Interfaith Scotland is the national interfaith organisation for Scotland.

We work to help ensure good relations between the diverse religion and belief communities of Scotland and also to share good practice in interfaith dialogue, education, engagement and training nationally and internationally.

Announcement: Covid-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Interfaith Scotland has been working with faith communities and local interfaith groups across Scotland to assist them in their work of supporting communities at the grassroots level. For up-to-date information on the current crisis please go to the Scottish Government website. Find out more about the re-opening of Places of Worship in Scotland

Events

Upcoming events

Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 events across Scotland

Here is a selection of national and local Holocaust Memorial Day events being held across Scotland during the week beginning 24th January 2022.

Edinburgh Interfaith Association (online)

Edinburgh Interfaith Association are hosting the Scottish National Holocaust Memorial Ceremony. The program will include contributions from Henry Wuga (Holocaust Survivor), Eric Eugene Murangwa (Rwandan genocide survivor against the Tutsi), First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and Shona Robison (Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government).

• Register on Eventbrite

📌 Wednesday 26th January, 6pm – 7pm

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust UK (online)

Sandi Toksvig OBE will be narrating the UK Ceremony for Holocaust Memorial Day this year. Sandi’s family have a personal connection to the Holocaust as they hid Jewish people from the Nazis during the war. Many special guests will be appearing, including actors, sports people and faith leaders and their contributions will sit alongside the powerful testimony of Holocaust and genocide survivors.

• Register on HMDT website

📌 Thursday 27th January, 7pm

East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Council (online)

East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Councils will jointly host their Holocaust Memorial Day Ceremony virtually this year. The Ceremony will include footage of local residents describing their family’s persecution and their subsequent move to Scotland; music provided by East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire school pupils; a prayer; and an opportunity to light a candle in your own home in memory of all those who were murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi persecution and in other genocides.

• Join the virtual memorial on the Council’s Facebook and Twitter channels.

📌 Wednesday 26th January, 7pm

Erskine Community Garden (in person)

We are holding a moment of silence and arranging an exhibition of art & crafts within the garden, to promote unity, understanding, peace and hope. Address: Erskine Community Garden at Barwood Park, Barwood Road, Erskine, United Kingdom.

• Email: enquiries@erskinecommunitygarden.co.uk
• For more information

📌 Wednesday 26th January, 11.55am

Interfaith Scotland (online and in person)

For over 10 years Interfaith Scotland has hosted the National Holocaust Memorial event for Scotland. This year we are instead holding a smaller, more intimate and participative commemorative event. We are delighted to host a Covid-appropriate, in-person commemoration at the Interfaith Scotland Dialogue Centre (Flemington House, Flemington Street, Glasgow). You can also join us online.

• In person: Register on Eventbrite
• Online: Register for Zoom link

📌 Thursday 27th January, 6.30pm

Ayrshire Interfaith Group (in person)

Ayrshire Interfaith group will be hosting a Holocaust Memorial Day event at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mossgeil Place in Ayr.

• Please contact Stuart Lang for more details: stuartlang1@hotmail.com

📌 Thursday 27th January, 7pm

Iona Abbey (online and in person)

A candlelit vigil will be held in Iona Abbey for the local congregation and for those joining by Zoom. There will be contributions from people from different traditions and musicians from the island of Iona will be playing live at the Abbey.

• Register via Zoom

📌 Thursday 27th January, 7pm

Dumfries and Galloway Interfaith Group (online)

The Dumfries and Galloway Interfaith Group is holding a short online event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. There will be readings and interfaith prayers relating to this year’s theme.

• Join Zoom event
• Meeting ID: 896 6646 6190 and Passcode: 528556

People are also invited to light a candle at a suitable location to mark the day. Should you wish to receive a special ‘HMD 2022 One Day’ candle, made by local company Caerlaverock Candles, please contact Liz.Manson@dumgal.gov.uk.

📌 Thursday 27th January, 1pm

Aberdeen Interfaith Group (online)

Aberdeen Interfaith group will be hosting Holocaust Reflections on Zoom with guest speakers Eva Clarke BEM and Dr Carl Wilkens of World Outside my Shoes.

• Email Patricia Findlay at p.a.findlay@btopenworld.com to register

📌 Sunday 30th January, 2.30pm

World Interfaith Harmony Week 2022

Interfaith Scotland is planning two events to celebrate the week which takes place from 1st – 7th February.

Protection of Mother Earth through Mindfulness and Prayer

Interfaith Scotland is hosting an online event in partnership with Mindfulness for Earth and Faith for Earth. Seven speakers from different faiths will share what mindfulness and prayer means to them in the context of protecting the environment. Encouraging us to reconnect with ourselves and our Mother Earth, each faith leader will also share a short meditation practice or a prayer. To book your place email contact@mindfulness4earth.org

📌 Tuesday 1st February, 12.30 – 2.45pm (on Zoom)

This event are also available to view live online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmyit2K8jhY 

Pilgrimage to Places of Worship

Interfaith Scotland is hosting a pilgrimage to places of worship in the West End of Glasgow on the theme of ‘Stories of Hope from Women of Faith’. We will meet a woman of faith at each place of worship who will share her faith journey, and how her faith gives her hope in difficult times. Places are very limited so book now to secure your place at: https://tinyurl.com/WIHWpilgrimage

📌 Thursday 3rd February, 11am – 3pm (in person)

A full programme is below.

Recent events

Scottish Interfaith Week

Scottish Interfaith week 2021 took place from Sunday 31st October to Sunday 7th November.

Over 70 events were held for Scottish Interfaith Week.

View programme

COP26 Vigil

The COP26 Vigil was held in George Square, Glasgow on Sunday 31st October. We marked the start of COP26 and Scottish Interfaith Week by uniting with people of all faiths and none for Climate Justice.

Senior religious leaders read the Glasgow Multi-Faith Declaration for COP26 and led prayers from a diversity of religious traditions. All participants – whether joining in person or online – were invited to pray or hold in their thoughts the COP26 negotiators.

We partnered with Interfaith Glasgow and the Scottish Religious Leaders Forum for the Vigil.

Glasgow Multi-Faith Declaration for COP26

Scottish and UK religious leaders signed a declaration calling on governments to take transformational climate action at COP26.

More than 50 religious leaders signed the Glasgow Multi-Faith Declaration which calls for those in power to put the 2015 Paris Agreement into effect.

Message from Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland for faith communities and local interfaith groups