The British Humanist Association (BHA) is organising an event to analyse issues concerning faith in community development and cohesion work. The event is being run as part of the government backed Interfaith Week and includes speakers from the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Faith Based Regeneration Network as well as community development specialists.
Pepper Harow, Local Campaigns Officer, explains, “The BHA regrets the fact that the Department for Communities and Local Government are taking such an exclusive approach. Surely if the Department believes that communities need to tackle issues of community cohesion and learning about different beliefs, it should have an inclusive approach which is framed to cover all individuals and communities and not just ‘faiths.’ We would prefer, therefore, to see a week dedicated to community cohesion more generally which does not focus specifically on religion.
However, the BHA notes that one of the aims of the week is to increase understanding between religious and non-religious individuals and feels that it would be counter productive for us to refuse to engage.
The BHA supports the idea of open debate and interactive discussion regarding many of the issues which Interfaith Week will be exploring. We therefore feel that it is important that the non-religious voice is heard in these discussions. That is why we have organised this event.”
She continued, “The event will explore the effects of government policy on communities and on individuals within those communities, whether religious or non-religious. It is open to professionals and activists in the community development, equalities, empowerment and community cohesion fields of work.”
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For further comment or information, contact Pepper Harow on 020 7462 4992.
For further details of the event please see our website.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious and campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief. It is the largest organisation in the UK working for a secular state.