Interfaith leaders meet at Northern Ireland monastary known for peace building

Faith leaders from across the UK came together at an historic monastery in Northern Ireland, famous for its tradition of peace building.

Rabbi David Singer of the Belfast Jewish community was joined by other faith leaders at Clonard Monastery earlier this month on 6 June, at a meeting convened by the Northern Ireland Inter Faith Forum (NIIFF).

The Monastery, which has an internationally known tradition in the service of peace-building through its Ecumenical and Reconciliation Ministries, held discussions about work to tackle hate and prejudice and youth interfaith engagement

Representatives took part from interfaith organisations in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, and from Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities.

The Inter Faith Network UK’s Executive Director Harriet Crabtree said: “At a time of heightened focus on issues of security and hate crime these were of course on the agenda.  However there was also discussion of wider inter faith issues such as extending involvement of young people and using Inter Faith Week (12-19 November this year) as a platform for wider dialogue”. 

Faith leaders in attendance included: Hazel Holmlund, Northern Ireland Inter Faith Forum and Baha’i community (NIIFF), Rabbi David Singer of the Belfast Jewish community, The Revd T Alan Anderson, Wasif Naeem (NIIFF) NIIF Muslim community, a representative of the Buddhist community, and Dr Norman Richardson, of the Christian community.