Faith and Belief
Emerging themes
'People come together through similarity and choice so public bodies
need encourage interaction'
'Faith is a bridge not a divider'
We need:
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A broad application of cohesion - not just race, but also faith and
other factors
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Interaction and engagement as central focus
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To enable communities to deal with these issues at local level
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Effective partnerships and pro-active local leadership
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A sense of belonging - ‘everybody feels at home’, and respects 'good
neighbourliness’
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More English language support
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More responsible reporting by the media
Your key messages
'We need hospitality not hostility'
'Integration can’t be forced'
'Faith bodies and community leaders can unite, provide a blueprint for
communities'
'People take their faith values into the workplace and bring their work
skills into faith'
We need:
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Britain's diversity is its key strength
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Integration is not about assimilation
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Focus on what brings us together not divisions
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Integration and cohesion debate is jargon-laden
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A decent society is both tolerant and diverse
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Many different faiths share common values of humanity,
'humankind', nature, respect and forgiveness
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Faith bodies have role in all aspects of social life so are key players
in integration, addressing alienation and isolation and helping
communities in transition
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Some communities identify themselves as 'cosmopolitan' rather
than 'multi-cultural'
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Our best hope for the future lies in young people: we must educate
individuals to respect self and others from an early age
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Migrant workers can challenge many assumptions
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Link to integration into the workplace
Some important challenges
'Explore whether relations and dialogue between faiths is improving,
when relations between people of faith and secular bodies are
becoming polarised'
We need:
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Key role for other bodies in providing resources for capacity building
and community activities locally
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De-coupling integration and cohesion from terrorism - terrorism is
more than a faith (Muslim) issue
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Clear communication for people on public policy and issues affecting
communities
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Structured interaction to promote tolerance, dignity and citizenship
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Tackling intolerance, racism and bigotry
