Who Are We?
We are people from many different faiths in Derby; from the Baha`i, Budhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan and Sikh tradition, along with people of no particular faith who are interested in Inter Faith activities.
 
What Do We Do?
We hold many different sorts of activities / meetings to which anybody from Derby can come and join in, whatever their faith or even no faith background.

Why Do We Do This?
We believe that by holding these activities, people from one faith will gain some sort of an insight into how people from faiths other than their own, think, feel and live. This in turn may enable them to have a better understanding and acceptance of different people when they meet them in other circumstances in and around Derby.

Why Is This Necessary?
Because Derby is changing along with the rest of the UK. More often now, we meet people from different faith backgrounds in our work and play. People are often naturally wary of anything different from their own background. If we can help to make the "different" seem "less different" by familiarising people with these differences, then they may become more accepting of the differences, whilst recognising the similarities too!
 
What Sort of Activities?
• Discussion meetings on religious topics, social and community issues
• Raising awareness of other faiths
• Promoting good relations within the community
• Making statements on current issues
• Social events
• Visits to places of worship
• Providing advice/assistance to public bodies, such as local government
• Getting involved in regeneration/neighbourhood renewal work
• Circulating a regular newsletter

Origins Of The Forum
The Forum of Faiths has been running for six years. It is run by a council which consists of representatives of all the faith communities and advisers. The development of the Forum of Faiths for Derby came about when a research report was commissioned, and it was agreed by the involved parties that the development of the Forum would provide a way of engaging meaningfully with all the faith communities in Derby.

How Does The Council Work?
The Forum has a working Council with representatives alongside representatives from all the main faith traditions and key individuals who are co-opted onto the Council. In addition to this, open meetings are held with the aim of engaging the wider public and wider network of interested organisations and individuals.
The Forum seeks to represent views, and act on behalf of the faith communities within the city of Derby, working to develop better understanding among the wider public about the different faiths and contributing to better community cohesion.


What Has The Forum Done So Far?
During 2008 the Forum of Faiths for Derby pioneered a number of exciting and hugely successful projects exploring the Barriers and Bridges to interfaith co-operation and providing meaningful opportunities for people to meet together, cook together, and work together on various pieces of work. The Conference at The Spot where the Three Year Plan was launched drew over 100 people and was a first rate showcase on inter-faith collaboration.
Since then the Forum has run many successful events as a result of the 'Small Change' and 'Prevent' projects. Please visit our past events and photo gallery page for more information..


How Can I Get Involved?
Any faith organisation or individual can become a member of the Forum of Faiths free of charge. They can then receive and contribute to newsletters and become involved in the meetings and life of the Forum. Currently there are 57 faith based organisations affiliated to the Forum.