Inter Faith Week took place from 15 to 21 November across England, with a national launch event on 12 November.

The week included and highlighted activities organised by bodies around the country designed to:

• strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels in our increasingly diverse society;
• encourage local faith groups and communities to reach out to each other and build stronger bonds of understanding and cooperation;
• increase awareness of the different and distinct faith communities in the UK, with a particular focus on the contribution which their members make to their neighbourhoods and to wider society;
• to gain positive profile for inter faith initiatives, locally, regionally and nationally, as well as for the overall work of building good inter faith relations
• increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs
• encourage the development of new partnerships within local communities and by faith communities with statutory and third sector partners.

The Week was facilitated by the Inter Faith Network for the UK, working with its member bodies, in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), in consultation with the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Local Government Association and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. CLG liaised, as appropriate, with other public agencies and helping facilitate publicity.

The Week was not a ‘top down’ Week with a programme of centrally organised or officially ‘badged’ events. It was a week in which faith groups and their places of worship, inter faith bodies, schools and institutions of further and higher education, local authorities and other public agencies, as well as others, were encouraged to hold their own events and to highlight the importance of inter faith understanding and cooperation and greater awareness about the faith communities and their engagement in building community.

In England, English Regional Faith Forums carried information on their websites about IFW linked events and projects in their regions.

The Week was marked in Wales as well as in England.

An annual Inter Faith Week already takes place in Scotland. This year it ran from 22 – 29 November

The Week was held on a ‘one off’ basis, although the option for faith and inter faith bodies to hold a similar Week in future years is being considered.

Background to the Week