Getting involved in the Week

Local Authorities play a crucial role in Inter Faith Week.

The Week offers an important opportunity for local authorities to recognise the diversity and the distinctiveness of their local faith communities and the contribution which they make – singly and together – to their local community. It is also a time for encouraging dialogue between those of religious and non-religious beliefs. It is a great tool for reflecting and strengthening the integration of your local community.

Last year an increasing number of local authorities chose to support in ways such as: organising civic receptions for faith leaders; holding events with an equality and diversity focus; taking part in events of local inter faith bodies or faith communities; publicising or supporting inter faith activities in their area; and supporting the wide range of activities that are taking place in schools.

How Local Authorities have chosen to mark the Week

Local Authorities have chosen to mark Inter Faith Week in a number of ways, including supporting and publicising events organised by faith communities and other local groups; supporting the wide range of activities taking place in schools; and arranging their own very successful events, often in partnership with local faith groups and inter faith bodies.

Some events Local Authorities have been involved with in the past include:

• Lancashire County Council organised ‘Understanding Faith in the Public Sector’ to raise awareness of how the faith and public sectors intersect.
• The London Borough of Harrow, with Harrow Inter Faith Council, organised a talk on ‘Religion and Law in Modern Society’ with a panel of speakers from different faiths.
• Worcestershire County Council arranged ‘Faith in the Future of Worcestershire’; this was an event for local faith leaders and council/city planners to meet and discuss the expansion of the city.
• Huntingdonshire District Council, with the Anglican Bishop of Huntingdon, organised an ‘All Faiths Conference’ highlighting the contribution of faith organisations to the local community.
• Gateshead Council's Diversity Team worked with Gateshead Interfaith Forum, to put on a film evening at Gateshead Civic Centre which highlighted the faith diversity in the Borough through films from the 1970's to the present day.

Further information about the Week in 2010 can be found in Inter Faith Week 2010 in England which can be downloaded from here.

A detailed report and evaluation on the 2009 Week can be found here along with a full list of events which took place in 2009 here. 

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