3About Inter Faith Week....................................................4Inter Faith Week 2017 – the biggest Week yet! ...............5An amazing array of activities.........................................6Inter Faith Week 2017 activities map ..............................7Who took part?.................................................................8Types of activity ...............................................................9Spreading the word........................................................10Social media ...................................................................14Traditional media...........................................................16Multi-faith Remembrance and peace events ...............17Social action and social issues......................................18Standing together..........................................................20Arts, culture and music..................................................22Celebrating.....................................................................24Sport events ...................................................................26Sharing and learning .....................................................28Discussion and debate ..................................................30Women’s events.............................................................32Scottish Interfaith Week................................................34Three great resources....................................................36
Contents
“Inter Faith Week 2017 was an inspiring effort acrossall neighbourhoods and faiths across the UnitedKingdom, in building understanding, tolerance and asense of community. These sentiments are soimportant as we build a country where everyone hasthe chance to succeed and where no one suffersdiscrimination because of their background,ethnicity, religion or belief.”
THE RT HON THERESA MAY MP, PRIME MINISTER
“We are greatly enriched by the diversity of faithsthat call our country home, all of whom play anintegral part in their local communities. Inter FaithWeek is a terrific way for people to learn from oneanother and celebrate the tremendous amount wehave in common.”
LORD BOURNE OF ABERYSTWYTH, MINISTER FOR FAITH, MINISTRY OF HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
RESPECTEDUCATIONDIALOGUEINTEGRITYVALUESCOMMUNITYCOOPERATIONDISTINCTIVENESSACTIONBELONGINGCOMMONGOODFAITHUNDERSTANDINGNEIGHBOURLINESSTACKLINGPREJUDICERESPECT
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Each year in November Inter Faith Week highlights theenormous contribution that faith communities maketo society and the vital importance of inter faithunderstanding and cooperation.
Stories from 2017, Inspiration for 2018We hope that the amazing array of activities laid out inthis short report will inspire you to join the many faithand belief groups, local, regional and national interfaith organisations, charities, schools, colleges,universities, sports clubs, local authorities, governmentagencies, chaplaincies, businesses, and thousands ofindividuals who will be taking part this year!
Inter Faith Week 2018 will take place from 11-18November in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – itwill be the tenth such Week! More information aboutthe 2018 Week can be found atwww.interfaithweek.org/about
The Week begins on Remembrance Sunday – whichthis year is Armistice Centenary Day, marking acentury since the end of the First World War. This willbe an opportunity for people of many faiths andbeliefs to come together to mark this, rememberingthe service of men and women of differentbackgrounds, both as combatants and non-combatants.
There are many great ways of marking the Week. Thisreport will give you lots of ideas – as will the InterFaith Week Toolkit, details of which are at the end ofthis report.
The Inter Faith Network is grateful to all whocontributed to the production of this report byproviding photographs and quotations, and forreporting on their experiences of the Week, whetherthrough an online survey or in other ways1. Most of all,IFN is grateful to those who took part in the 2017 Weekand ensured that its message reached a wideraudience than ever before.
From the Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK
Foreword
The Rt Revd Richard Atkinson OBE and Jatinder Singh Birdi, Co-Chairs, Inter Faith Network (Photo: Myles Fisher for IFN)
1 Statistics and some quotations used in this report are drawn from this online survey of activity organisers
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Inter Faith Week takes place every November,beginning on Remembrance Sunday and running for 8 days. Its aims are to:
Strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels•
Increase awareness of the different and distinct faith•communities in the UK, in particular celebrating andbuilding on the contribution which their membersmake to their neighbourhoods and to wider society
Increase understanding between people of religious•and non-religious beliefs
Inter Faith Week was initiated in 2009 by the Inter FaithNetwork for the UK (IFN), in partnership for the firstyear with the then Department for Communities andLocal Government. It is marked in England, NorthernIreland and Wales. The Week drew inspiration from thepioneering Scottish Interfaith Week, led by InterfaithScotland, which has run since 2004 and with which itworks in close relationship2.
The Week is supported and led by IFN as part of itsoverall work to support the development anddeepening of cooperation and good relations betweenpeople of different faiths in the UK, working on theWeek with the Northern Ireland Inter Faith Forum andthe Inter-faith Council for Wales.
Inter Faith Week 2017 took place from 12–19 November.It was the ninth Week in England and Wales3, and moreactivities took place than ever before. The Week was atime of celebration, enquiry and learning. It was also anopportunity for people of different faiths to cometogether to make a positive difference in theircommunities. This was especially pertinent in a year thatwitnessed many painful moments, and where hatecrime and terrorism were yet again in the news – InterFaith Week showed how people can come together toresist the wedges of division.
The Week is part of a year-round pattern of activity.77% of survey respondents said that they wereplanning a follow-up activity after the Week.
Follow Inter Faith Week on Twitter through @IFWeek,on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IFWeek or onInstagram at www.instagram.com/ifweek.
About Inter Faith Week
2 In 2017, Scottish Interfaith Week took place at the same time as the Week in the rest of the UK. Basic details of Scottish Interfaith Week events were listed byagreement on the Inter Faith Week website. The 2018 Week in Scotland will be taking place at the same time as Inter Faith Week.
3 The eighth such Week in Northern Ireland
Discussion of Inter Faith Week at meeting of devolved nations interfaith linking bodies with IFN, in Belfast (Photo: IFN)
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Inter Faith Week 2017 was the largest Week to date,both in terms of activities held and people reached.702 activities are known to have taken place acrossEngland, Northern Ireland and Wales4.
Many thousands of people took part in these activities,in dozens of towns and cities and in rural areas.
The Week according to participants…“We mark Inter Faith Week every year as we believeit’s important to make sure everyone in ourcommunity can respect each other’s differences andwe can all get along.”
HEADTEACHER, RED HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL, WORCESTER
“Building good relationships and working partnershipsbetween people of different faiths and beliefs is partof the year-round work of many people andorganisations across the UK. Having a special Weekprovides a focal point, so that more people are madeaware of the importance of inter faith efforts.”
YORK INTERFAITH GROUP
“Inter Faith Week is a timely opportunity to celebratetolerance and integration, and to build on the greatrelationships that already exist across Middlesbrough.”
MAYOR OF MIDDLESBROUGH
“Inter Faith Week gave a great opportunity to inviteyoung people of different faiths to gather in friendshipand openness. It was tremendously important toenable young people to express their faith and sharewhat is important to them, and to be inspired by oneanother’s story and strong sense of identity, as well asrejoicing in what we hold in common.”
CHAIR, SOUTH CARDIFF INTERFAITH NETWORK
“Inter Faith Week focuses on increasing understanding,respect and co-operation between different faiths.”
COUNCILLOR, LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL
“Inter Faith Week is about reflecting on ourcommonality as well as our diversity. This week isabout fostering greater interaction between peoplefrom different backgrounds and faiths so that we canhave open conversations. That doesn’t mean weshould all be the same – it means we should celebrateour differences whilst having a better appreciation ofeach other’s beliefs.”
CHAIR, FAITHS FORUM FOR LONDON
100% of survey respondents said that their Inter FaithWeek activity helped them to engage new people
4 More than 80 activities also took place to mark Scottish Interfaith Week, which is led by Interfaith Scotland.
Inter Faith Week 2017 – the biggest Week yet!
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Inter Faith Week 2017 saw an amazing array ofactivities take place. They included:
multi-faith Remembrance•events and ceremonies
dialogues and discussion•
social action projects•
faith trails, walks and•pilgrimages
peace and non-violence•events
arts, culture and music•activities
celebrations and festivals•
open door days at local places of worship•
activities at higher and further education institutions•
school activities•
inter faith sporting activities•
women’s activities•
activities organised by or with local authorities and•other public agencies, including the emergencyservices
national initiatives and special online projects and•social media campaigns.
Events took place in many different kinds of venuefrom places of worship to museums, communitycentres, football stadiums, civic buildings andoutdoor spaces.
The full list of events can be seen at:www.interfaithweek.org/resources/inter-faith-week-2017-list-of-activities
In Birmingham, Bolton, Kendal, Leeds, Leicester,Norwich, Preston, York and a number of other places,ambitious week-long programmes of activities wereorganised.
A report on the range of activities that took place tomark Scottish Interfaith Week can be seen atscottishinterfaithweek.org/the-story-of-sifw17.
An amazing array of activities
IFN Trustee with Lord Mayor of Leeds at ‘Light for Leeds’ exhibition,Kirkstall Abbey, organised by Leeds Museums and Leeds ConcordInterfaith Fellowship (Photo: IFN)
The LSE Faith Centre InterFaith Week programme
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Inter Faith Week 2017activities map
A map showing the location of activities that took place to mark Inter Faith Week 2017 in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.Scottish Interfaith Week events are also marked.
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Who took part?
The 702 activities that took place to mark the Weekin England, Wales and Northern Ireland involvedover 750 organisations of many kinds. The chartbelow shows a breakdown of organisations by type.5In addition to those organisations that directlycontributed to events, others supported the Week byencouraging participation. This includes mediaorganisations, local and national faith-based bodies,
5 Organisations are assigned to one category only, based on the closest match.
0 12010080 140 160604020
School 114
Other 21
Student organisation/society 48Sports organisation 13
SACRE 7Regional faith community (eg diocese) 9
Other public sector 20Other charity/voluntary organisation 25
National/Regional Inter Faith Organisation 24National Faith Community 15
Museum/gallery/library 9Local inter faith organisation 110
Local Faith Community 157Local authority 28
Hospital/Healthcare 10Higher/Further Education institute 42Faith-based charity/voluntary org 37
Equality organisation 7Educational/Academic Body 8
Community organisation 13Chaplaincy (HE/FE) 24
Business/Professional body 9Arts/cultural/sport organisation 5
Youth organisation 12
Inter Faith Week 2017: Organisations by type
businesses and not-for-profit organisations; sportsbodies and SACREs, among others. 53% of surveyrespondents worked with new partners for the firsttime during the Week.
The Near Neighbours Programme of the Church UrbanFund and the Inter Faith Youth Trust supported withgrants a number of events during the Week.
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Types of activity
An enormous range of activities was held to mark InterFaith Week. The chart below shows activitiesaccording to number and type held in England, Walesand Northern Ireland.6
The category ‘other’ includes 60 activities such asmedia broadcasts, film screenings, displays or thepublication of online resources. 70% of surveyrespondents did something they had not done beforeduring the Week.
Inter Faith Week 2017: Activity by type
6 This is based on the categories of event on the Inter Faith Week website event submission form. Activities are sometimes assigned to multiple categories, sothe total is not equal to the total number of events.
7 Mitzvah Day 2017 took place on Sunday 19 November, the final day of Inter Faith Week. Mitzvah Day activities with an inter faith dimension were listed on theInter Faith Week website by agreement.
13
Charity fund raising event
11Social media campaign
29Women’s event
176
Competition or quiz144
Civic reception
22Sporting event
Youth event
48Intergenerational
20
Celebration or festival
Pilgrimage/walk/faith trail
15
Children’s/youth event
67Service or vigil
135
Exhibition/fair/demonstration
60
Food
27
Open door day
8Social action or social issues
166
Other (event type)
742
85Arts/culture/music
37School activity
70Higher or further education
41
Conference/seminar/talk/workshopDialogue/discussion
103
25Inter faith Mitzvah Day⁷
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Spreading the word
The Inter Faith Network for the UK publicised theWeek throughout the preceding months, using adedicated website www.interfaithweek.org, targetedmailings, a widely distributed flyer, badges, Twitterand Facebook and, for the first time, Instagram.
The Inter Faith Week branding was available fordownload on the Inter Faith Week website to assistwith publicity, and this was widely used.
Activity holders promoted their activities online andwith many colourful flyers and posters, some ofwhich can be seen below:
An opportunity to:• Strengthen good inter faith
relations at all levels• Increase awareness of the different
and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contributionwhich their members make to theirneighbourhoods and to wider society
• Increase understanding betweenpeople of religious and non-religious beliefs
Inter Faith Week 201712–19 November
REFLECT/DEBATE/ COOPERATE/LEARN/ QUESTION/RESPECT/APPRECIATE/MAKEFRIENDS/CELEBRATE www.interfaithweek.orgFollow us on Facebook and Twitter:
facebook.com/IFWeek @IFWeek
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Participants were also invited to show their supportthrough a social media campaign, using special cardsto show what the Week meant to them.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Representative of Blackpool Faith Forum; The InterFaith Network for the UK; the Pagan Federation; the National Unionof Students; Interfaith Scotland; North Kirklees Inter Faith Counciland Oldham Interfaith Forum; Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe;Faith Network 4 Manchester; Jain Network and Sri Lankan SanghaSabha of Great Britain; Bolton Interfaith Young Ambassadors, BoltonInterfaith Council, and Wakefield Interfaith Network (Photos: IFN)
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Many organisations used social media to show theirsupport for Inter Faith Week by posting images of staff, students and others holding downloadablephoto cards.
84% of survey respondents said that their Inter FaithWeek activity had helped to raise the profile of their work
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Many activity holders also purchased speciallydesigned badges for the Week, which further raisedthe profile of activities. These were widely used.
Representatives of the Union of Jewish Students at a special Barnet Multi Faith Forum, Middlesex University London, Yad Vashem UK and FaithMatters Inter Faith Week event looking at ‘Muslims who rescued Jews during the Holocaust’ (Photo: IFN)
Inter Faith Week badges (Photo: IFN)Batley Poets publicising an Inter Faith Week event (Photo: Batley Poets)
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Inter Faith Week 2017 was the biggest Week to date on social media, with Twitter, Facebook andInstagram being widely used to spread the message ofthe Week, as well as news and information aboutevents and activities.
Inter Faith Week was active on Twitter, Facebook andInstagram in the build up to the Week and throughoutthe Week itself. Inter Faith week is at ‘IFWeek’ on allthree platforms.
On Twitter, use of the hashtags #InterFaithWeek and#IFWeek was encouraged, with the former being mostwidely used. In total, tweets about the Week had apotential reach of 13.4 million Twitter users, the mostto date, registering around 40.4 million potentialimpressions. On Facebook, people were encouragedto ‘like’ the Inter Faith Week page.
Prominent figures and organisations tweeted andposted about the Week, including the Prime Minister,Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, the Mayor of London, theChief Rabbi, a number of government departments,and many IFN member bodies.
Inter Faith Week also worked with the National Unionof Students to run a special social media campaign,#IFWCoffeeconvos, encouraging informalconversations about faith and belief during the Week.
Some examples of tweets shared during the Week are below:
Social media
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Inter Faith Week has a strongly local focus andin 2017 the Week received excellent coveragein numerous local newspapers and on localradio. Many articles were also written aboutInter Faith Week activities by member bodiesand others online. There was also somecoverage in national newspapers and faith andcultural news outlets.
Local news coverage significantly increasesthe impact of activities and strengthensprogrammes of work conducted for the Week.It also prompts some people to considergetting involved in inter faith activity for thefirst time, and encourages participation infuture years.
BELOW: A press release issued at the start of Inter FaithWeek
ARTICLE HEADLINES TOP TO BOTTOM: The Press, York;Bournemouth Echo; St Helens Council; Watford Observer;The Westmoreland Gazette; The Bolton News; SurreyFootball Association; Council of Christians and Jews.
Traditional media
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The Inter Faith Network Board of Trusteesdecided that Inter Faith Week would begin onRemembrance Sunday and it has done sosince 2016. The Week is arranged to begin onthat day to allow people of different faithsand beliefs to mark this together,remembering the service of soldiers andcivilians of many faiths.
Many Inter Faith Week Remembrance eventswere held, including some at war memorialsand places of worship. Multi faith events wereheld by many different organisations. Someevents had a specific focus, such as looking atthemes of war and peace within religions.
“Inter Faith Week begins each year withRemembrance Sunday and provides anopportunity for many different beliefs togather and remember as well as network,connect and understand one another.”
MARIE CURIE BLOG
Multi faith Remembrance andpeaceevents
ABOVE: Attendees at a multi-faith Remembrance service inLeicester (Photo: Sikh Welfareand Cultural Society)
LEFT: Publicity for a NorwichInterFaith Link event markingthe centenary of the Battle ofPasschendaele
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Social action and social issues
The Week was marked in a number of areas throughmulti-faith social action projects helping localcommunities through practical activities such ascollecting and distributing clothing and toiletries forrefugees; meals for the homeless; and improving localparks and other social amenities.
Many were joint projects to mark both Inter Faith Weekand Mitzvah Day, which took place on the last day ofthe Week. Inter Faith Week works closely with MitzvahDay which, led by the Jewish community, is one ofthree major days of faith-linked social action in theyear, along with Sewa Day and Sadaqa Day.
The Week also saw a wide range of discussions andworkshops looking from a religion and beliefperspective at such issues such as hate crime, religiousdiscrimination, segregation, health,environmentalism, and refugees and migration.
Qari Asim MBE showing support for Inter Faith Week (Photo: IFN)A Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum discussion on faith and theenvironment, ‘Caring for our Common Home’ (Photo: NIFF)
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Multi-faith social action to mark Mitzvah Day and Inter Faith Week (Photo: Mitzvah Day)
A multi-faith tree planting organised by Wakefield Interfaith Network(Photo: Wakefield Interfaith Network)
A discussion on faith in the hospice environment at Myton Hospices,Warwickshire (Photo: Myton Hospices)
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Standing together
During 2017 there were terrorist attacks at theManchester Arena and in London at WestminsterBridge, London Bridge, Finsbury Park andParsons Green.
Several Inter Faith Week events had strong ‘standingtogether’ dimensions or tackled issues around hatecrime, which had spiked in some areas in the wake of attacks.
There was discussion about hate crime and how toreport it, the role that faith communities have to playin tackling hate crime and also prejudice, and howyoung people can come together to stand up againstthese. In some areas, such as Cheshire, the police ledon such events and discussions.
Earlier in the year IFN had published ‘Looking AfterOne Another: The Safety and Security of our FaithCommunities’ in partnership with the CrownProsecution Service, the then Department ofCommunities and Local Government, the Home Office,the National Fire Chiefs’ Council and the NationalPolice Chiefs’ Council. Copies of this were madeavailable for Inter Faith Week events. The resource canbe downloaded at www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/looking-after-one-another-the-safety-and-security-of-our-faith-communities-2017.
“In recent months we have seen how faith communitieshave come together to offer help to people caught upin appalling incidents and tragedies – literallythrowing open their doors to offer sanctuary. Theyhave been superb.
Inter Faith Week gives us an opportunity tocelebrate the contribution that faith communitiesmake and show how that can be strengthened byworking together.”
LORD BOURNE OF ABERYSTWYTH, MINISTER FOR FAITH
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A discussion on the theme of ‘Strengthening Communities Through Faith’ organised byHammersmith & Fulham Council (Photo: Hammersmith & Fulham Council)
Publicity for a Bristol Multi FaithForum discussion on ‘The role of faithcommunities in tackling hate crime’
An Inter-faith Council for Wales event at Dar-Ul-Isra mosque, Cardiff on the theme of‘Hate Crime –What it is and how to report it’ (Photo: Inter-faith Council for Wales)
For many participants, Inter Faith Week is anopportunity to display the arts, culture, and music ofdifferent faith communities.
People of different faiths and beliefs came together inschools and universities, places of worship, and artsinstitutions to both create and celebrate religion andthe arts with workshops, exhibitions, musical andcultural performances and art and photographycompetitions.
Arts, culture and music
Multi-faith storytelling with the Khayyal Theatre Company,organised by Grassroots Luton (Photo: Luton Council of Faiths andGrassroots Luton)
An Inter Faith Week arts competition organised by All Saints Churchof England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Suffolk (Photo: AllSaints CEVA)
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An inter faith ‘Variety of Performance’ organised by Solihull FaithsForum (Photo: Solihull Faiths Forum)
Publicity for the Batley Poets’ ‘Anything Goes’ Inter Faith Week event
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Celebrating
Inter Faith Week provides an excellent opportunity forcommunities to celebrate their diversity and thecontributions made by faith groups and inter faithorganisations to their communities. Events wereorganised by faith groups, inter faith bodies, localauthorities and many others.
Celebrations took place at schools, colleges anduniversities and at places of worship and museums.Activities focused on bringing people together to learnabout different faiths and beliefs, and to recognise thepositive contributions that they make to communities.
Beyond the UK, Gibraltar organised its own specialcelebration to mark the Week, and the British HighCommission in Hyderabad, India, organised a week-long programme of activities.
“Inter Faith Week allows us to come together tocelebrate and acknowledge religious diversity in our borough.”
COUNCILLOR, ST HELENS COUNCIL
Bolton Interfaith Council celebrating ‘Unity in the Community’(Photo: The Bolton News)
Organisers of an Inter Faith Week event at Kendal Unitarian Chapel(Photo: Buddhist Group of Kendal)
Participants at a ‘Celebration of World Faiths’ organised by EastLancashire Scouts (Photo: East Lancashire Scouts)
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Children at Little Gonerby Infant School, Grantham, celebrating Inter Faith Week (Photo: Little Gonerby Infant School)
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Inter Faith Week saw a number of sporting events beingheld, encouraging the building of mutual respect andunderstanding through physical activity. Multi-faithsporting activities are an excellent way to bring togetherpeople from different backgrounds, and can contributeto fostering positive relations between people ofdifferent faiths and beliefs within communities.
Events included inter faith football matches, such asthose organised by Surrey FA Youth Forum, CarshaltonAthletic FC, Manchester Jewish Soccer League, the AbuHanifah Foundation and others. Other events includeda cycle ride around places of worship, organised byWestminster City Council along with the WestminsterFaith Exchange and Cycle Confident, a Kabadditournament and a yoga session.
Sport events
An inter faith football match in Manchester organised by Youth on Solid Ground (Photo: Youth on Solid Ground)
Publicity for an Inter Faith Week football tournamentorganised by the Surrey FA Youth Forum
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Using the Power of Sport to Build GoodInter Faith RelationsOn 14 November the Inter Faith Network for the UK, inpartnership with Sporting Equals, held a special InterFaith Week symposium entitled ‘Using the Power ofSport to Build Good Inter Faith Relations’.
The symposium provided an excellent opportunity forpractitioners from the world of sport and from interfaith initiatives to explore how sport can help peopleof different backgrounds to meet one another, come tounderstand each other better, develop skills forcooperation and build stronger inter faith relations.
The event was held at Leicester Tigers’ stadium andparticipants came from national sports organisations,regional sports clubs, public sector organisations, andfaith and inter faith bodies. Presenters at thesymposium in plenary and in workshops were: ArsenalFC in the Community; Association of Muslim SchoolsInter Faith Games Programme; Burnley Football Club;Building Bridges in Burnley; Essex County Cricket Club;Gwent Police Multi Faith Panel; the Inter Faith Networkfor the UK; Ministry of Housing, Communities andLocal Government; Near Neighbours programme ofthe Church Urban Fund; Premiership Rugby; SportingEquals; the English Federation of Disability Sport;University of Leicester Unit for Diversity, Inclusion andCommunity Engagement; Windsor and MaidenheadCommunity Forum; and the Women in Sport Project,Manchester.
The report on the symposium can be downloaded at:www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/using-the-power-of-sport-to-build-good-inter-faith-relations.
“Sport is not always recognised for its wider benefits.Sport is a great tool to build social interactionbetween communities particularly those that havelittle engagement or understanding. It provides aplatform for real dialogue and discussion of sensitiveissues to help break down myths and barriers”.
DENSIGN WHITE, CHAIRMAN, SPORTING EQUALS UK
14 November 2017Leicester Tigers
Welford Road Stadium, Leicester
Using the Power of Sport to Build Good
Inter Faith Relations A Symposium
Participants in discussion at IFN and Sporting Equals’ jointsymposium on ‘Using the Power of Sport to Build Good Inter FaithRelations’ (Photo: IFN)
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Sharing and learning
Inter Faith Week is a great way to boost religiousliteracy; a time for people to learn about the faith andbeliefs that their neighbours hold dear and that helpshape their lives.
In 2017 numerous activities were held where peopleshared their own beliefs alongside learning about thebeliefs of others. This happened in the context ofvisits to places of worship, multi-faith discussionpanels, dialogues and multi-faith meals as well asuniversity ‘speed faithing’ encounters.
Other organisers celebrating Inter Faith Week choseto run fairs, inviting communities to showcase theirfaith and beliefs to members of the public andpassers-by.
At some of the more formal events, representatives offaith communities shared what their faith means tothem, and speakers were invited to raise awarenessof particular traditions or beliefs.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, Minister for Faith, chosethe Week to launch a tour of 42 places of worship.
“Inter Faith Week plays a huge part in bringing peoplefrom all faiths and none together. Through learningabout the faiths of others we are able to embrace notonly our strong British values but those beliefs andvalues that the community in Gravesham hold dearly.”
COUNCILLOR, GRAVESHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL
Participants in an Inter Faith Week school visit organised by the LSEFaith Centre (Photo: LSE Faith Centre)
“We live in challenging times and the Week offers awonderful opportunity to create and demonstratefriendship and solidarity, as well as to learn about thedifferent faiths and beliefs of other people.”
WARRINGTON COUNCIL OF FAITHS
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Participants in the ‘Faith, Forces and Food’ project in Leicesterorganised by the 7th Infantry Brigade and the St Philips Centre(Photo: 7th Infantry Brigade)
Students at Carmel College, St Helens, spelling ‘IFWeek’ during anevent learning about different faiths (Photo: Carmel CollegeChaplaincy)
86% of survey respondents said that their Inter FaithWeek activity helped participants to learn more aboutpeople of different faiths and beliefs
A school visit during Inter Faith Week to Neasden Temple (Photo:BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha)
An event on the theme of ‘Bringing communities together throughinter faith dialogue’ at the London Buddhist Vihara (Photo: IFN)
Participants in an inter faith service held by the York Liberal JewishCommunity for Inter Faith Week (Photo: The Press, York)
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Discussion and debate
Inter Faith Week 2017 provided an opportunity forpeople of different faiths and beliefs to talk togetherabout many issues such as:
making a difference together to their local•community and neighbourhoods
breaking down of stereotypes and tackling prejudice•
widening involvement•
how to build positive relations between faith•communities in the UK
conflict resolution•
and building understanding between faith•communities and non-religious belief groups
Participants in discussion during a Watford Interfaith Associationtour of places of worship (Photo: Watford Interfaith Association)
A YouTube video showing ‘The Archbishop’s Big Conversation’, a Q &A with the Archbishop of Canterbury held in Leicester during InterFaith Week
Participants in dialogue at the Faith and Belief Forum ‘InterfaithSummit’, held annually during Inter Faith Week (Photo: Faith andBelief Forum)
A graphic promoting the Inter Faith Week and National Union ofStudents #IFWcoffeeconvos social media campaign
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A faith leaders panel with local schools organised by GraveshamBorough Council (Photo: Gravesham Borough Council)
Participants in dialogue at a South Cardiff Interfaith Network eventon the theme of ‘Young, free and religious’ (Photo: IFN)
A ‘speed faithing’ dialogue activity organised at theUniversity of Hertfordshire
A Joseph Interfaith Foundation panel discussion at the JewishCommunity Secondary School (Photo: Joseph InterfaithFoundation)
An Inter Faith Week discussion on the theme of ‘Breaking downBarriers: Youth Perspectives’ organised by Initiatives of Change UK(Photo: IFN)
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Women’s events
Many Inter Faith Week events provided anopportunity for women of faith to come together fordialogue, discussion and social action. The Week sawwomen of different faiths meeting to learn from oneanother, form new friendships and discuss issues ofcommon concern.
Activities included a bring and share meal, a yogasession, multi-faith storytelling and discussion ofsocial issues such as combatting hate crime and theimportance of standing together.
An Inter Faith Week blog from the Sisters4Sisters women’s group,Preston
An Inter Faith Week tour of places of worship for women of differentfaiths in Sandwell organised by Near Neighbours (Photo: NearNeighbours)
A women and girls Inter Faith Week ‘Film and Food’ night organisedby Touchstone Bradford (Photo: Touchstone Bradford)
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A discussion on ‘The Status and Role of Women: Sikh and MuslimPerspectives’ organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’sAssociation South London (Photo: AMWA South London)
Publicity for a Sheffield Women’s Interfaith Forum event on thetheme of ‘Get to Know Your Neighbour’
Tooting Christian-Muslim Women’s Group (Photo: IFN)
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Scottish Interfaith Week
Scottish Interfaith Week has taken place since 2004and is led by Interfaith Scotland.
The theme for Scottish Interfaith Week 2017 was‘Creativity and the Arts’. Over 80 activities took placeacross Scotland.
Scottish Interfaith Week was launched at a specialevent at Discovery Point in Dundee.
A new dedicated Scottish Interfaith Week website was launched ahead of the Week, along with newsocial media accounts. This is atwww.scottishinterfaithweek.org. It is also on Twitter at@FollowSIFW and on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/FollowSIFW/.
Scottish Interfaith Week and Inter Faith Week workclosely together and in 2017 their dates were the same.
Scottish Interfaith Week will take place from 11–18November 2018. Its theme will be ‘ConnectingGenerations’.
35Participants at Scottish Interfaith Week events (Photos: Interfaith Scotland)
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The Inter Faith Week Toolkit‘The Inter Faith Week Toolkit’ is packed with activityideas for marking the Week as well as examples andillustrations drawn from the many successful activitiesheld for the Week in previous years. ‘The Toolkit’ can be downloaded atwww.interfaithweek.org/resources/toolkit
Inter Faith Learning, Dialogue andCooperation: Next Steps‘Inter Faith Learning, Dialogue and Cooperation: NextSteps’ is a resource for people who have attended anevent or followed the Week on social media and wantto get further involved in inter faith activity. ‘Next Steps’ can be downloaded atwww.interfaithweek.org/resources/next-steps
Three great resources
The Inter Faith Week ToolkitDeveloping successful activities
Inter Faith Learning,Dialogue and Cooperation:
Next Steps
89% of 2017 Inter Faith Week survey respondents indicated that they were definitely or likely to mark theWeek in 2018. Whether you have held an event before, or are planning one for the first time, here are somehelpful resources to assist with this:
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Let’s Talk: Practical pointers for inter faithdialogue‘Let’s Talk: Practical pointers for inter faith dialogue’contains short reflections and exmaples drawn fromthe work of the Inter Faith Network for the UK and itsmember bodies, with the aim of inspiring andencouraging further discussion and engagement. Italso contains practical pointers for dialogue, andincludes sections on what makes for effective andsuccessful dialogues and how difficult issues may bestbe approached. ‘Let's Talk’ can be downloaded atwww.interfaith.org.uk/resources/lets-talk-practical-pointers-for-inter-faith-dialogue
All three resources are also available in hard copy onrequest from the IFN office.
Let’s Talk:Practical Pointersfor Inter Faith Dialogue
An opportunity to:• Strengthen good inter faith
relations at all levels• Increase awareness of the different
and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contributionwhich their members make to theirneighbourhoods and to wider society
• Increase understanding betweenpeople of religious and non-religious beliefs
Inter Faith Week 201811–18 November
REFLECT/DEBATE/ COOPERATE/LEARN/ QUESTION/RESPECT/APPRECIATE/MAKEFRIENDS/CELEBRATE www.interfaithweek.orgFollow us on Facebook and Twitter:
facebook.com/IFWeek @IFWeek
Flyer promoting Inter Faith Week 2018
Visit www.interfaithweek.org/about
To register an event for 2018, go towww.interfaithweek.org/events/submit
Follow Inter Faith Week on Twitter through @IFWeek, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/IFWeek or on Instagramat www.instagram.com/IFWeek
Published 2018 by the Inter Faith Network for the UKRegistered charity no 1068934 Company limited by guarantee no 3443823 Registered in England
ISBN 1 902906 77 2
The work of the Inter Faith Network for the UK issupported by faith communities, Ministry ofHousing, Communities & Local Government,trusts and other donors.