Events

Upcoming events

Scottish Interfaith Week 2024

This year’s festival will be held from Monday 11 November to Monday 18 November. We will celebrate 20 years of Scottish Interfaith Week!

Anyone can host an event anywhere in Scotland. The theme for the week is ‘Discovery’. Find out more at www.scottishinterfaithweek.org

📌 Monday 11th – Monday 18th November 2024

 

National Interfaith Conference

To mark the 20th anniversary of Scottish Interfaith Week we are hosting a National Interfaith Conference as the festival launch event.

The conference is set to include a keynote address, a celebration of the first anniversary of Dundee City Council’s Faith Covenant, input from Interfaith Scotland’s youth board, the unveiling of the community tapestry, and workshops exploring the important issues facing our society today.

The festival theme of ‘Discovery’ is inspired by Dundee, the host city for our conference.

We believe that encouraging people to discover and learn about the lives of others is an effective way to challenge prejudice and misunderstanding both inside of us and in the world around us.

📌  Tuesday 12th November (11am-5pm), Dundee City Council Chambers, 19 City Square Dundee, DD1 3BY

 

Interfaith Conversation: Pilgrimage and Retreat

Would you like to hear unique stories about pilgrimages and retreats? Join our next Conversation Café.

You will get the opportunity to hear fascinating stories from our ‘human books’ about their life-transforming experience visiting world-renowned pilgrimage sites across the world, including Mecca in western Saudi Arabia, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Mahalaxmi Temple in Kolhapur, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in India, and Holy Isle and Iona Abbey in Scotland.

We encourage participants who have visited a holy place or sacred site to bring one or two photos to share with others during the discussion session (a photo on your phone is good enough).

📌  Wednesday 13th November (11.30am-2pm), Dundee Quaker Meeting House (Ground Floor), 9 Whitehall Crescent, Dundee, DD1 4AR

 

Let’s Create a Nature Mandala

Join a relaxing and creative workshop where you will connect and create a mandala from nature.

This will be a prayer and meditation practice with the intention for peace and harmony between people of all faiths and none.

Collect natural fallen leaves, twigs, seeds from the gardens at the venue to create the mandala. You can even bring leaves, flowers etc. from your own garden – let’s make it as colourful and unique as possible! No experience needed, just bring your creativity and an open mind.

📌  Wednesday 13th November (1.30-3.30pm), The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow

 

Discover the Impact of Faith-based Climate Action

Join researcher Donna Fry and Interfaith Scotland Director Dr Maureen Sier to discover the impact of faith-based climate action.

Donna Fry’s research explores faith-based initiatives for COP26 and their impact on policy. This research was commissioned by Professor Mark Owen of the Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace at the University of Winchester.

Dr Maureen Sier will discuss the climate work of Interfaith Scotland over the last few years, and the work of local interfaith groups and faith communities to address climate change.

📌  Wednesday 13th November (6.30-7.30pm), online

 

One Thousand Trees: Reforesting Scotland through Interfaith Climate Action

Join Interfaith Scotland and Trees for Life for a special lunchtime event during Scottish Interfaith Week to learn about interfaith climate action and the power of trees.

Our Director Dr Maureen Sier will talk about interfaith climate action and how we reached the goal of planting one thousand trees in the World Interfaith Harmony Grove.

We will be joined by special guest Alan McDonnell from Trees for Life, the charity responsible for planting and caring for the World Interfaith Harmony Grove and many other groves in protected sites across the Highlands.

📌  Thursday 14th November (12.30-1.30pm), online

 

Workshop for Teachers: Supporting the Diverse Needs of Pupils from a Variety of Religions and Beliefs

Join our workshop for teachers who are keen to learn how to best support pupils from different faiths and beliefs.

In this session you will have an opportunity to develop your awareness of some of the diverse experiences and needs of pupils from a variety of different religions and beliefs, including dietary needs, fasting, holy days, festivals, prayer, clothing, religious symbols, participating in sport and physical contact.

We will discuss ways in which you might further understand and provide support for these diverse needs in your local settings so that pupils from these religions and beliefs can fully participate in their community whether at school, work or in wider society.

You will be sent the Zoom link to join the event once your booking is confirmed.

📌  Thursday 14th November (4.30-6pm), online

 

Interfaith Interactions: Discover How to Plan Accessible Events

We invite you to join our online dialogue event to hear accessibility challenges experienced by two of our speakers when attending events.

We have also invited speakers from reputable support organisations to share practical tips and useful resources on how to plan accessible events.

There will be a short Q&A session with speakers, followed by an opportunity to dialogue in small groups.

📌  Monday 18th November (6.30-7.30pm), online

 

Wellbeing Pilgrimage Walk

Come join Interfaith Scotland on our wellbeing pilgrimage walk to four different places of worship in the west end of Glasgow.

We will learn how faith communities can support our positive wellbeing. There will be short talks, a guided meditation, and an opportunity to explore these beautiful places of worship.

We will hear from speakers of the Christian, Baha’i, Hindu and Sikh and take part in a short guided Buddhist meditation practice.

📌  Sunday 24th November (2-5.30pm), University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel, University of Glasgow

Past events

November

New Group: Inverclyde Interfaith

We set up a new interfaith group for the Inverclyde region. A gathering was hosted in November as an opportunity to meet people from different faiths and beliefs in the Inverclyde area.

✔️ Tuesday 5th November (6.30-8pm), St Mary’s Catholic Church, 14 Patrick Street, Greenock, PA16 8NA

October

Faces of Faith Exhibition

Our beautiful Faces of Faith Exhibition was on public display in Borders General Hospital Chaplaincy Centre from 14th August.

This exhibition is a showcase of Scotland’s diverse religious and cultural communities, featuring 16 people of faith in Scotland.

✔️ From Wednesday 14th August, Borders General Hospital Chaplaincy Centre, Huntlyburn Terrace, Melrose TD6 9BS

 

Interfaith Conversation Café: The Death Café

Explore the theme of death and dying across faiths, beliefs and cultures.

We talked about death rituals and customs, and different beliefs about life after death. We finished the evening with ghost stories, and tales of spirits, from different cultures.

✔️ Tuesday 29th October (5.30 – 8pm), Interfaith Dialogue Centre, Flemington House, Glasgow G21 4BF

 

September

Interfaith Week on Iona

The Iona Community hosted an interfaith week on the island of Iona facilitated by Dr Maureen Sier and Frances Hume from Interfaith Scotland; Zarina Ahmad, a climate activist based in Manchester, and Caro Penney, Iona Abbey Warden.

The week was open to people of all faiths and beliefs, and the focus was on environmental protection.

✔️ Saturday 14th September – Friday 20th September, 2024

 

Interfaith Conversation Café: Religious Diets and Fasting

Do you follow any specific dietary practices, or are you curious about a particular religion’s diet?

Our Interfaith Conversation Café held in-depth discussions about religious diets and fasting.

✔️ Tuesday 24th September (12-2.30pm), Interfaith Dialogue Centre, Flemington House, Glasgow G21 4BF

 

Faith and the Future of Scotland

Our Director gave a keynote talk at the Faith and the Future of Scotland conference hosted by the University of St Andrews. Maureen talked about ‘Interfaith and the Future of Scotland’, followed by a Q&A.

Other talks included ‘The Compatibility of Liberal Pluralism and Religious Commitment’, ‘Faith and Policy Making in Secular Scotland’ and ‘The Right to Freedom of Religion and Belief: Its Needs and Limits’.

✔️ Friday 27th September (9am – 5pm), Parliament Hall, University of St Andrews, 66 South St, St Andrews KY16 9QW

 

August

Religious Communities in the Virtual Age: Understanding the ‘New Normal’

What does the virtual age mean for the future of religion in Scotland and Europe? What opportunities and challenges does it offer?

Researchers from the two-year pan-European project ‘Religious Communities in the Virtual Age’ (Recovira) discussed their findings and what they may mean for communities and interfaith dialogue in democratic Europe, with plenty of discussion.

This event was co-sponsored by Interfaith Scotland with Manchester Metropolitan University.

✔️ Friday 9th August (2.30-4.30pm), Glasgow

 

Regional Networking Seminar: North East

Our regional networking seminars are for local interfaith groups to learn and network together. This particular seminar was for interfaith groups based in the North East of Scotland.

✔️ Monday 26th August (11.30am-4pm) at Laichmoray Hotel, Elgin IV30 1QR

 

Women’s Interfaith Day: Visit to Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre

Interfaith Scotland and the Edinburgh Women’s Interfaith Group hosted a visit to Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre for women of all faiths and beliefs.

The day included an opportunity to walk around the beautiful grounds, viewing the gardens, the stupa, butter lamps and the temple.

✔️ Saturday 31st August, Kagyu Samye Ling Tibetan Centre, Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway

 

June

Regional Networking Seminar: Central Belt

Our regional networking seminars are for local interfaith groups to learn and network together. This particular seminar was for interfaith groups based in the Central Belt of Scotland.

✔️  Thursday 6th June (11am-3.30pm), Flemington House in Glasgow

 

Rising Together: Celebrating Together

We celebrated diversity through creativity and the arts for Refugee Festival Scotland. Attendees took part in various activities, including arts and crafts, music, henna hand painting, and drumming.

Interfaith Scotland’s Faces of Faith exhibition, featuring striking photographs of 16 people of faith in Scotland and their stories, was available for attendees to view.

We had the pleasure of working in collaboration with Interfaith Glasgow, Bridges Programme and SOHTIS to plan this event. This event was supported by the Scottish Refugee Council.

✔️  Wednesday 19th June (12pm-3pm), Flemington House in Glasgow

 

Prayer Vigil for Peace

We hosted a prayer vigil for peace in partnership with Interfaith Moray.

✔️  Tuesday 25th June (11.15am-12.15pm), Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin, IV30 8UA

 

May

Launch of Interfaith Conversation Café

The Interfaith Conversation Café aims to encourage interfaith dialogue, awareness, and understanding by uniting people from different religious traditions, spiritual, or humanist beliefs in conversation over light refreshments.

Our conversation café is a space where participants feel safe, fully engaged, and open to listening to and learning from each other. We will explore a chosen topic at each interfaith conversation café throughout the year for our participants to better understand each other’s beliefs, practices, and values. We gathered opinions from representatives of diverse faith and belief communities at the launch to help us shape the development of this project.

✔️  Wednesday 15th May (12-2pm), Flemington House in Glasgow

 

One Heart – Many Voices: Exploring Our Common Humanity

A special community event exploring the power of words to touch hearts and change lives

Internationally acclaimed Irish poet, Anton Floyd shared verses and stories from his latest collection ‘Depositions’ – a vivid tale of being forced from home, of fear and desperation, the struggles of adapting to a new country and the sadness of exile.

With translations in some 25 languages, we invited guests, including refugees and asylum seekers, to read one or two verses in their native tongues.

✔️ Wednesday 22nd May, 1-3.30pm), Flemington House in Glasgow

 

Interfaith Retreat to Holy Isle

We hosted a retreat to Holy Isle off the island of Arran and stayed at the Centre for World Peace and Health.

The retreat was open to people of all faiths and beliefs.

✔️ Friday 24th May – Monday 27th May, 2024

 

March

Save Energy, Save Money, Save Our Planet!

This energy efficiency training empowered participants to contribute towards a greener and more sustainable future.

A smarter energy use helps to lower energy bills, whilst reducing carbon emissions. This training was a chance to tap into the expertise of dedicated energy advisors and gain valuable insights into fostering positive change within your community.

We planned this energy efficiency training as part of our Climate Awareness project supported by Glasgow Climate Action Hub.

✔️  Tuesday 6th March, 11 am- 12.30 pm, Interfaith Scotland Dialogue Centre (Flemington House, Glasgow)

 

Inspirational Women

We celebrated International Women’s Day with a showcase of three inspirational women sharing their stories and journey as change makers.

Hosted by RfP UK Women of Faith Network & University of Glasgow. Moderated by Dr Maureen Sier of Interfaith Scotland.

✔️  Tuesday 6th March, 5-7pm (Glasgow & online)

 

Interfaith Interactions: Equal Partners

This event was part of our online dialogue series featuring speakers from various faith and belief backgrounds presenting on different themes, followed by an opportunity to dialogue in small groups.

We looked at the theme of ‘Equal Partners’ for International Women’s Day. Our guest speakers talked about men and women being equal partners in all spheres of life from their own faith perspectives. 

Our speakers were: Rev Gareth Jones, Christian Faith; Dr Srihari Vallabhajousula, Hindu Faith; Allan Forsyth, Baha’i Faith.

✔️  Thursday 7th March, 7-8.15 pm

 

Visit Whitelee Windfarm

Whitelee is the UK’s largest onshore windfarm, located on Eaglesham Moor just 20 minutes from central Glasgow.

Through this special experience day we learned about wind power, a clean and renewable energy source. Our educational day at Whitelee Windfarm included a guided bus tour around the wind farm and an interactive workshop to learn about wind work.

✔️  Sunday 10th March, 10 am

 

WoodLearn – A Day of Green Woodworking, Forest Walks and Foraging

We had a special experience day in the woodlands to learn more about Scotland’s forests and celebrate the International Day of Forests.

Our educational day at the Port of Menteith started with a guided forest walk, where we learned about different ways to identify trees from their bark, buds, and leaves, as well as foraging. Our workshop leader gave an introduction to green woodworking, and we were able to carve our own spoon, scoop, or spatula using locally sourced wood.

We planned this course as part of our Climate Awareness project, supported by the Glasgow Climate Action Hub. We had the pleasure of working in collaboration with Green Aspirations Scotland to plan for this educational day.

✔️  Monday 18th March, Port of Menteith

 

Transformative Responses to Hatred Based on Religion or Belief

The Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief hosted a special talk from Dr Nazila Ghanea, United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

Dr Ghanea is Professor of International Human Rights Law and Director of the MSc in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. Her academic work has often connected with multilateral practice in international human rights law.

✔️  Wednesday 27th March, 6-7.30 pm

 

Climate Change: What has this got to do with me, and why does my voice matter?

Learn why your views matter and how your voice is much needed in the important conversations shaping climate action.

We planned this course as part of our Climate Awareness project, supported by the Glasgow Climate Action Hub.

✔️  Thursday 28th March, 10.30 am – 1.00 pm at Interfaith Scotland Dialogue Centre 

 

February

Faces of Faith Talk and Tour

At Edinburgh Napier University we had a talk and tour of our Faces of Faith exhibition.

This was a special event featuring stories from the exhibition exploring Scotland’s diverse religious and cultural communities.

✔️  Thursday 1st February, 4 – 5pm (Edinburgh Napier University, Merchiston Campus Foyer)

 

Interfaith Interactions on the theme of Pilgrimage

This online event for our Interfaith Interactions series took place during World Interfaith Harmony Week on the theme of Pilgrimage.

✔️  Monday 6th February, 7 – 8.15pm (online)

 

Lunar New Year Celebration

Over one hundred people joined us for a Lunar New Year Celebration featuring live performances of classical Chinese dance, Sichuan opera face-changing, musical instruments and more.

This event was hosted by Interfaith Scotland, Ricefield Arts and Cultural Centre, and the Confucius Institute at the University of Glasgow.

✔️  Saturday 10th February, 12 – 1.30pm, Interfaith Dialogue Centre (Flemington House, Glasgow)

 

How Does Your Bag of Crisps Heat Up the Planet

This interactive session provided an opportunity to share and taste different crisps, learn about the humble crisps journey and what impact the process of making crisps has on the planet.

Earth is in a state of climate emergency. To turn this around, we need to become a climate literate society. This workshop explored climate change, mitigation and adaptation.

We planned this climate literacy training as part of our Climate Awareness project supported by Glasgow Climate Action Hub.

✔️  Monday 12th February, 10 am – 12.30 pm, Interfaith Scotland Dialogue Centre (Flemington House, Glasgow)

 

January

Holocaust Memorial Day 2024: The Fragility of Freedom Concert

We hosted a special evening concert in partnership with The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. The theme for 2024 was ‘The Fragility of Freedom’.

✔️  Wednesday 24th January, 6 – 7pm, Ledger Recital Room, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow

 

Faces of Faith Exhibition

We toured the Faces of Faith exhibition, featuring beautiful images of 16 people of faith in Scotland and sharing their stories.

✔️  Friday 26th January – Wednesday 7th February (Edinburgh Napier University, Merchiston Campus Foyer)

Events 2023

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Events 2022

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Events 2021

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Events 2020

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Events 2019

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