| Workshop
5: National inter faith initiatives. A
model for local work?
Facilitator: Rosalind Preston
Reporter back: Harmander Singh
Minute taker: Nigel Wright
Opening contributions: Sister Isabel Smyth of Glasgow
Sharing of Faiths and the Scottish Inter Faith Council outlined the steps
which have led to the formation of the Scottish Inter Faith Council. She
described the way in which this is now engaging with the work of the
Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive, which looks to it as a
means of consultation with Scotland’s faith communities. Bhupinder Singh
commented on the role of the Inter Faith Network and Nigel Wright of the
Secretariat of the Inner Cities Religious Council described the role which
the Council has developed as a meeting place between Government and faith
community representatives. During these overviews and in the general
discussion, the following points were made:
- It is desirable that faith communities be able to link up with
national or regional frameworks (such as RDAs) but it is sometimes
difficult for the communities themselves to meet this challenge. This
has been highlighted, for example, by the fact that many faith
communities are lacking a formal London focus in relation to the GLA’s
new duty to consult them.
- Obtaining local authority support is largely contingent on a group’s
capacity to represent the widest range of constituencies – all or
many in the locality, rather than just one community.
- Local authority support is also more likely if local officials
and/or the mayor are involved in some way.
- Groups can develop, with a transition from a largely ‘inward’
focus on purely inter faith issues to one on matters of general
concern. Major events (eg the disturbances which happened in
Wolverhampton) can prompt such a transition, sharpening minds on the
role of faith in resolving such situations and their causes.
- A factor that should not be ignored in promoting inter faith
cooperation is the potential for ‘prejudicial backlash’ from the
indigenous population – or from within the more recently settled
faith communities themselves if they feel marginalised or excluded
from the larger grouping.
- Consultation with government – local or central – is a valuable
opportunity for the faith communities; but this has cost implications
for them, both in terms of resources and time.
- In most of the faiths there is no single individual who is able to
represent the whole of their faith community at either local or
national level.
- The cost of running organisations and participating in a formal
setting can be a restrictive factor.
- There is a danger of being co-opted onto other people’s agendas.
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