The Government’s new Minister for Faith, Lord Khan of Burnley, will address an evening conference of inter-faith activists at Coventry University on Tuesday, 12th November. Lord Khan is set to highlight the Midlands’ role in encouraging and promoting inter-faith, as well as reflecting upon the discussions he has had with various faith leaders since taking his position in government earlier this year. He will share what he has learned and discuss how we can all move forward to build stronger inter-faith relations and communities.
The ‘Midlands Interfaith Conference’ is designed to re-energise inter-faith activity in the East and West Midlands. As in other parts of the country, those working on dialogue and social action involving different faith groups have been demoralised by factors including the closure of the Inter Faith Network for the UK following the cancellation of its funding earlier this year.
The situation in the Middle East and the unrest in British cities during the autumn have also left inter-faith groups reeling. One activist said: “Some who’ve spent years working in interfaith have stepped away. It’s too fraught, the fault lines are too volatile, and the danger of personal blowback is too great.”
The Midlands Interfaith Conference has been organised by the United Religions Initiative UK, a registered charity which acts as a platform for a variety of multi-faith projects. It is part of the international United Religions Initiative, a movement of around 1,200 grassroots multi-faith groups across 113 countries.
Aside from the Minister, speakers will include Thought for the Day regular Julie Siddiqi; Rabbi Michael Hilton, Scholar in Residence at London’s Liberal Jewish Synagogue; and the Dean of Coventry Cathedral.The conference will feature an Interfaith Fair where local and national inter-faith bodies will showcase their activities. It will be preceded by a workshop for young adults, where they will be trained in practical ways to address issues like online hate in a proactive, multi-faith way.
URI UK Chair, Deepak Naik MBE, said: “There was a clear demand for an event that would bring inter-faith activists, public sector organisations and others together, to begin the work of rebuilding trust and partnerships between people of different faiths in our region. I am delighted that, with the help of the National Lottery Community Fund, URI UK was able to make it happen.”
Around 90 interfaith activists are expected to attend the conference, but places are still available for journalists or activists.