Nationwide Consultation on Inter Faith Week

Programme Overview

Background: What is Inter Faith Week?

Inter Faith Week is an annual initiative every November, aimed at strengthening interfaith relations, increasing awareness of the diversity and contribution of faith communities in the UK, and fostering understanding between people of different religious and non-religious beliefs. Since its launch in 2009, Inter Faith Week has seen thousands of events including discussions, dialogues, community walks, cultural festivals, and educational activities. 

Consultation: January – February 2025

The Faith & Belief Forum has launched a nationwide consultation to shape the future of Inter Faith Week. The consultation, which the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government intends to fund, will be taking place in January and February 2025 and invites interfaith organisations, practitioners, and enthusiasts to share their views. The consultation is a critical step in determining how Inter Faith Week can continue to play a vital role in promoting unity and understanding in today’s diverse and multicultural society.

The consultation comes in the wake of the closure of The Inter Faith Network for the UK in Spring 2024, which had been instrumental in facilitating Inter Faith Week since its inception in 2009.

We are calling on all interfaith organisations, practitioners, and enthusiasts across the UK to participate. This is your chance to share your insights and help shape the future of Inter Faith Week. Whether you’ve hosted events, attended discussions, or simply value the importance of interfaith engagement, your voice is crucial.

You can get involved in two main ways: by attending a workshop and completing the questionnaire. 

Responses in the workshops and questionnaires will be reviewed, analysed, and summarised into a report that will be presented to the government and published online.

Attend a workshop

Workshops will be held across the country and online, to ensure that all those who wish to participate have the opportunity.

These workshops are primarily for all involved in the interfaith sector, including interfaith professionals, practitioners, volunteers, and participants. If you are passionate about interfaith in the UK, we really want you to come along to one of the workshops!

Additionally, the workshops are for those working in adjacent sectors, including community cohesion, religious education and the wider faith sector. If you are unsure whether the workshops are right for you, please email Sophie Mitchell sophie.mitchell@faithbeliefforum.org.

We’d love you to attend in person, but if you can’t make the dates in person, you can join the online workshops, which are open to all across the UK.

Workshop location and dates:

• London, 6:30 – 9pm on Thursday 23 January | St Andrew’s Waterloo, Short St, London, SE1 8LJ
• East of England, 6 – 8:30pm on Wednesday 29 January | Faculty of Divinity, 25 West Rd, Cambridge, CB3 9DP
• South West, 6 – 8:30pm on Friday 31 January | John Wesley’s New Room, 36 The Horsefair, Bristol, BS1 3JE
• Midlands, 5:30 – 8pm Monday 3 February | Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple, Oldbury, B69 3DU
• North East, 6 – 8:30pm on Tuesday 11 February | All Saints’ Church, Carr House Dr, Durham, DH1 5LT
• North West, 6 – 8:30pm on Thursday 13 February | Cross Street Chapel, Cross St, Manchester, M2 1NL
• Open Consultation 1, 2 – 4pm, Wednesday 22 January | Zoom (Open to all)
• Open Consultation 2, 7 – 9pm, Tuesday 4 February | Zoom (Open to all)
• Open Consultation 3, 10am – 12noon, Friday 14 February | Zoom (Open to all)
• Interfaith Organisations Consultation, 7 – 9pm, Tuesday 28 January | Zoom – Open to those working at interfaith organisations
• Young People Consultation, 7 – 9pm, Monday 10 February | Zoom – Open to those aged 18-35 working or volunteering in the interfaith sector, and those involved in youth interfaith programmes
• Schools and Education Sector Consultation, 7 – 9pm, Thursday 30 January | Zoom – Open to those working in the schools and education sector

If you would like to attend one of these workshops, or have any questions, please contact Sophie Mitchell.

Email Sophie Mitchell to sign up and receive full details.

Complete the questionnaire

An online questionnaire will also gather the views of those unable to attend the workshops. The questionnaire will be live from Monday 20 January to Friday 14 February. 

Click here to complete the questionnaire.

If you have any questions, thoughts or suggestions about the consultation, please contact Sophie Mitchell: sophie.mitchell@faithbeliefforum.org