LONDON, UK – 26 November 2025
Over 40 key leaders and representatives, drawn from diverse faith and belief organisations and interfaith bodies across England, gathered today for a critical meeting to discuss and determine the future of the interfaith movement.
Hosted by the Baha’i community, the event provided a necessary platform for leaders to address the current landscape, following significant changes within the sector, and to explore establishing a new, sustainable national structure for interfaith engagement.
The agenda was focused squarely on charting a path forward, moving beyond existing challenges to foster deeper cooperation and impact. The meeting was chaired by Canon Hilary Barber, Vicar of Halifax Minster and one of the final co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK which closed in 2024. It included vital context-setting presentations:
• Carrie Alderton of the Faith & Belief Forum provided an update on Inter Faith Week and the findings of the “Bursting the Bubble” Report, highlighting successes and areas needing further development.
• Ravinder Kaur Nijjar of Religions for Peace offered an essential perspective on “The Current Context,” framing the strategic imperative for unity and coordinated action.
The central component of the afternoon was an extensive, hour long discussion titled “The Future of the Interfaith Movement.” Participants focused on three core thematic areas:
1. Learning from the past: Exploring the potential need for an overarching structure or process to succeed previous bodies like the Inter Faith Network.
2. Shared values: Identifying common ethical and spiritual ground across diverse traditions to strengthen collaboration.
3. Strengthening multi-faith social action: Pinpointing practical ways to expand joint efforts on pressing community and societal needs.
Crucially, the assembly considered a range of structural options for the future, including maintaining the current collaborative status quo, establishing a Working Party to plan a new umbrella body, or agreeing to reconvene in the New Year for continued strategic discussion.
The meeting concluded with a dedicated session focused on agreeing upon clear next steps, assigning responsible individuals, and setting actionable timelines to ensure today’s dialogue translates into tangible progress.
Deepak Naik of contributing body, United Religions Initiative UK, said, “Today marks a pivotal moment for faith and belief communities in the UK. This wasn’t just a meeting; it was a collective commitment to build a stronger, more resilient future for interfaith work. By focusing on shared values and coordinated social action, we can ensure the UK’s rich faith landscape continues to contribute positively to society.”
Canon Hilary Barber said: “I was delighted to chair this meeting. Interfaith dialogue and multi-faith social action are at a vulnerable stage in this country, with the Inter Faith Network closed and conflicts abroad impacting seriously on community relations here. We need a new way forward urgently and the meeting was about starting on that journey.”
About the Event:
This meeting was convened by leaders committed to ensuring the vibrancy and continuity of structured interfaith cooperation across the United Kingdom. It was facilitated on a pro bono basis by the faith relations consultancy Faith in Society Ltd.
Contact:
Warwick Hawkins MBE
Faith in Society