different faiths shared valuesConnect

As a young person in 21st century Britainyou belong to an increasingly diversesociety where people of many culturesand faiths live side by side. This action guide is about makingconnections and friendships. It’s abouthow it matters to build bridges offriendship and understanding betweenpeople of the different and distinctreligions in this country today.

Inside…2 3 Big Myths4 Shared values8 Making it happen!10 Planning for success12 Good to talk18 Celebrate!19 Let’s talk over lunch22 Resources

Published by the Inter FaithNetwork for the UK in association with TimeBankand the National Youth Agency.

Inter Faith Network registeredcharity number 1068934 and acompany limited by guaranteenumber 3443823 registered inEngland.

ISBN Number: 1 902906 12 8

© Inter Faith Network 2004

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What’s itall about?• Making friends • Helping to end prejudice

and stereotyping• Getting together and

helping others • Helping defuse tensions

and resolve conflicts• Helping your

community• Celebrating diversity• Adding something extra

to your own life

So, you may be a Christian, aMuslim, a Hindu, a Sikh, a Jewor a Buddhist. You may be aJain or a Baha’i or aZoroastrian, or a member of adifferent faith or belief.Whatever your background, ifyou want to help make the UKa place where respect,co-operation and trust existbetween people of differentfaiths and beliefs, read on.

Did you know?Over 75% of people whoanswered the question aboutreligion in the 2001 Censussaid they belonged to aparticular religious tradition.

For example, 152,000 peopleidentified themselves asBuddhist, 267,000 asJewish, 336,000 as Sikh,559,000 as Hindu,1,591,000 as Muslim and42,079,000 as Christian.179,000 identified theirreligion as “other” andwrote in a wide variety ofdifferent religions.

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Big myth 1: Well,they may say they’rereligious but no-onebelieves any ofthat stuff

They do and it makesa big difference totheir lives:“My faith has given me theconfidence and motivation tosucceed in all aspects of mylife. It has encouraged me totreat others with respect andunderstanding, as they too arepart of God’s creation.”Mohammed, Muslim

“My faith has provided me withstrength when I’ve needed it,helped me to tell right fromwrong, and given me a way ofsorting out what really mattersfrom what doesn’t.” Viren, Jain

3 BIG MYTHSBig myth 2: Religiouspeople are just abunch of fanaticsTurn on the TV and you cansee story after story aboutconflict and problems aroundthe world.

A bomb has gone off. Apresenter is saying that religiousfanatics are the cause. Religioncan receive a bad press.

Over the centuries, religiouspeople have stood up for whatthey believed: from founders offaiths and prophets, tofollowers like Gandhi and

Martin Luther King Jr. Beingstrong in your views does notmake you a “fanatic”. Believingin the fundamental importanceof the teachings of a faith doesnot make you a “fundamentalist”in the negative sense of areligious extremist.

Most wars andconflicts have little todo with religion, butreligion can get usedas a justification byregimes and byterrorists.

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Big myth 3: Religiondivides people. All thereligions hate eachother reallyNothing puts people off likeinter religious hatred andsquabbling. It’s true that therehave been centuries of mistrustand out and out rivalry. Peoplehave sometimes killed or beenkilled in the name of religion(even though religion may wellnot have been the actual causeof the problem).

But followers of the differentworld faiths can live togetherpeacefully.

Across the UK many people ofall religions can and do livealongside each other, get onwell and work together onpractical projects – like helpingthe homeless or the elderly orimproving the localenvironment. There are manyexamples of inter religiousharmony even if they rarelymake the headlines.

“Until different religionstake a step back tounderstand each other,religious conflicts will go on.This is why it is increasinglyimportant for members ofdifferent faiths to get ontogether and to understandthe differences betweentheir beliefs and practicesand, more importantly, toacknowledge the similaritiesand work side by side toachieve their sharedgoals.” Ashmi, Hindu

It’s time for peopleof different faiths tospeak up louderabout all the goodthings connectedwith religion: aboutthe ways thatreligions helppeople and aboutthe benefits thisbrings to individualsand communities.

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There are over 200local inter faithinitiatives currentlyrunning in the UKbuilding better interfaith relations at alocal level*. *source: Local Inter Faith Activity in the UK: ASurvey published by the Inter FaithNetwork for the UK, 2003

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“ I think religion is beingused as a source of conflictand not as a means of worshipand every day guidance as itwas when I was younger. Thisis becoming more of aproblem when it never used tobe… I think somehow weneed to find the meanswhereby Sikhs and Muslims,and Hindus and Muslims, canintegrate more and get abetter understanding of eachother, not seeing a person andjust labelling them as a Sikhor Muslim, but seeing theperson as they really are”Kiran, Sikh

All of the major faithshave teachings whichencourageco-operation withpeople of other faiths

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Bahá’í faithLay not on any soul aload which ye wouldnot wish to be laidupon you, and desire

not for any one the things yewould not desire for yourselves.

This is My best counsel untoyou, did ye but observe it.

Baha‘u’llah, Gleanings, 128

BuddhismJust as a motherwould protect heronly child with herlife, even so let

one cultivate a boundlesslove towards all beings.

Khuddaka Patha, from theMetta Sutta

ChristianityDo to others as youwould have them doto you.

Luke 6:31

IslamNo one of you is abeliever until hedesires for hisbrother that which

he desires for himself.

An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith,13

JainismI forgive all beings,may all beingsforgive me, I havefriendship towards

all, malice towards none

Pratikraman Sutra 35:49

JudaismWhat is hatefulto you, do notdo to yourfellow man.

Talmud: Shabbat 31a

SikhismNo one is my enemy,and no one is astranger. I get alongwith everyone.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib p.1299

The Golden RuleEach faith has teachingsabout the importance ofdealing rightly with otherpeople. This principle – totreat others as we would wishto be be treated ourselves –is sometimes calledthe “Golden Rule”.

SharedValues

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The great faith traditions areeach distinct, but there areimportant values that peopleof different faiths share.Leaders and members ofdifferent faiths cametogether in the Houses ofParliament for a specialMillennium “Act of Reflectionand Commitment” andaffirmed this in these words:

In a world scarred by the evils of war, racism, injustice andpoverty, we offer this joint Act of Commitment as we look toour shared future.We commit ourselves,as people of many faiths,to work togetherfor the common good,uniting to build a better society,grounded in values and ideals we share:community,personal integrity,a sense of right and wrong,learning, wisdom and love of truth,care and compassion,justice and peace,respect for one another,for the earth and its creatures.We commit ourselves,in a spirit of friendship and co-operation,to work togetheralongside all who share our values and ideals,to help bring about a better worldnow and for generations to come.

“There is a story that a famous rabbi called Hillel was challenged toexplain the Torah (the five books of Moses) while standing on one foot. Hillelreplied simply, ‘Whatever is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour: thisis the whole law; the rest is mere commentary.” For me, this value is at theheart of my religion. To love and care for others as you would expect to betreated by them. Jewish values, such as charity, welcoming strangers andnot gossiping, have influenced me throughout my life as a Jew growing upin Britain, surrounded by others different to myself.”. Ruth, Jewish

ZoroastrianismThat nature only isgood when it shallnot do unto anotherwhatever is not

good for its own self.

Dadistan-I-Dinik 94.5

HinduismThis is the sum ofduty: do naught toothers which ifdone to thee

would cause thee pain.

Mahabharata 5.1517

Find out more aboutthe Act of Reflectionand Commitment atwww.interfaith.org.uk

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Case Study 1Ekta“I got involved with an anti-racismyouth project in Kettering. Thegroup was made up of 14 youngpeople who volunteered for theproject. Our first task was tochoose a name for the group. Wecame up with “Ekta”, whichmeans unity in Hindi. The groupmeets every two weeks and Ihave made some really goodfriends at Ekta. We talk about allsorts of things and work togetheron ideas to raise awarenessabout racism. We received anaward from the NorthamptonshirePolice for our work and spent themoney on producing a web site.”www.ektakettering.orgSarabjit, Sikh

“I created Blackburn HeatsVolleyball Club last year with thehelp of two close friends Saeedand Alfred. The club was formedas a backlash againstdiscrimination both in sport andin our community in general. Welooked to create a safe havenfor people who wanted to playvolleyball and other sportswithout having to wonder wherethe next assault would comefrom. Together we gatheredyoung people mostly fromChristian and Muslimbackgrounds and decided thatwe were no longer going toaccept the situation and webegan a move to change it.

We recently held an open sportsforum with Blackburn withDarwen Sporting Club in whichpeople from many races cameand participated in the spirit ofsport. The sight was aweinspiring. Finally I knew that ourcause was making headwayand felt a supreme sense of selfworth and belonging as I saw

white, black and Asianteenagers having fun together.

Now we are trying to expandour membership and are holdinga festival of respect to get moreyoung people involved in theclub, whether as players or asvolunteers to improve the qualityof their life and to secure abright future for all concerned”.Asif, Muslim

Case Study 3Blackburn Heats

Case Study 2The Story of Noah“In my church youth group welooked at the story of Noah andrealised that the story wasshared in common with Jewishand Muslim faiths and thoughtthat we could do an arts andcrafts event with young people ofthese faiths on this theme. Wegot in touch with Nottingham InterFaith Council and eventuallyorganised a series of four sessionswith other young people from theJewish Lads and Girls Brigade andthe Muslim Bobber’s Mill YouthClub. In these sessions we got toknow each other and took part inart, music and role play on theNoah theme.”Lucy, Christian

7Idea Champions project, Tower Hamlets. www.ideastore.co.uk

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1 Getting to know people ofother faiths is not difficult. Youmay already have friends orneighbours of different faiths.Why not ask them abouttheir faith and what it meansto them?

2 Join or start an inter faithdiscussion group at yourschool, college or youth club.See if a “faith forum” or dayconference can be organised.

3 Start an inter faith discussionforum at your university orcollege or encourage thedifferent religious societies toco-operate on a joint event. Ifyou belong to a studentreligious society, host an interfaith discussion.

4 Organise an internationallunch or supper asking peopleto contribute dishes from theirtraditions (see the section onfood on page 19).

5 Organise an event as part ofa special day or week such asOne World Week(www.oneworldweek.org) orComic Relief.

6 Organise a quiz, featuringquestions about each other’s faiths.

7 Work as part of an inter faithteam to organise a sports eventand get people of different faithsinvolved.

8 Find out if there is an interfaith group in your area and offer

to make a presentation aboutissues that are important to you.The group might also beinterested in helping you set upan inter faith link between youngpeople or a special project.

9 See if your school or collegeor local inter faith group will helpput on an exhibition about thedifferent faiths in the area. Joinwith friends to takephotographs and video clips orborrow resources from otherorganisations who have put onexhibitions (see resources).

10 Contact your local radiostation to see if they might beinterested in an inter faithprogramme featuring youngpeople of different faiths.

Making it happen!OK, I want to do something to make a difference, but what can I do? First and foremost do what interests you. Here are some ideas…

For help with makingcontacts or carrying outyour project see theresources sectionon page 22.

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11Organise visits to differentplaces of worship. If there aren’tmany in your own area youcould organise a trip to a townor city further afield. Many localinter faith groups organiseannual “pilgrimages” to anumber of different places ofworship in a day. You could joinone of these.

12 If you belong to a church,gurdwara, mosque, synagogue,temple, vihara or other place ofworship, ask if it will host anopen day for local people tovisit. Young people could act asguides. If it has a youth group,see if the group can host aninter faith day or event.

13 If you live in an area wherethere is sometimes tensionbetween young people of differentbackgrounds you might want tolearn about “conflict resolution”skills and work together to putthese into practice.

14 Get together with somefriends of different faiths andsee if you can get involved witha project such as helpinghomeless or elderly people; oran environmental project, suchas clearing an area of localwasteland or removing offensivegraffiti. Or work together toraise money for a charity likeChildren in Need, for exampleby recycling cans for cash.

“Charity is one of the highestvirtues and is commanded byAhura Mazda the creator God.One of our important prayerstells us that Ahura Mazda’skingdom is for the person whonourishes the poor.”Farmeen, Zoroastrian

15 If you are at a school whichhas mainly pupils of one faith,see if your teachers canorganise an event orexchange visit with a nearbyschool which has pupils ofother faiths.

If you plan an event which features prayers orreadings from different faiths, it is important toremember that not everyone is comfortablejoining in a prayer of a different religion.Instead you could organise the event so thateach faith makes a contribution in turn withoutexpecting everyone to join in.

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Test your knowledgeabout faith issues withon line quizzes atwww.respect.org.uk andwww.bbc.co.uk/religion ?

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You’ve decided to arrange aninter faith event, but how doyou get started? Here aresome tips on organising aninter faith event or project:

1 Plan in advance – write downwhat you want to achieve andhow you want to do it – thinkahead and be flexible

1 Get people involved; don’t tryto do everything yourself

1 Make a list of everything youwill need and how to get it

1 If you need some funding,start by asking people andorganisations that you know(the resources section listssome suggestions oforganisations you can applyto for funding)

1 Don’t stop. If you know youare doing somethingworthwhile, don’t let othersput you down

1 Get going. Get your projectrolling, don’t sit on your ideaand do nothing about it. Ifthings don’t go exactly asyou expected, you canalways adjust your plan asyou go

1 After your event or projectseek feedback to help youin future

Can’t someone elserun the project?

Don’t underestimate yourself.Many important projects havebeen started by just one personwith a great idea.

Planning for success“I have got involved in interfaith work because myChristian faith calls me toengage with the world aroundme. It has helped me lookbeyond stereotypes of otherfaiths and also helped me learnmore about my own Christianfaith. It has also helped meappreciate how difficult it is tobe religious in a secularworld ” Chris, Christian

“Baha’is believe that anywork done in a spirit of serviceis worshipping God”Danielle, Baha’i

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“Liverpool Community Spirit(LCS) brings together youngpeople from different faith andcultural groups in Liverpool 8.We do different projects likehelping primary school childrenin a reading partnershipscheme. We also take part invisits to different places tolearn about our community.We have been to a mosque, asynagogue, a parish church,the gurdwara, the CaribbeanCentre, the Liverpool 8 LawCentre and the Somali Centre.

Another project we did wascalled ‘Altar8’, where people

were invited to express theirspirituality by placing objectson a blank “altar” space. Over100 people took part. I gotinvolved with the LCS becauseI wanted to learn aboutcommunity spirit and make apositive contribution to it.Being part of the Youth Councilhas enabled me to learn aboutother faiths and cultures anduse my skills in working withthe community and working aspart of a team

The pictures show some of uson one of our field trips.”Rabietoo, Christian

Case Study 5Community Spirit

Case Study 6BBC Youth Extra“Getting involved with BBC YouthExtra has been a real eye opener.It is an inter faith youthbroadcasting group that was setup by BBC Radio Leicester. Wehave been working with otheryoung people to produce andpresent features on the radio. Wedid a feature on the Navratrifestival in Leicester and we alsointerviewed the Chief Executive ofthe Parliament of World Religions.We are now working on adocumentary on Young People,Faith and Community Cohesion.Radio work is not as easy at itseems, but it has been fun andwe have learnt a lot. You canlisten to some of our work atwww.bbc.co.uk/leicester/faith”Deepa, Hindu

Case Study 4Together as OneIn Slough, Aik Saath (Togetheras One), works with youngpeople of different backgroundsto develop their peer mediationand conflict resolution skills.

“I joined this group because Iwanted to learn more about theconflicts that happen in everydaylife. I want more feedback andinformation on conflicts, howthey start and how to resolvethem. I also wanted to build upmy confidence and mix withothers in the group. I would liketo become a person whoresolves conflicts and does notcause them.” www.aiksaath.comShazab, Muslim

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1 When asking questions ofothers about their faith, offera genuine, personal reasonfor your query

1 Find out what others actuallybelieve and value, and letthem express this in theirown terms.

1 Find out what you have incommon; what connects yourather than divides you

1 Respect the other person’sright to express their beliefsand convictions and todisagree

1 We are not all the same –accept and respect the factthat the religious beliefs ofsomeone may affect whatthey eat, what they wear andmany of the ways they dealwith other people

1 Ensure your faith is presentedwith integrity – be prepared tosay ‘I don’t know the answerto that, but I’ll find out’

1 Take care that everyoneunderstands the religiousterms that you are using – ask,“Is this clear?” every so often

1 A sense of humour is good, buttake care – jokes on religioustopics can cause offence

Talkingreligion Good t

All the major religionshave teachingsencouraging theirfollowers to find ways tolive in peace with others.Talking with people ofdifferent religions is notabout compromisingyour own principles orbeliefs. It’s about gettingrid of misconceptionsand prejudices, lookingfor common ground inshared values and aboutfinding constructiveways to discuss genuineareas of disagreement.

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Although religion may not cause wars it can certainly lead to heateddiscussion! People often speak with passion. Here are a few pointsto keep in mind when speaking about faith and religious topics:

Here are a few tips forgetting going:

1 Settle newcomers into awarm and welcoming spaceby encouraging the use offirst names – mingle friendsand people of different faiths

1 Invite everyone to sit in acircle at the same level, tofoster listening and trust

1 Start a group session with anicebreaker activity to reduceshyness and turn strangers intofriends. There are lots of goodideas in the National YouthAgency’s book Icebreakers(see resources section)

1 Ask everyone to introducethemselves saying somethingabout their faith background

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1 Invite one person to facilitatethe discussion so that theycan ensure everyone whowants to gets an opportunityto speak

1 Encourage people to talkfrom their own experiencesusing “I” statements such as“I believe” or “I think that”rather than just makinggeneralisations

1 Ensure you have enough timefor your discussion or activity

It is good to establish a fewground rules for thediscussion and to write thesedown. Examples of these are:

1 Personal information oropinions shared in the groupare not to be discussedoutside the room or the group

1 Agree to create a courteousenvironment free from abusivelanguage, whispering orpeople walking about

1 Ensure people are allowed tofinish what they’re sayingwithout interruption

1 Agree that mobile phoneswill be switched off duringdiscussions and that peoplewill stay until the sessionends

1 If things do get a bit heatedcall for a “time out”

Once you have got to knoweach other and found outabout each other’s faith orbeliefs, you might want todiscuss some current issues orparticular topics from a faithperspective. You could invite

everyone to write down theirquestions on pieces of paperand create a “lucky dip” so thatdifferent people get to answerthe questions. Or you couldcollect some newspapercuttings to discuss.

o talkLots of people find whenthey get involved in interfaith discussions thatthey want to find outmore about their ownfaith traditions or theirbeliefs.

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A great way to start is bymeeting with others ofdifferent faiths andfinding out more abouteach other’s beliefs,hopes and dreams. Theymay not be what youthink they are!

“I don’t belong to any religion butthat doesn’t mean that I don’t thinkabout the values that shape mydecisions. I try to follow myconscience and choose right fromwrong, treating others with respectand understanding” Zara

Here are some statementsthat could spark interestingdiscussions:

It’s a good idea for there to beschools which are mainly forpupils of one particular religion

Religion and politics don’t mix

We’d all be better off if religionwas banned it only causes trouble

People should be allowed towear at school and in theworkplace whatever clothing orjewellery their faith requires

Now that we have morematerially rich lives, religion is notreally relevant any more

Atheists and agnostics havemoral values just as much aspeople of different religions do

The pressures of modern societymake it hard to practise atraditional religion

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“In my first year at the Universityof Lancaster I became the chairof the very small Jewish Societyand was involved in helping toorganise an inter faithcelebration for the Chaplaincy’s30th anniversary. Five faithcommunities were involved inthis wonderful event and wewanted to make sure that whatwe had achieved togetherwould not be lost. After all thefestivities, we decided to have atermly meeting, each with adifferent theme, where peoplewould come together to shareand learn more about thediversity of our faiths and withinour faiths. And somehow Iended up as the co-ordinator!

We wanted to create a space inwhich people could come andlearn, and feel comfortable toshare. We decided to have threeparts to our “meetings”; theopening section would be aperson from each faith willing toshare with the whole group theirresponse to the topic, the second

part would be a chance forpeople to reflect and share furtherin small groups of 3 – 5. Wewould end by coming backtogether to reflect on what hadbeen said, and to have somesilence for quiet contemplation.We generally attracted between15 and 35 people. Theprogramme continues to run inLancaster, with a different co-ordinator each year, with thesupport of the chaplains.

Now I am hoping that theFaithshare model can be usedaround the country with supportfrom the Council of Christiansand Jews Youth Section”Debbie, Jewish

Case Study 7Faithshare Lancaster

For the Queen’s GoldenJubilee, 80 young people ofnine faiths came together at StJames’s Palace from acrossthe UK to talk about faith andservice to the community:

“Despite the differences in ourspiritual beliefs, the strength ofthe commonly heldhumanitarian aspects of all ourfaiths was more than enoughfor us all to be friends andwork together.”Gaurav, Hindu

“The Young People’s FaithForum was a good opportunityto meet people of differentfaiths, especially faiths that I’donly read about. It wasinteresting to listen to people ofother faiths expressing theirviews and to deal with theirperception of your own faith. Irealised that although people offaiths have many things incommon, this does notundermine or dilute eachperson’s genuine commitmentto their faith. You can bedifferent, but still be genuineand show real understandingand respect for others.”Naveed, Muslim

Case Study 8Faith Forum

15HRH The Prince of Wales with participants in the Faith Forum

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Case Study 9Faith matters“The Baha’i community inScotland nominated me to be ayouth representative on theplanning group for an inter faithconference for young peoplebeing held by the Scottish InterFaith Council. Christian, Hindu,Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh andBrahma Kumaris andRastafarian young people wereinvolved too. We were reallyenthusiastic about the idea ofthe conference which wedecided to call “Faith Matters”.We met together about everysix weeks for several monthsand planned the theme, theprogramme, the exhibitions, thespeakers and the workshopsfor the conference. Each of ustook responsibility for anexhibition about our own faithand we also each contributedprayers and thoughts for peacewhich we made into a leaflet tohand out on the day.

On the day of the conferencewe all worked together to makesure that everything ran

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smoothly – different membersof the committee wereresponsible for different aspectsof the conference – there wasgreat team spirit. Workingtogether also helped us learn alot about each other’srespective faiths as we had todiscuss practical things likewhat food should be served;what the prayer and meditationroom should be like (a friendand I organised this aspect ofthe event) and what times itneeded to be free for Muslimprayers; what sort of music weshould have at the conference;and what sort of topics shouldbe discussed. Although therewas diversity in some of thepractical things that thedifferent faiths needed therewas also a lot of unity ofthought and purpose and wereally developed a great respectfor each other and for eachother’s points of view.”www.interfaithscotland.orgKarmel, Baha’i

Case Study 10MoJoW“MoJoW is a group of religiouslyorientated women from Judaismand Islam at CambridgeUniversity who are seekingcommon ground with eachother through their commitmentto their respective religiouspractices. Our aim is to buildrelationships with each other inorder to break down the mutualsuspicion and ignorance thatexists in both of ourcommunities. Women from thetwo faiths have a deepcommonality and sensibility. Oursessions have helped us tolearn about each other’s faithand build friendships in anintimate, warm atmosphere. Wehave discussed things likefestivals in our faiths, headcovering that women wear, andlooked at our shared history. Weend each session by saying ourrespective prayers. Therelationship between the faithswill take time, but it is thecommitment to that gradualgrowth that binds us together”Miriam, Jewish andSophia, Muslim

Case Study 11Inter Faith Forum"We belong to the University ofLondon Union BuddhistAssociation. Recently we heldan inter faith forum withspeakers from five differentreligions offering theirperspectives on the question"The War on Terrorism – Howethical is it?". The idea was tohave a chance to explore thesimilarities and differences ofreligious thought on a particulartopic. It was very successfuland we think it made a realcontribution to promotingunderstanding and peacefulcoexistence between faiths."www.ulubuda.org.ukChao Rong and Yee Leng,Buddhist

Case Study 12The peace line“We go to Lagan College, whichis an integrated school inNorthern Ireland, which meansthat both Catholics andProtestants go to it. Going herehelps us to be aware of thedifferences between the twocommunities and to be part ofending sectarianism. Recently agroup of us went to the PeaceLine in West Belfast. This is oneof the walls that was put up toseparate the Catholic andProtestant areas and is a signof the troubles that haveplagued Northern Ireland. Welearnt about the work of theCornerstone Community andother groups which are workingto build peace andunderstanding between the twocommunities and we want to bepeace builders ourselves.” www.lagancollege.comLaura, Rosanna and Ciaran,Christian

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April or May

BuddhistsWesak Happy Wesak. Celebrates theenlightenment of the Buddhaunder the bodhi tree.

25 December

ChristiansChristmasHappy Christmas. Celebratesthe birth of Jesus. SomeOrthodox Churches celebrateon 7 January.

October or November

HindusDiwaliHappy Diwali or ShubhDiwali. The festival of lightsfocusing on Lakshmi thegoddess of wealth and markingthe return of Lord Rama afterdefeating Ravan.

Dates Vary

MuslimsEid-ul FitrEid Mubarak. Celebrationmarking the end of the Muslimholy month of Ramadan andthe end of the month of fasting.

14 April

SikhsVaisakhiHappy Vaisakhi. Marks thefoundation of the Khalsa Panth,the community of Sikhs.

All the faiths have specialdays when events of particularsignificance are rememberedor celebrated. Calendars ofdifferent faiths are differentfrom our national calendar,and some dates move year byyear. You can find out dates ofdifferent faith festivals atwww.bbc.co.uk/religion/interactive/calendar or fromthe Shap Calendar (see underresources). Of course eachfaith has more than one day ofmajor significance but hereare some of the festivalscelebrated by different faithson which it is traditional toexchange special greetings.

Celebrate!September

JewsRosh Hashanah Happy New Year or ShanaTova. The Jewish New Year is atwo day festival which is followedby a further 8 days of repentanceand self-examination, culminatingin a day of prayer and fasting onthe Day of Atonement.

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Did you know?

Religious beliefs, rooted in thescriptures and teachings of thedifferent faiths, can affect whatpeople will eat and drink. Forexample:

Jews have special rules anddietary laws and manyOrthodox Jews will eat only“kosher” (“fit” or “proper”) food.Muslims have special dietaryrules which means that theyare supposed only to eat“halal” (“permitted”) foods.Eating pork or ham or otherproducts from pigs is forbiddenfor Jews and Muslims.

Hindus refrain from eating beefand many are vegetarian anddo not eat eggs. Some alsoavoid garlic and onion. Jains donot eat meat or eggs and aresupposed to avoid eating rootvegetables such as carrots,potatoes, garlic and onion tominimise harm to minute living

beings. Some Sikhs, Buddhistsand Christians are vegetarian.Sikhs do not eat halal orkosher meat.

So what do we feedeveryone at a multifaith get together?

1 Make plenty of totallyvegetarian dishes

1 Have some vegetarian disheswhich contain no eggs, garlic,onion, potato or carrots

1 Use non-dairy buttersubstitutes

1 Make sure there is no animalgelatine or animal fat inanything marked as vegetarian

1 Make sure there is no alcoholin any of the food

1 Watch out for crisps andother snacks which maycontain animal or fish protein

1 Have plenty of fruit available

1 Always label the food clearlyso that people can feelcomfortable about what theyare eating.

“For our events, we have justvegetarian catering so themaximum number of peoplecan share food together”Bhupinder, Inter Faith Network

Let’s get togetherand talk about itover a drink

Hmm. What sort of drink?Alcohol is forbidden to Muslimsand to followers of a number ofother faiths such as the Baha’ifaith. Many Buddhists, Hindus,Jains and Sikhs and someChristians also avoid alcohol.Some religious people avoiddrinks with caffeine or otherstimulants. So if you are servingtea or coffee, it is a good ideato also offer alternatives likewater, herbal tea or fruit juice.

let’s talk over lunch21 March

Baha’isNaw-RuzHappy Naw-Ruz or HappyNew Year. Marks the end ofthe 19 day fast that concludesthe old year.

October or November

Jains Vira-Nirvana/DeepavaliHappy Deepavali. Jainscelebrate Lord Mahavir’sliberation and also the JainNew Year which marks theattainment of absoluteknowledge by Guru Gautam.

March

ZoroastriansNo-RuzHappy No-Ruz. New Year’sDay according to the Faslicalendar used in Iran.

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Case Study 13Youth CHOGM“A CHOGM is a‘Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment Meeting’ whichhappens every 2 years whenleaders of the 54Commonwealth countries cometogether to discuss issues ofglobal concern. We had theopportunity to take part in aspecial UK ‘Youth CHOGM’hosted by the Secretary Generalof the Commonwealth atMarlborough House in London.100 of us, all aged 14-24, frommany different backgrounds hada chance to role playCommonwealth diplomacy andto debate some of the keyissues facing Commonwealthcountries. We also had a chanceto discuss local issues. Severalof us of different faiths werechosen specially to give a faithperspective. There are going tobe more ‘Youth CHOGMs’ andwe think they are a brilliant wayto help increase cooperationand understanding.”www.the commonwealth.orgTom, Christian andSerina, Sikh

Case Study 14Working together“As part of our business studiescoursework we were asked tochoose a charity of our choiceand make a presentation aboutit in front of the class,explaining why its work isimportant. I got together withthree friends of different faiths(Sikh, Zoroastrian, and Muslim)to talk about the Inter FaithNetwork. We each made apresentation about ourparticular religion and alsoexplained the importance of thedifferent faiths workingtogether.”Gaylina, Buddhist

“After 11 September 2001,there were a number of localincidents of anti-Muslim andanti-Jewish abuse. Some ofthe students at our school(Coedcae School, Llanelli)began a project to helppromote awareness, toleranceand respect between allcommunities. The idea wasinspired by one of our teachersand is a “Peace Mala”. In theEast, a mala is a string of beadswhich may be used inmeditation or prayer. Our PeaceMala is a double rainbowbracelet made up of beads ofdifferent colours, with eachbead representing a differentreligion or spiritual path andtheir peace messages for theworld. A final single clear beadrepresents unity, harmony andpeace. The bracelet has twoknots. The first knot representsthe wearer – we are eachunique and special!

The last knot reminds each oneof us that how we behave in lifeaffects everyone we meet andwe should follow the path ofpeace and friendship to helpcreate a better world.”Emily, Christian, Imran,Muslim, Paul, Pagan

The Peace Mala project waslaunched at the United NationsAssociation Temple of Peace inCardiff where candles in thecolours of the Peace Mala, werelit by representatives of 14spiritual traditions.www.peacemala.org.uk

Case Study 15Peace Mala

21Launch of the Peace Mala

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General informationand contactsThe Inter Faith Network forthe UKwww.interfaith.org.ukifnet@interfaith.org.ukTel: 020 7931 7766.8A Lower Grosvenor PlaceLondon SW1W 0ENThe Network promotes goodrelations between the majorfaiths in the UK. It links over100 member organisations,including the representativeorganisations of the differentfaith communities, national andlocal inter faith bodies andeducation organisations. It canhelp you with contacts for:

•Local inter faith groups inyour area

•National inter faith initiatives

•National organisations of thedifferent faiths (which can tellyou about their communities’inter faith programmes)

•Young people’s organisationsof the different faiths

The Network’s website has linksto the sites of many relevantbodies, including other nationalinter faith organisations. Someof these which have youth interfaith programmes are:

Council of Christians andJews Youth Section (YES!)www.ccj.org.uk

Maimonides Foundation(links Jewish and Muslim faiths)www.maimonides-foundation.org.uk

United Religions Initiativewww.uri.org.uk

The following Network memberbodies can give advice andinformation relating to theirparticular nation of the UK:

Northern Ireland Inter FaithForuminterfaithni@stran.ac.uk

Scottish Inter Faith Councilwww.interfaithscotland.orgadmin@interfaithscotland.org

Inter Faith Council for Walesinterfaith@wales.gsi.gov.uk

TimeBankwww.timebank.org.uk is a highprofile national campaigninspiring and connecting peopleto share and give time. Thewebsite contains lots ofinformation about volunteeringand a media guide to help youto publicise your activities. Therespect website,www.timebank.org.uk/respecthas lots of ideas and casestudies to help get you started.respect was a two yearTimeBank initiative with ThePrince’s Trust. Its objective wasto encourage greaterunderstanding and tolerance byinspiring people of differentfaiths and of none to give timeto each other through localcommunity projects.

The National Youth Agencywww.nya.org.uk supports thoseinvolved in young people’spersonal and social developmentand works to enable all youngpeople to fulfil their potentialwithin a just society.www.youthinformation.com isan online information kit foryoung people. It is a UK-wideyouth information site. Re

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Learning about religionsThere is a wealth of goodmaterial available through faithcommunities and religiouseducation resources. Listedbelow are some general websites which include basicinformation about differentreligions and provide links toresources on individual faiths:

www.multifaithnet.orgwww.bbc.co.uk/religionwww.re-xs.ucsm.ac.ukwww.beliefnet.com

CalendarShap calendar of religiousfestivals (accompanied by ashort booklet with informationabout different festivals).See www.shap.org forordering details.

StatisticsStatistics from the 2001 Censuson the religious make up of theUK and of different local areascan be found atwww.statistics.gov.uk

Exhibition resourcesNottingham Inter Faith Council –www.interfaithnottm.org.ukWolverhampton InterFaith Group –www.wlv.ac.uk/chaplaincy/photoex

Other helpful resourcesIf you want to arrange inter faithdiscussions or events at yourschool or college, RE teachersand those teaching CitizenshipEducation are likely to be veryhelpful resources.

In universities and colleges, thechaplaincy (including ministersof different faiths) can be ahelpful resource. The NationalUnion of Students(nusuk@nus.org.uk) issupportive of initiatives to buildgood relations on campus andmay be able to assist withadvice or information andcontacts for student religioussocieties on campus.

Connexions Directwww.connexions-direct.comProvides information and adviceto young people.

Golden Jubilee YoungPeople’s Faith ForumSummary Report. Departmentfor Culture, Media and Sport2002. Available to downloadfrom www.interfaith.org.ukThe project is grateful to theDepartment for Culture, Mediaand Sport for permission to usesome of the quotes and photosfrom young people whoattended the Golden JubileeYoung People’s Faith Forum.

The Government now has aFaith Communities Unit in theHome Office which deals withfaith issues:www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Minorities of Europewww.moe-online.comOrganises regular events andprojects to promote positiverelations between young peoplethroughout Europe.

National Inter Faith FootballTournamentwww.faithandfootball.comA national football tournamentfor youth teams which includeplayers from different faiths.

Diversity Board Game of interfaith and multi cultural life.Developed by the Suffolk InterFaith Resource,www.sifre.org.uk priced £30.00

Icebreakers, VanessaRogers, National YouthAgency Price £6.50 –email sales@nya.org.uk

Leap Confronting Conflict is anational voluntary youthorganisation and registeredcharity providing opportunities,regionally and nationally, foryoung people and adults toexplore creative approaches toconflicts in their lives. The Leapwebsite at www.Leaplinx.comcontains information about theiryouth projects

Local RadioThere are a growing number ofcommunity radio stations aroundthe country as well asmainstream radio stations thatyou could contact to get involvedwith radio. Take Over Radiowww.takeoverradio.co.uk is astation which is run by youngpeople and providesopportunities for young people totrain in radio journalism.

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The Inter Faith Network is verygrateful for the help of theproject’s Advisory Committee,which included representativesof TimeBank and the NationalYouth Agency and youngpeople from different faithcommunities.

The Network’s memberbodies, including therepresentative bodies of theBaha’i, Buddhist, Christian,Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim,Sikh and Zoroastrian faiths,provided valuable assistance inpreparing the guide.

Thanks are also extended toall the people andorganisations mentioned in theguide and to the many otherswho offered their support andassistance, including thoseyoung people who attended aspecial project meeting.

The Network is very grateful tothose who have helped to fundthe project, in particular toTimeBank, as well as to theAlma Royalton-Kisch Trust, theDepartment for Culture, Mediaand Sport and the NationalYouth Agency.

Accreditation andAwardsAnyone between 16 and 24 canbe a Millennium Volunteer (MV).An MV Certificate is awarded forvoluntary work done and showsthat you are a hard worker andcare about your community. Seewww.millenniumvolunteers.gov.uk for more information.

The Duke of Edinburgh Awardscheme recognises and awardsindividuals who take part andorganise community projects.More information is available at:www.theaward.org

FundingYou could raise money fromindividuals you know or localbusinesses. The community andyouth service of your localcouncil may be able to provideadvice on grants to youthprojects. There are a number oftrusts, foundations and otherorganisations that providefunding for youth projects.

Funderfinder is a database offunding organisations. You canaccess this at your local councilfor voluntary service (CVS). Findyour local office at the NationalAssociation of CVSs: website: www.nacvs.org.uk

The Youth Funding Guide,Nicola Eastwood, Directory ofSocial Changewww.dsc.org.uk (available incertain libraries).

Alma Royalton-Kisch Trust.A trust dedicated solely tosupporting inter faitheducational work with youngpeople. Provides grants of notmore than £1,000 and providesfast track grants of less than£500. www.kisch.org.uk

Acknowledgments?

Photo credits p1, Andrew Brackenbury (taken at Preston Manor High School); p1, Harkanwal Singh; p2,5,9,10,15,15, PA Photos; p3, Sarah Thorley; p6, Blackburn Heats Volleyball Club; p7, Dave Sinclair (courtesy of EastEnd Life); p8, Rajinder Singh Panesar (Bradford Youth SACRE); p11, Liverpool Community Spirit; p11, BBC Radio Leicester; p12, Respect: Contemplation, Communication and Cooperation Retreat;p14 Debbie Young; p16, Claire Weeldon; p21, Amanda Cruise.

Like more copies ofthis guide?

You can download it atwww.interfaith.org.uk

For details on orderingprinted copies pleasecontact the Inter FaithNetwork,ifnet@interfaith.org.uk

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Getting involved or organisingan inter faith project in yourcommunity is a kind of“volunteering”. You arevolunteering or giving up yourtime to help in yourcommunity. Benefits includethe satisfaction of knowingyou’ve made a difference byhelping bring about greaterinter faith understanding andin the process:

•you’ve gained new skills, ininformation technology orpublic speaking, for example

•you’ve tried out somethingyou always wanted to do

•you’ve grown in confidence,and now feel better preparedto take on new challenges andresponsibilities

•you’ve got plenty of newmaterial and certificates to puton your CV or in your Recordof Achievement

•you’ve made new friends andhad fun along the way.

Now it’s up to you!Whatever you decide to do,enjoy it. We wish you well!

Giving yourtime!

“Sikhs have a greattradition of serving thecommunity and our historyhas many examples ofhelping those in need. Weare taught from an early ageto remember God’s name,work hard and share whatwe can. This is calledvandshakna. Anotherimportant aspect is seva,meaning voluntary service.The gurdwara is a wonderfulexample of this spirit inpractice. Advice,accommodation and foodare provided for anyone whocomes”. Mona, Sikh

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