PRESS RELEASE: Government, religious leaders unite to support Inter Faith Week 2025 as hundreds of communities set to gather across the country
UK’s strength lies in its diversity by celebrating Inter Faith Week 2025 (November 9th – 16th), which is launching with a theme of “Community: Together We Serve”.
In the aftermath of the appalling Manchester Synagogue attack and the Peacehaven Mosque arson, religious leaders from across the UK and the UK Government are calling on people of all faiths and none to show that the UK’s strength lies in its diversity by celebrating Inter Faith Week 2025 (November 9th – 16th), which is launching with a theme of “Community: Together We Serve”.
Across the UK, hundreds of faith communities are expected to come together during Inter Faith Week to celebrate diversity and commonality, learn from one another, and build lasting relationships. Many of the communities involved find themselves wrestling with the challenge of dealing with rising hate and are choosing to loudly reject attempts to divide people by faith, race or culture by opening their doors or
joining forces with partners of different faiths in a bold display of unity.
Members of the public are urged (whether they belong to a faith community or not) by religious leaders and the UK Government to find an event near them and take this unique opportunity to build new connections with their neighbours, especially those that they may not ordinarily meet. With so many communities opening their doors, the organisers stress there is something on offer for everyone - and it’s not too late for groups to organise and advertise their own activity either.
The majority of planned events are collaborations between faith groups and grassroots activists, while others are driven by schools, local authorities, or universities. Several prominent UK landmarks –
including Clifford’s Tower in York, Leicester Cathedral and Chester Cathedral – will be playing host to events. All in all, organisers expect hundreds of events to take place across the country.
The campaign comes as last month’s official hate crime statistics for England and Wales showed that the number of religious hate crimes had risen to a record-breaking high. Police statistics show that both Jewish and Muslim people especially experience religiously motivated hate at rates hugely disproportionate to their share of the population. Inter Faith Week’s organisers hope that this year’s event will offer a visible and much needed refutation of extremism and baseless prejudice.
The campaign week officially begins on Remembrance Sunday, chosen to focus minds on remembering the enormous suffering caused when we lose sight of our common humanity and honour the contribution
made to the struggle for a safer, more peaceful world by people from every walk of life. The organisers strongly encourage supporters of their message to take part in both Remembrance Sunday and an Inter
Faith Week activity.
A formal pre-campaign launch event was held in central London in the form of a thought provoking and reflective event on November 6th, with artistic performances, speeches by Government ministers and
showcases of successful inter faith initiatives from across the UK. Part of the event also featured an exhibition of religious items, food and calligraphy from communities around the country.
A spokesperson for Inter Faith Week said: “At a time when religious and racially motivated hate are rising and people are afraid they will suffer abuse or violence for their faith, it is more important than ever that faith communities themselves show that we refuse to be divided, stereotyped or pitted against each other. The UK has a long and proud history of religious freedom, tolerance and diversity. This Inter Faith Week is an opportunity for all of us to stand united and celebrate the strength we, as a nation, can and must find in that diversity.”
Miatta Fahnbulleh, Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities, said: “Inter Faith Week celebrates unity over division, understanding over ignorance and love over hate. Faith and belief communities have shown extraordinary leadership, both in times of crisis and in their tireless daily work in communities across the country. This Government wholeheartedly supports this Week and I would encourage people in cities, towns and villages across the country to get involved by attending events in their area.”
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, said: “This year in the Catholic Church, we mark the 60th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate, a significant Second Vatican Council document on interreligious dialogue. It is a document that speaks to the transformative power of conversations and collaborations with people of faith and points us towards a dialogue that renews, restores and rebuilds broken relationships. This Inter Faith Week, if you see an interfaith event in your area, I encourage you to go along to it, particularly if you have not been to one before. The theme of this week, “Community: Together We Serve”, provides for us a challenge – to encounter others, not only with our words, but also in our acts of service. Indeed, in the words of Jesus, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). In the pursuit of community, may we seek to serve each other this Inter Faith Week.”
Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, Church of England Bishop of Willesden, said: “As Britain continues to evolve, we need a new language for difference, one that moves beyond mere tolerance toward genuine curiosity, generosity, and collaboration. The challenges are real: extremism, online hate, loneliness, and disconnection. Yet the opportunities are greater still. The alternative, a retreat into suspicion and the comfort of echo chambers, would be a tragic step backward. Divisive narratives, amplified online and sometimes exploited politically, threaten the very cohesion Interfaith Week seeks to protect. This week offers hope: the promise of a shared future built through honest encounter. It also invites us to face the painful aspects of our shared history, not to erase or minimise them, but to humbly and honestly learn from them. We attend to this task out of necessity, not naivety. People of faith and of none must resist the drift toward isolation and rediscover the courage to be curious.”
Reverend Graham Sparkes, Moderator of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, said: “Many of our faith communities have faced challenging times in the past year. It so important that as people of different faiths (and none) we stand together in solidarity. If one of us is demonised or attacked, then we all suffer. Inter Faith Week is a time when we support one another as people of different religions and work together for the good of all in our communities. It is also an occasion to celebrate the religious and cultural diversity of our society and the way it enriches all our lives.”
Imam Qari Asim and Akeela Ahmed, Co-chairs of the British Muslim Network said: “Inter Faith Week is an important moment in the UK calendar. Encouraging people of all faiths to come together, meet new people and engage in positive social action together is what we need to see. We know that faith communities are an integral part of what makes our country great, our diversity is our strength. By continuing to work together and by encouraging the next generation to do the same, we can ensure that division and hatred do not take hold and that hope and connection can be our focus, together.”
Ed Horwich, Chief Executive of the Jewish Small Communities Network, said: “British Jews deeply value the opportunity that Inter Faith Week provides to come together with people of all faiths and none. Beyond the larger metropolitan centres, over one hundred smaller Jewish communities exist across Britain’s regions. Often invisible in national discourse, these communities face a world increasingly eager to label people by the “correct” opinion, often without intellectual rigour. Getting to know one another through working side by side helps neighbours become more visible to each other, encourages a deeper appreciation of complexity, and inspires a genuine desire to go beneath the surface and see beyond our preconceptions.”
NOTES TO PICTURE EDITORS
Photography from the November 6th launch event is included in this release.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Inter Faith Week was launched in England and Wales in 2009 by the Inter Faith Network in partnership with the then Department for Communities and Local Government, and has run every year since. With the
closure of the Inter Faith Network in 2024, IFW 2025 is being run by a consortium of other national inter faith organisations.
A full list of statements of support from diverse faith leaders – including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Bahá’í, Sikh and Pagan organisations – can be found on the Inter Faith Week website here. Journalists are welcome to use any of these statements as the basis for quotes. A partial list of activities taking place this Inter Faith Week can be found on the official website here.
Interviews, further comment, additional quotes or filming opportunities at specific events can be arranged on request. Local press seeking to cover specific events are encouraged to contact Stuart Diamond if a quote from IFW is desired, but to reach out directly to local event organisers if looking to film or photograph. Statistics for hate crimes are based on the Oct 9 statistical bulletin for England and Wales:
