With religious conflict on the world stage rarely out of the news these days, respect and understanding for the beliefs and practices of others has never seemed so pressing. Faith communities are working quietly in the background to foster openness and hospitality. Meeting each other, sharing ideas, swapping contact details and even recipes.
The Inter Faith Network…
Inter Faith week, a nationwide event taking place between 12th and 19th November, is the inspiration of the Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom. The Inter Faith Network is an umbrella organization with an impressively wide-ranging membership – they list 34 faith organizations on their website, from Baha’i to Zoroastrian – and it’s co-chaired by the Rt Revd Richard Atkinson, the Bishop of Bedford, and Jatinder Singh Birdi, who’s connected to our own local Sikh Temple in Leamington Spa. Their aim is …
‘to advance public knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings, traditions and practices of the different faith communities in Britain including awareness both of their distinctive features and their common ground and to promote good relations between persons of different faiths.’
Our own event…
Here at The Myton Hospices we’re marking Inter Faith Week by holding our own event at Coventry Myton on Thursday 16th November. Spirituality in the Hospice Environment is the brainchild of chaplains Zabia Khatoon and Leon Dundas, ably supported by Olivia Bowskill, our Community Engagement Manager, and the Catering staff at Coventry Myton.
Who will be visiting…
Around a dozen of our local faith representatives will be visiting Myton and attending an information session and workshop, before being given a tour of the hospice, and (most importantly!), the kitchens. It gives us a chance to demonstrate that Myton really knows how to make people feel at home, whatever their cultural background.
We’re thrilled that the Spirituality Day has inspired so much interest, and we look forward to welcoming our visitors next week.
If you would like to find out more about our events, please click here.