Event to celebrate and give thanks for the work of the Inter Faith Network for the UK, 1987 to 2024

The former Inter Faith Network for the UK made a significant contribution to inter faith understanding and cooperation in the UK over the years between its founding in 1987 and when its work ended in 2024.

Thanks to funding kindly offered for this purpose, Faith in Society (FiS) arranged a special event to celebrate and give thanks for this work. This took place on 29th April 2025 in London. FiS was supported in the event arrangement process by an Advisory Group.

The event was compèred by the last Co-Chairs of IFN, Canon Hilary Barber and Narendra Waghela. There were speakers from the different categories of the former IFN’s membership, of different faiths and ages, from all four nations of the UK. At the conclusion of the event, a Tribute to the work of IFN was signed. A copy of that will be added below, as will a short report of the event in due course.

Note:

Former IFN member bodies were given a chance to express an interest in the possible event when the former Co-Chairs wrote to them about it prior to IFN’s closure. Those who expressed interest were invited. Invitations were also extended to a number of individuals who had contributed, across the different periods of IFN’s history, to its work. There were of  course, many others who made important contributions to IFN’s work and whom it was not possible to contact. if you were one of those, the Advisory Group thanks you most warmly.

Although men and women of many different backgrounds were present – including former IFN honorary officers and trustees and Moderators of its Faith Communities Forum – the event was not organised on a ‘representative’ basis. People were invited in a personal capacity reflecting their past roles.

Faith in Society is a social enterprise company.

Celebrating and giving thanks for the work of IFN

Report on a special event held on 29 April 2025 at Goodenough College, London. The report was published by Faith in Society, Company No. 10099153 and is shared here with its permission.

IFN From Launch to Legacy

A short video produced for the event by Paresh Solanki, a former IFN Assistant Director, and shown at the event, can be viewed here.