The Inter Faith Network UK has announced that there will be a National Inter Faith Week later this year. National Inter Faith Week in November 2009 was the first of its kind in England and Wales (a similar event has been running in Scotland for the past six years). When the 2009 event was announced and then held, it had not been decided whether it would be a one-off. Those organisations that took part in it were asked to recommend whether they would like to see it run again. We at Leicester Council of Faiths said that we would. Here's the text of the letter from the Inter Faith Network UK:
An Inter Faith Week will take place across England and Wales from Sunday 21 to Saturday 27 November 2010. The aims of the Week are:
This will be the second time that such a Week has taken place in England and Wales. It builds on the very successful pattern of events held last November which ranged from social action events, to discussions and dialogues, inter faith football matches, meals, inter faith walks and pilgrimages, festivals and celebrations, tree plantings, exhibitions, concerts, film festivals, activities in schools and in FE and HE and other institutions.
- to strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels;
- to increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, in particular celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society;
- and to increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious belief.
Minister for Cohesion Shahid Malik said "The 2009 Week was a big success. It raised the profile of faith communities and their contribution to society, increased inter faith engagement and understanding and helped people of religious and nonreligious beliefs get into dialogue. I am delighted that there will be a similar Week in 2010.”
Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK, Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern and Dr Girdari Lal Bhan, said “Inter Faith Week offers a tremendous opportunity for shared learning, making new connections and deepening inter faith understanding.” It is hoped that faith communities across the country will take part, alongside schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, health care organisations, and many others.
The Week is being led by the Inter Faith Network for the UK, working with its member bodies, in consultation with the Department for Communities and Local Government and also with the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Local Government Association and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Regional Faith Forums in England will again play a key role in supporting and making known the pattern of events in their regions.
The Inter Faith Network for the UK was founded in 1987 to "advance public knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings, traditions and practices of the different faith communities in Britain" and to promote good relations between people of different faiths in the UK. IFN links over 170 member bodies including: national representative bodies of the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian faiths; national, regional, local and other inter faith bodies; and academic institutions and educational bodies concerned with inter faith issues.
The Inter Faith Week website will be further developed across the coming weeks to provide additional resources (including a report on last year’s Week) and event and project ideas.
Find out more about the Inter Faith Network UK:
Find out more about National Inter Faith Week:
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