The Interfaith Network for the United Kingdom
Aim
Support and encourage inter faith initiatives and share good practice between these; help create opportunities for mutual learning and tackling prejudice; offer opportunity for engagement between faith communities and Government and other public agencies on relevant issues.
History
The Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN) was founded in 1987, following two years of consultation, to advance public knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings, traditions and practices of the different faith communities in Britain including an awareness both of their distinctive features and their common ground and to promote good relations between people of different faiths in this country.
IRD Activities
- Sport and interfaith
The Inter Faith Network for the UK, in partnership with Sporting Equals, held in November 2017 a special Inter Faith Week symposium entitled ‘Using the Power of Sport to Build Good Inter Faith Relations’. The symposium provided an excellent opportunity for practitioners from the world of sport and from inter faith initiatives to explore how sport can help people of different backgrounds to meet one another, come to understand each other better, develop skills for cooperation and build stronger inter faith relations
- Mutual Dialogue
IFN’s member bodies are engaged in dialogue and discussion in a number of ways. National Faith Community Representative Bodies engage in dialogue with each other through IFN’s Faith Communities Forum. Many of IFN’s National and Regional Inter Faith Organisation member bodies work to bring two specific faiths together in dialogue. Local Inter Faith Groups also bring people of different faiths together in dialogue to discuss current issues, historical problems or matters of local concern
- Education
Part of the mission of the Inter Faith Network for the UK is working with faith communities, inter faith organisations, educators and others to increase understanding and cooperation between people of different faiths and to widen public awareness of the distinctive religious traditions in the UK. In 2016-17 a special strand of its work is ‘Learning Together’. On the agenda is discussion about ‘religious literacy'
- Youth Program
Across 2017-2018, IFN has been carrying out a programme called 'Connect: Inter Faith Engagement of Young People'. The programme began in October 2017 and led to the publication in summer 2018 of a new edition of IFN’s popular and well-regarded publication: Connect: A youth Inter faith action guide. The new Connect guide is full of ideas and case studies to inspire young people wanting to get involved in inter faith activity – or to deepen their existing involvement. It covers a wide range of activity: from dialogue and social action to sport, arts and culture and more. It also includes pointers to sources of further information. Young people played a key role in the National meeting, including as speakers, workshop presenters and discussion facilitators. A report on the day will be published soon. Five focus group sessions for young people aged 16-25 were held in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds and London, and views were also gathered in through polls on social media and a questionnaire which was sent to organisations working with young people.
Main Focus Countries of Activities
Leicester, UK - UK - UK - Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, London, UK