January 2023
Holocaust Memorial Day 2023
Holocaust Memorial Day 2023Interfaith Scotland co-hosted an event for Holocaust Memorial Day in Inverness. Holocaust Memorial Day encourages remembrance in a world scarred by genocide. Each year across the UK thousands of people come together to learn more about the past and take action to create a safer future.
The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 was ‘Ordinary People’ and we had in-person stories of Holocaust and genocide survivors and a ceremony of remembrance.
✔️ Tuesday 24 January 2023, 6.30 – 8.30pm, Inverness Town House
Holocaust Memorial Day Vigil at Iona Abbey
The Iona Community held a vigil in Iona Abbey to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2023.
“This year’s theme is Ordinary People. In partnership with Interfaith Scotland, we will mark the six genocides in living memory. Through music, readings and symbolic action, we will remember what it takes for genocide to happen and commit ourselves to its prevention. If you have a small piece of cloth or paper to hand, there will be an opportunity to join in our symbolic action.” – The Iona Community.
✔️ Wednesday 25th January, 5 – 5.30pm, Iona Abbey (and online)
Holocaust Memorial Day Concert
We organised a commemorative concert for Holocaust Memorial Day following a successful collaborative programme involving young musicians from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Associazione Xenia Ensemble from Turin, Italy.
This event was supported by the Lord Provost of Glasgow’s International Office, Interfaith Scotland and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
✔️ Wednesday 25 January 2023, 6 – 7pm, Ledger Recital Room, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Holocaust Memorial Day – Falkirk
The Provost of Falkirk, Robert Bissett, welcomed the public to a Holocaust Memorial Day event, co-hosted by Central Scotland Interfaith, Falkirk Council and Interfaith Scotland.
The event included testimony from children of Holocaust survivors and Rwandan genocide survivors, a specially commissioned digital exhibition and a moving memorial ceremony.
✔️ Friday 27 January 2023, 1.30 – 3.30pm, Dawson Community Centre, David’s Loan, Falkirk FK2 7RG
February 2023
Interfaith Youth Leaders: Envisioning the Future
For World Interfaith Harmony Week 2023, we brought together young people from diverse faiths across Scotland to become future interfaith youth leaders.
✔️ Saturday 11th February 11am – 4pm
March 2023
Meeting of the Cross Party Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief
At the meeting of the CPG on Freedom of Religion or Belief, we were joined by Alan Meldrum from Open Doors as the guest speaker. Every year, Open Doors produce their World Watch List highlighting persecution of Christian’s worldwide.
✔️ Wednesday 1st March 2023, 6pm at The Scottish Parliament, Committee Room 6, and online.
International Women’s Day 2023
Interfaith Scotland hosted a special event for International Women’s Day, in partnership with Women of Faith and Community.
Trishna Singh shared extracts from her memoir, A Silent Voice Speaks: The Wee Indian Woman on the Bus, published by Fledgling Press in 2022.
Women of all faiths and beliefs were welcome to attend this free event. The event was followed by langar (lunch) at the Sikh Gurdwara on Berkeley Street.
✔️ Monday 6th March, 11am – 1.30pm, Glasgow Unitarian Church, 72 Berkeley Street
April 2023
Volunteer Training Day
We held a volunteer training day for people interested in volunteering for Interfaith Scotland.
In the morning we explored volunteering opportunities and how to give talks in schools. In the afternoon our religious equality trainer gave a special training on workshop leading and facilitation skills.
✔️ Monday 17th April 2023, 10.30am – 3pm, Interfaith Scotland Dialogue Centre, Flemington House, Glasgow
May 2023
Members Dialogue
A lunch and dialogue was held for Members of Interfaith Scotland to mark the approval of the constitutional changes to the organisation.
✔️ Thursday 11th May, 1 – 3.30pm, Interfaith Scotland dialogue centre, Flemington House, Glasgow
Interfaith Interactions: Online Interfaith Dialogue Series: Theme of ‘Kingship’
A new online dialogue series featuring speakers from different faiths and beliefs presenting on a theme, followed by dialogue in small groups. With the Coronation of King Charles III our first dialogue explored the concept of ‘Kingship’ in different faiths.
Our speakers were: Ven Ajahn Sujan, Abbot of the Varapunya Meditation Centre in Aberdeen; Dr Srihari Vallabhajousula, Hindu representative on the board of Interfaith Scotland; Dr Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland and Frances Hume, National Development Officer at Interfaith Scotland.
✔️ Wednesday 17th May, 7 – 8.30pm, on Zoom
June 2023
Solas Festival
Our volunteers helped out at Solas Festival, a creative arts festival that took place at Errol Park in Perthshire. They led a workshop on ‘Sowing Seeds of Hope’, sharing how their different faiths and beliefs gave them hope in life. Sheikh Hassan Rabbani spoke on the relevance of faith and Ajahn Sujan, Abbot of the Varapunya Meditation Centre in Aberdeen, led a Buddhist meditation.
✔️ 16th – 18th June, Errol Park, Perthshire
Interfaith Interactions: Online Interfaith Dialogue Series: ‘Hospitality’
Our online dialogue series featuring speakers from different faiths and beliefs presenting on a theme, followed by dialogue in small groups. To mark Refugee Festival Scotland our second online dialogue was on the theme of Hospitality.
✔️ Tuesday 20th June, 7 – 8.15pm, on Zoom
Holding Hope in the Face of Hate
The event brought together members of faith communities and the general public from across Scotland to discuss ways to challenge hatred towards asylum seekers and refugees, especially in light of the growing anti-asylum seeker rhetoric and the cost of living crisis.
✔️ Thursday 22nd June, 11.30am – 1.30pm, Interfaith Scotland dialogue centre, Flemington House, Glasgow
August 2023
Interfaith Retreat on Holy Isle
Interfaith Scotland hosted a three-night retreat on the beautiful Holy Isle off the island of Arran at the Centre for World Peace and Health.
✔️ Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th August 2023
September 2023
Faces of Faith Exhibition: Tour and Talk
Interfaith Scotland’s beautiful Faces of Faith Exhibition was displayed the Grain Exchange in Ayr from 19th September – 1st October. We hosted a special event on Tuesday 26th September with an opportunity to view the exhibition, listen to talks by some of the people featured in the exhibition, and enjoy refreshments and conversation with others attending the event.
✔️ Tuesday 26th September, 5.30 – 6.45pm, Grain Exchange, 77- 81 High Street, Ayr
The Gift of Age
Exploring the contribution of older people to Faith Communities. We held a round-table presentation and discussion based on the Gift of Age report.
✔️ Wednesday 27th September, 10 – 12.30pm (Interfaith Scotland’s Dialogue Centre, 110 Flemington Street, Glasgow)
National Interfaith Youth Advisory Board Meeting
The National Interfaith Youth Advisory Board met at our offices on 3oth September. This event was by invitation only for members of the youth board.
✔️ Saturday 30th September, 11am – 1pm (Interfaith Scotland, 110 Flemington Street, Glasgow)
October 2023
Annual Interfaith Lecture and AGM
Annual Interfaith Lecture and AGMOur annual Interfaith lecture was delivered by Zara Mohammed on the theme of ‘Leadership for Peaceful Co-Existence’. Zara is Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain and is the first woman and the youngest person to serve in this leadership role. The lecture was followed by Interfaith Scotland’s AGM.
✔️ Wednesday 11th October, 6-8.30pm (Interfaith Scotland’s Dialogue Centre, 110 Flemington Street, Glasgow)
Interfaith Interactions: Online Dialogue on Prayer
Our online dialogue series featured speakers from different faiths and beliefs presenting on a theme, followed by dialogue in small groups.
To mark the Week of Prayer for World Peace our October Interfaith Interactions event was on the theme of ‘Prayer’.
✔️ Monday 16th October, 7 – 8.15pm (Zoom)
Climate Emergency and the Big Leap – Faith Responses
This webinar focused on the responses from different faith traditions on what they see is contributing to underpin the Big Leap narrative. This event was organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC.
✔️ Tuesday 31st October, 1.30pm (Online)
November 2023
Scottish Interfaith Week 2023
Scottish Interfaith Week took place from 12th – 19th November with over 65 events taking place across Scotland. The theme for the week was ‘Community’. Find out more at www.scottishinterfaithweek.org
✔️ Sunday 12th – Sunday 19th November 2023
Launch of Scottish Interfaith Week
Launch of Scottish Interfaith WeekCelebrating Scottish Interfaith Week and the 30th Anniversary of the Aberdeen Interfaith Group.
✔️ Monday 13th November, 5.30 – 7.30pm (Aberdeen Town House)
Tackling Loneliness in our Communities
Faith communities play a significant role in supporting people who feel lonely and isolated. This online conference discussed the Scottish Government Policy on Loneliness; the action that faith communities do and can take to tackle loneliness and explored proposals for the future. Read the government’s updated strategy.
✔️ Wednesday 15th November, 4.30-6pm (Online)
Interfaith Interactions: Online Dialogue on Community
Our online dialogue event in the Interfaith Interactions series featured speakers from different spiritual communities on the Scottish Interfaith Week theme of ‘Community’. Our speakers were Caro Penney, Warden of the Iona Community on the island of Iona; Shawn Fernandez, Co-Founder and Secretary of Springburn Unity Network and Mathew Dawson, from a Baha’i Community Project based in Leith
✔️ Wednesday 15th November, 7 – 8.15pm (Online)
Faith Communities and Climate Justice
We hosted an event with the Scottish Episcopal Church exploring the topic of climate justice in faith communities.
✔️ Thursday 16th November, 6.15 – 7.30pm (Online)
Meet Your Neighbour: Walking Together Visiting Places of Worship in Glasgow
An opportunity to walk with friends and neighbours and visit our neighbouring places of worship in the West End of Glasgow.
At each place of worship we were told a story before moving on, finishing at the Gurdwara in Berkeley Street where we enjoyed Langar (vegetarian meal) together.
✔️ Saturday 25th November, 2 – 6pm
Informal Interfaith Gathering in the Spirit of Talanoa Dialogue @COP28
A powerful interfaith gathering to bring together climate justice actors from all over the world to reflect on COP28 in person and online.
This event was organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC.
✔️ Thursday 30th November (check local time)