This seminar, run with GlobalNet21 is part of a series of seminars on engagement in the digital age. It will look at how interfaith and community cohesion work has helped with the development of multiculturalism and the building of bridges across communities. We will to look at the issues involved including to what extent this work has enabled community development or hindered it and study good practice. We will look at how local authorities can help as enablers and catalysts both online and off in achieving inter-communal dialogue.
The aim of this seminar will be to look at good practice and then to disseminate this amongst local authorities attending this seminar and beyond though social network platforms and the new media.
We hope to build up a community of local authorities and other organisations interested in sharing good practice and discussing models of replication.
Programme*
12:30 Registration and refreshment
13:00 Introduction
13:10 The problem: two short presentations that highlight the problem and the need for creating public space for dialogue. Two case studies will focus on the issues of trust and engagement
- Raheed Salem is a youth worker and is also responsible for developing inter faith dialogue in Enfield, North London. In his youth work he has experienced the problem facing communities when there is a lack of dialogue.
- Abu Nasir is the Chair of the County FA Race Equality Board and Managing Director of Global Sporting Ventures. He is also Economic Development, Skills & Funding Manager at Luton Council. Abu has been a strong advocate of integration through sport as sport involves communities of all faiths and none.
13:40 Discussion and Questions
14:00 Multiculturalism and Community Cohesion – success and failures in building bridges
- David Goodhart is the director of Demos. He is the founder and former editor of Prospect magazine, which he set up in 1995. David has recently published a book, The British Dream, about postwar multiculturalism, national identity and immigration.
14:15 The role of interfaith work in building bridges
- Dr Harriet Crabtree Dr Harriet Crabtree OBE is the Director of the Inter Faith Network for the UK, for which she has worked since 1990. IFN works with its member bodies to promote good inter faith relations. It links in membership faith community representative bodies; national, regional, local and other inter faith bodies; and educational and academic bodies with an interest in inter faith relations.
14:30 Questions
14:45 Coffee
15:00 The role of the local authority
15:15 Case study of interfaith and local authority working as enablers
15:35 Questions and Discussion
15:50 Building Bridges In The Digital Age. How does the digital age impact on both faith and community? How can it help to build bridges and also make diversity more complex?
- Fiyaz Mughal OBE FCMI is on the board of directors of Faith Matters. His has more than 15 years experience in the community and voluntary sector in positions that have included social policy lobbying, project and general management, conflict resolution work and leading organisations as the chief operating officer.
16:10 Case study of engagement across bridges using social networking and the new media
16:15 Questions and Discussion
16:35 Feedback on day
16:45 Close
*This programme is correct at the time of publication but may be altered to reflect speaker changes that are beyond our control.
Other seminars in this series
Neighbourhood agreements and stakeholder engagement
Local authorities and the changing shape of Police Commissioners: one year on
Listening in the digital age, 15 October
Engaging across generations
