MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH DIALOGUE

www.interfaithscotland.orgA Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation | Scottish Charity No: 029486

Friendship • Cooperation • Dialogue • Respect • Understanding

ANNUAL REPORTOCTOBER 2011 – OCTOBER 2012

FROM THE CHAIR

This has been a significant year for the Scottish Inter Faith Council. On August 13th 2012 it ceased to operate as a limited company and converted to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the name Interfaith Scotland and the strap line ‘Making a Difference through Dialogue’. The focus of the new organisation is exactly the same as the old - to bring together faith communities in Scotland to dialogue about issues of religious, civic and national importance. Our concern continues to be for good relations between communities and their continued engagement in public life. The new constitution and membership structure is more inclusive and allows for many more religion and belief groups to be involved in the dialogue process and associated activities.

An important aspect of this year’s work has been our partnership working. With the Scottish Refugee Council we hosted an event for faith communities during Refugee Week and with Dundee City Council we organised the annual Holocaust Memorial event. Our partnership with Education Scotland has given us access to the schools’ intranet facility called Glow Meet. The visitors from Canada and Denmark who spoke at the Holocaust Memorial Event were able to tell their stories to pupils the length and breadth of Scotland because of this and to answer their questions over the web. The religious leaders are also making use of this facility. At their last two meetings they have been joined by pupils from local secondary schools and the question and answer sessions broadcast over the web. As well as schools linking in with the live session, the meetings are now on file for RME teachers to use at any time.

These partnerships remind us that we are working with others to make a contribution to the wellbeing of society. A recent report used the analogy of an iceberg to explain how we do this. The visible part of the iceberg above the surface of the water are the manifest ills in society whether that be drugs and alcohol abuse, lack of social cohesion, prejudice etc. The bulk of the iceberg is hidden below the surface and represents the hidden circumstances and causes of manifest problems. The ocean in which the iceberg sits represents the culture which creates the circumstances in which the problems, both manifest and hidden exist. The report asked the question: what can be done to ‘raise the temperature of the water’ and shrink the iceberg? Interfaith relations and the good work of the staff of Interfaith Scotland are contributions to raising the temperature of Scottish society. As we bring people of different faiths together we are helping make Scotland a better place in which to live.

It is this vision which gives energy to our work. This report shows how much is being done by an organisation which has one full time member of staff and two part time members. My thanks go to them for their diligence, commitment and hard work. Thanks too to the executive committee that this year has brought to birth the new SCIO Interfaith Scotland. Without their commitment it would be difficult to sustain the organisation. As we move into a new year and a new era we look forward to continuing and developing the work of interfaith relations in Scotland.

Sister Isabel Smyth OBE

DIALOGUE MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Interfaith Scotland has continued to promote the ‘Belief in Dialogue Good Practice Guide’ widely through seminars, discussion groups, public events and extensive advertising.

A dedicated web-page was created on our website and in the last 12 months, 8 public events have been hosted promoting the document. These events were held in Inverness, Shetland, Dundee, East Kilbride, Central Scotland and Edinburgh and in some cases have been hosted in partnership with the local interfaith group. The Inverness seminar involved a civic reception hosted and funded by the Lord Provost of Inverness.

Dialogue meetings have been held regularly for the 40 members of Interfaith Scotland. These meetings focussed on such topics as ‘Belief in Dialogue, living well in Scotland today and religious communities’ relationship with government’.

SCOTTISH INTERFAITH WEEK

Scottish Interfaith Week 2011 was launched in the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art in Glasgow. The presence of the Tashi Lhumpo monks added a solemnity to the occasion and speeches by the Rt Hon. Nicola Sturgeon MSP and Humza Yousaf MSP underlined how important the week was for creating greater community cohesion and greater understanding of others. Throughout Scotland more than 56 events were held to celebrate the week.

SUPPORT FOR LOCAL INTERFAITH GROUPS

In the last year Interfaith Scotland has • hosted an annual networking seminar for local interfaith groups in Inverness• published two newsletters highlighting local interfaith work throughout Scotland• managed a dedicated web-page on its site for local interfaith groups• worked in partnership with local interfaith groups to promote and use the document, ‘Belief in Dialogue’ • Developed interfaith educational material for use in schools and has supported local interfaith groups to undertake school visits (Fife, Moray and Shetland)• Interfaith Scotland has also attended activities / meetings of 6 local interfaith groups and has assisted one group to deal with a crisis of membership

Interfaith Scotland established a working group ‘GIFT’ (Glasgow Inter Faith Team) to highlight, support and develop interfaith work in Glasgow. A researcher was employed to identify where interfaith activities are taking place in Glasgow, what the nature of these activities are, how they can be highlighted, and how further activity can be developed. Interfaith Scotland applied for and was granted funding to employ an interfaith officer for Glasgow who began work in October 2012. The report drawn up by the researcher has been a good basis from which interfaith work in Glasgow can be taken forward.

RELIGIOUS LEADERS MEETINGS

Two meetings of the religious leaders took place this year, both facilitated by Interfaith Scotland. A new development was a conversation with young people from secondary schools in Glasgow. This conversation was videoed through the education intranet “Glow Meet” which allowed pupils to phone in questions for the religious leaders to respond to. The video clip is then on file for religious education teachers and others to access at will. The first meeting of the year was hosted by Scottish Television and the second by the Isobel Mair School in Giffnock. The pupils entertained the religious leaders to a performance of ‘reels on wheels’ before being joined by pupils from other local secondary schools to question the religious leaders on religions’ contribution to health and wellbeing. This kind of meeting in the community could not happen without a partnership with Education Scotland.

WORK WITH WOMEN

Interfaith Scotland worked closely with the Edinburgh Women’s Interfaith Group to help form and support a steering committee to take the group forward into 2011 / 2012 after the retirement of their chair. The steering committee organised monthly meetings of the group, including visits to various places of worship in Edinburgh. A day trip was also planned to Samye Ling, the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Dumfriesshire. Interfaith Scotland and the Edinburgh Women’s Interfaith Group co-hosted Interfaith Scotland’s annual Interfaith Seminar for women. Over 200 women took part in the activities.

WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE

Interfaith Scotland works to raise awareness of and involve young people in interfaith relations. Over the past year Interfaith Scotland has: • Developed material for, and hosted, 8 interfaith seminars for over 50 school pupils in schools throughout Scotland (Shetland, Elgin and Stirling)• Organised six young people to create a podcast on interfaith dialogue for the BBC• Held two Continuing Professional Development seminars for teachers on interfaith dialogue (in Edinburgh and NE Scotland)• Continued to work on the production of educational materials for schools and youth groups• Visited several University and College chaplains to offer support

VOLUNTEERING

Interfaith Scotland established a volunteer network of 16 interested people who have been given training in interfaith issues and are used regularly in our work with young people and schools.

One of the Muslim volunteers spoke about the importance of interfaith engagement to a group of 14 Imams at Glasgow Central Mosque. Feedback from the Imams was that the engagement was a great success and has encouraged them to consider interfaith engagement as part of their on-going community work.

Two volunteers have been trained to take forward a project to collect stories from refugees who have come to Scotland to escape religious persecution.

CONSULTATIONS AND WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT

Interfaith Scotland continues to alert its members to appropriate and relevant government consultations. This included organising and hosting a discussion on the government’s consultation paper on same sex marriage for Interfaith Scotland members.

NATIONAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

Interfaith Scotland facilitated the 2012 National Holocaust Memorial Day event which received widespread publicity throughout Scotland in newspapers and community websites and newsletters. The programme, which was organised in partnership with Dundee Local Authority, involved international guest speakers, Rabbi Bent Melchior from Holland, George Brady from Canada and Fumiko Ishioka who were able to tell the story of George’s Sister Hannah who had died in Auschwitz. The story of this had been made into a film which was screened in the Edinburgh Playhouse and was followed by a Q & A with George, his daughter Lara, Fumiko and the director of the film, Larry Weinstein. The visitors met with the cultural coordinators and head teachers of Dundee and were able to visit primary and secondary schools in the city. A visit to Eastern Primary School included an Education Scotland ‘Glow Meet’ where over 30 schools in Scotland tuned in to a live meeting with the guests. There were two major memorial events held at Dundee City Chambers – one in the morning for 1500 school children and another in the evening for 600 invited guests.

INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL DELEGATIONS

This year Interfaith Scotland hosted the ‘Four Nations’ annual networking meeting which brings together leading national interfaith organisations from the United Kingdom.

Interfaith Scotland was asked to support the visit to Scotland of the US Envoy to Muslim Communities, Farah Pandith and to organise a series of events for her visit including a schools event, faith community visits and a civic reception. As a result of this Glasgow schools have become involved in the 2012 Hours against Hate Campaign.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Interfaith Scotland has endeavoured to widen its channels of communication via social media outlets. A Facebook Page ‘Interfaith Scotland’ was created. A Twitter account ‘InterfaithScot’ was also created. Interfaith Scotland continues to have a Facebook Group for its younger members: ‘Scottish Interfaith Youth Committee’.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING Interfaith Scotland has worked in partnership with a number of organisations:

• Scottish Refugee Council and Bridging the Gap to host a dialogue meeting for faith communities to highlight the support that faith communities currently give to Asylum Seekers and Refugees. This was attended by sixty people from local faith communities and voluntary organisations in Glasgow.

• Education Scotland which has increased opportunities for dialogue across multiple schools in Scotland as part of the Religious Leaders meetings, Scottish Interfaith Week and Holocaust Memorial Day Events.

In addition it continues to work with:BEMIS (the Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland)CEMVO (the Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations)The Association of Chief Police Officers in ScotlandNational Health Service Education ServiceLocal interfaith groupsFaith communitiesSt Mungo Museum of Religious Life and ArtJoint Faiths Advisory Group on Criminal JusticeThe Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom

INFORMATION AND ADVICE Interfaith Scotland provides information and advice to a wide range of organisations and individuals. Staff and Members are often invited to speak on interfaith issues and the work of Interfaith Scotland. Through personal contacts the message of interfaith has been taken as far afield as Sarajevo, Samoa and Kenya.

MEMBER ORGANISATIONS

Baha’iBaha’i Council for Scotland

Brahma KumarisBrahma Kumaris Scotland

BuddhistKagyu Samye LingTriratna Buddhist Community

ChristianUnited Reformed Church: Synod of ScotlandSalvation Army, Scotland East DivisionEpiscopal ChurchScottish Roman Catholic Church Methodist ChurchReligious Society of FriendsChurch of Scotland

HinduThe Hindu Temple of ScotlandGlasgow Hindu Mandir

JewishScottish Council of Jewish CommunitiesGiffnock and Newlands Hebrew CongregationEdinburgh Jewish Community Scottish Council of Synagogues Glasgow Jewish Representative Council

MuslimMuslim HouseIslamic Society of BritainScottish Islamic and Cultural Centre UK Islamic Mission / Islamic ForumPakistan Association Edinburgh & East Scotland

SikhScottish Sikh Women’s AssociationRamgarhia Association of Glasgow - Guru Nanak Sikh TempleGurdwara Guru Granth SahibCentral Gurdwara Singh Sabha

UnitarianScottish Unitarian Association

Local Inter Faith GroupsShetland Inter FaithDundee Inter Faith AssociationAberdeen Inter Faith GroupGlasgow Sharing of FaithsEdinburgh Inter Faith AssociationCouncil of Christians and Jews, West of Scotland Branch

Religious Education Scottish Joint Committee on Religious and Moral EducationReligious Education Movement - Scotland

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INFORMATION AND ADVICE Interfaith Scotland provides information and advice to a wide range of organisations and individuals. Staff and Members are often invited to speak on interfaith issues and the work of Interfaith Scotland. Through personal contacts the message of interfaith has been taken as far afield as Sarajevo, Samoa and Kenya.

Interfaith ScotlandExpenditure October 2011 to September 2012

£152,052

Project costs £27,944

Salaries £84,984Travel £3,390

Printing and postage £4,915

Office costs £14,747

Other expenses £16,072

(Ross – there aren’t supposed to be spaces under the titles, e.g. between ‘Kagyu Samye Ling’ and ‘Friends of the Western Buddhist order’ and a few others below – it’s just because I cut and pasted it off our website and can’t seem to move the spaces now) Member Organisations

Baha'i Baha'i Council for Scotland Brahma Kumaris Brahma Kumaris Scotland Buddhist Kagyu Samye Ling

Friends of the Western Buddhist Order

Executive Committee of Scottish Inter Faith Council / Interfaith Scotland2011 - 2012

Sister Isabel Smyth ChristianMrs Rita Docherty Baha’iDr Salah Beltagui MuslimMr Larry Blance BuddhistDr Satwant Multani SikhRev Donald Reid ChristianMrs Brij Gandhi HinduMrs Leah Granat Jewish(resigned Aug. 2012)

Members of Staff

Dr Maureen Sier DirectorMs Frances Hume Development OfficerMr Calum Henderson Office AdministratorDr Rose Drew Project Manager, Interfaith Glasgow

Volunteers

Ms Katy AlexanderMs Fiona StackMs Janice GlenMr Louis FinnMrs Sharon NewallScottish Interfaith Youth Committee

www.interfaithscotland.orgA Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation | Scottish Charity No: 029486

Interfaith Scotland523 Shields Road

Glasgow, G41 2RF