18 November 2009

National Inter Faith Week brings faiths together

Various faiths at the University of Sheffield are working together for a week of celebration and community action at the first ever National Inter Faith Week. (Sunday 15 November-Saturday 21 November).

Students and staff are this week taking part in a range of events aimed at strengthening relations and awareness between different religious groups, to show their support for this new national initiative.

Activities include an innovative programme of `tandem learning´ developed at the University, which involves the 'pairing' of people from different faiths to allow participants to increase their social and cultural awareness about each other's beliefs and customs. By participating in this programme, students can also gain credit for the Sheffield Graduate Award.

Members of the University´s Faiths Forum are also staffing stalls in the entrance of the Union of Students building to raise awareness about the work of the University´s Faiths Forum and to inform students about the vitality of the different faith communities represented on campus. Members of the Faiths Forum will use the week as an opportunity to raise funds for the Royal Hallamshire Hospital´s bid to open a young adults cancer ward through cake sales and donation buckets.

The week will also include a Mosque Open Day on Wednesday, hosted by the University of Sheffield´s Islamic Circle, to discover more about Islam through guided tours and discussions. This forms part of a series of visits to local places of worship organised by the Faiths Forum through the year.

Canon Will Lamb from the University of Sheffield´s Chaplaincy Service, said: "The Faiths Forum was created last year to celebrate the way in which different faith communities on campus enrich the life of the University and to promote a sense of community.

"It has been a real delight to see the relationships between students from different faiths develop and grow in the course of the year. They have shown a real passion and commitment to demonstrate practical ways in which people of faith can promote understanding and contribute to the flourishing of our community."

Claire Monk, Activities Officer at the University of Sheffield´s Union of Students, said: "We have been working closely with the many faith societies we have on campus to let people know that faith can be a huge part of a student´s life.

"Inter Faith Week is a great idea to bring faith to the forefront for one week and it´s exciting to see the faith groups talking about issues on campus and working together to really put faith on the student map."

Notes for Editors: The University of Sheffield Faiths Forum was established in 2008 in response to guidelines from Universities UK and BIS on promoting good campus relations. It is made up of student representatives of all the Faith Societies of the Union of Students and members of the Multifaith Chaplaincy team. It meets six times a year and is chaired by the Union of Students´ Activities Officer.

For further information please contact: Shemina Davis, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2225339 or email shemina.davis@sheffield.ac.uk

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