Interfaith Week 2009 National Launch and Exhibition

Interfaith Week has become the national calendar highlight for exciting faith led initiatives on local, regional and national levels.  This year, the week was kicked off with a national exhibition and launch event at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, in Westminster, London, opposite the beautiful Westminster Abbey.

The event was co-hosted by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Interfaith Network for the United Kingdom. There were over 60 exhibitors spread over two large conference halls including national groups like the Joseph Interfaith Foundation, the NCVYC, Tony Blair Faith Foundation and the Christian Muslim Forum, as well regional faith forums and individual faith exhibitions.

The speakers at the Launch Event included the co-chairs of Inter Faith network for the United Kingdom, Dr Girdari Lal Bhan and Rt Rev Dr Tom Butler, as well as the Secretary of State, John Denham MP, along with other MPs, Caroline Spelman, Julia Goldsworthy and Diana Johnson. The Secretary of State made a big announcement:

“I am confirming that we are making £2 million available through the Faiths in Action programme; which faith, inter faith, voluntary and community sector groups can bid for to support projects which will bring people of faith and without faith together to overcome social division and promote cohesion. Faith is a strong and powerful source of honesty, solidarity, generosity - the very values which are essential to politics, to our economy and our society.”

A massive contribution to the event was made by young people of different faiths from every corner of the country, with testimonials of they came into interfaith work, what impact it has made on their lives and why they believe so strongly in it. This was followed by a live performance from a group of young musicians from Yorkshire and Humber, called Swara, blending traditional Indian music with the more familiar vibe of an electric guitar.

The final speaker of the day was our own Monsignor John Devine of the North West Forum of Faiths, with a PowerPoint presentation on Faith-based Regeneration