Press Release: Inter Faith Week 2018 - 6 months to go!

PRESS RELEASE

14 May 2018

It's six months to go until national Inter Faith Week!

This ever more popular Week takes place in November each year, aiming to:

• Strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels
• Increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, celebrating and building on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society
• Increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs

This year the Week takes place from 11-18 November. It is the 10th such Week.

Inter Faith Week has grown steadily ever since its launch in 2009. It is a fantastic opportunity for people of all faiths and beliefs to mix and learn; visit places of worship of your neighbours and find out why their faith matters to them;  get past stereotypes and misunderstandings and increase religious literacy; celebrate; dialogue; and volunteer together to help your local community.

Rt Revd Richard Atkinson OBE and Jatinder Singh Birdi, Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network, say:

“We hope that this year even more individuals and organisations will take part, encouraging yet wider involvement in activities to strengthen inter faith understanding and cooperation.”  

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, Minister for Faith at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, says:

“Inter Faith Week is a great way to recognise the amazing contributions of communities of all faiths and none from across the country.
 
“It’s important that we celebrate the great efforts of those who come together and build valuable relationships to the benefit of British life.”

The Week is timed to begin on Remembrance Sunday, which this year is the Centenary Armistice Day, with an opportunity to remember the service of soldiers and civilians of different faiths and beliefs.

The Inter Faith Network’s Inter Faith Week Toolkit is packed with suggestions for marking the Week and examples and illustrations drawn from the many successful activities held for the Week to date by faith and belief bodies, local inter faith organisations, community and voluntary organisations, businesses, local authorities, emergency services, SACREs, schools, colleges, universities, chaplaincies, sports organisations, and others.  It also includes practical guidance and links to further information.  As well as this, a newly published report on last year’s Week, Inter Faith Week, Inspiration for 2018, Stories from 2017 gives even more examples and ideas for 2018. 

Inter Faith Week: Stories from 2017, inspiration for 2018

The report can be found on the Inter Faith Week website at www.interfaithweek.org/resources/reports

Flyer

Click on the image on the right to download the 2018 flyer in PDF format. The report can also be found on the Inter Faith Week website at https://www.interfaithweek.org/resources/flyer

Notes

1. The Inter Faith Week Toolkit and the Inter Faith Week 2018 flyer can be downloaded from www.interfaithweek.org   Hard copies are also available on request from the office of the Inter Faith Network: ifnet@interfaith.org.uk
2. Inter Faith Week: Inspiration for 2018, Stories from 2017 can be downloaded at: https://www.interfaithweek.org/resources/reports 
3. Many local inter faith organisations take part. These can be contacted via: www.interfaith.org.uk/involved/groups
4. Inter Faith Week is a programme of the Inter Faith Network for the UK (www.interfaith.org.uk), which manages the Inter Faith Week website: www.interfaithweek.org, working with the Inter-faith Council for Wales (http://interfaithwales.org.uk), and the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum (http://niinterfaithforum.org) in relation to Wales and Northern Ireland.
5. A photograph of IFN’s Co-Chairs, Rt Revd Richard Atkinson OBE and Jatinder Singh Birdi, accompanies this release.
   
6. Inter Faith Week was established in England and Wales in 2009, and in Northern Ireland in 2010. Scottish Inter Faith Week has taken place with great success since 2004 and is led by Interfaith Scotland (www.interfaithscotland.org). The dates of Scottish Interfaith Week 2018 are the same as for Inter Faith Week: http://scottishinterfaithweek.org. The theme for this will be ‘Connecting Generations’
7. For further information about Inter Faith Week contact:  interfaithweek@interfaith.org.uk 020 7730 0410.
8. Sunday 18 November will be Mitzvah Day (www.mitzvahday.org.uk) - a Jewish-led day of social action involving people of all faiths and none working together in their local communities. Many events are being jointly held to mark both Inter Faith Week and Mitzvah Day and these will form a part of Inter Faith Week.
9. The work of IFN is supported by faith communities, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, trusts and other donors.
10. The Inter Faith Network for the UK was founded in 1987. It links in membership nearly 200 organisations including national faith community representative bodies; national, regional and local inter faith organisations; and educational and academic bodies with a focus on in inter faith or multi-faith issues. Its Co-Chairs are the Rt Revd Richard Atkinson OBE and Jatinder Singh Birdi. Its Executive Director is Dr Harriet Crabtree OBE.