The Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum has written to all MLAs seeking to highlight issues of faith diversity in Northern Ireland. In particular the Forum has asked the elected representatives to give consideration to a number of key points.
The Forum requests consideration of:
§ The importance of recognising faith diversity in public events that are organised by the Assembly, government departments and arms-length bodies (e.g. Holocaust Memorial Day, hospital memorial services etc.)
§ Showing support by the Assembly for events recognising faith diversity (e.g. Inter-Faith Week)
The Inter-Faith Forum was formed in May 1993. The Derry/Londonderry-based Inter-Faith North/West was formed in 2008. Together, these organisations represent the only fully operational multi-faith association functioning across Northern Ireland.
The essential aims of the Forum are to promote mutual understanding between different faith traditions and to educate people in Northern Ireland in awareness that we are not a country of two traditions only, but a vibrant community of many faiths. Our members are drawn from many religious backgrounds including Bahá’í, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan and Sikh, as well as Christians from different traditions.
In all other regions of the United Kingdom there is explicit support for inter-faith dialogue:
§ In England, the Coalition Government core-funds the Inter Faith Network for the UK and the Faith-Based Regeneration Network.
§ The Scottish Executive supports an annual Inter Faith Week in Scotland and core funds the Scottish Inter-Faith Council. Each session of the Scottish Parliament opens with prayers and readings led by people from different faiths.
§ The Welsh Assembly core funds both the Inter-Faith Council of Wales and has also established the Inter-Faith Forum for Wales to liaise directly with the Assembly. In May this year the Welsh Assembly had an opening ceremony that was led by the Inter-Faith Forum.
In all other parts of the UK a week in November is designated “Inter-Faith Week”. We feel that if the Assembly were to support the introduction of this to Northern Ireland it would provide a valuable opportunity to encourage faith communities from many different perspectives to organise events with an inter-faith focus.
The Inter-Faith Forum is asking MLAs to support the following actions:
§ Ensuring that all events organised by the Assembly, government departments and arms-length bodies are open to and inclusive of people from all faith backgrounds.
§ Arranging for specific events to recognise faith diversity.
§ Establishing of Inter-Faith Week in Northern Ireland to encourage members of all faith communities (including the congregations of the Christian churches) to recognise faith diversity.
The Inter-Faith Forum has asked MLA’s to respond to their specific requests and to indicate their willingness to support and facilitate these actions.
For further information, please contact:
Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie, Chair of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum via e-mail: scottpeddie@talktalk.net, or ‘phone: 07738 685801, or
Mr. Edwin Graham, Secretary of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum via e-mail: edwin.graham21@gmail.com, or ‘phone: 0777 9600 254.