Accessibility Search Site Map Contact Us

About the Inter Faith Network

How does the Network help create good inter faith relations?

The Network works to promote understanding and respect by:

	providing a trusted neutral, non-denominational framework for people of different faiths to discuss issues of shared concern, reflecting on both the distinctive aspects and the common ground of their individual traditions
	running an information service to help enquirers who want to know more about about particular aspects of building good inter faith relations
	publishing resources to help people working to promote good inter faith relations such as "Building Good Relations with People of Different Faiths and Beliefs"  and The Local Inter Faith Guide
	fostering local inter faith co-operation and offering advice on patterns of local inter faith initiatives suitable to the particular local area as well as helpful contacts
	linking national and local inter faith initiatives in the UK and sharing good practice between them through meetings and publications, including its newsletter Inter Faith Update
	supporting member bodies and working with other organisations to help strengthen their inter faith programmes and good practice
	holding meetings and conferences where social and religious questions of concern to the different faith communities can be examined together, including meetings of the Network’s ‘Faith Communities Consultative Forum’

More information about the Network’s work can be found in its Annual Review

Why is the Inter Faith Network's work so important?

Many areas of Britain are now very religiously diverse – particularly its major cities. People of most of the world’s great faith traditions live in the UK. In the 2001 census, 76.8% of people identified themselves as having a religious faith: Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish as well as Baha’i, Buddhist, Jain, Zoroastrian and other traditions.

This is a situation of great richness, with remarkable opportunities for mutual understanding and for creating a society rooted in common values, while acknowledging variety of belief and practice. Followers of different faiths are able to coexist with mutual respect and understanding. They have much to offer, drawing on their own particular spiritual heritages, to help create a society rooted in values which are held in common between the distinct historic faiths. The Act of Commitment by the Faith Communities of the UK is an important statement of this.

Understanding about and between people and communities of different faiths in the UK has increased in recent years. This is in part thanks to teaching in Religious Education and information which positive media stories and programmes provide, as well, of course, as the work of the faith communities themselves. But prejudice, bigotry, and inter religious misunderstanding still exist and can bring discord and even conflict. There is still much to be done and inter religious understanding should never be taken for granted. It has to be worked for in each place and each generation.  To this vital work, the Inter Faith Network makes its contribution.

In this section

Member Bodies
Executive Committee
Annual Review
History of the Network
Governance