FFWPU UK: Inter-religious Association for Peace and Development, United Kingdom

I nterfaith Harmony Week began officially in 2010, in part to recognise and showcase all the good work going on in society between our different faith traditions, and also to create a greater synergy between us, increasing our capacity to build a more peaceful, Vyas, President of the Hindu Forum of Europe; and Dr Michael Balcomb, FFWPU Regional President of Europe and the Middle East. Almost 200 people joined the zoom meeting, from the UK and a number of European countries, and we began harmonious world together. our meeting with 1 minute of silent prayer, meditation With this in mind, we designed an online event ‘Speaking and reflection, sending our collective heart of empathy Truth to Power’, where several speakers could share and compassion to all those affected by the immense examples in which people of faith are engaging tragedy, resulting from the earthquake in southern Turkey constructively with decision makers, and those with and northern Syria. responsibility, and also discuss methodology and ways in which more might be done. Our first speaker, Sheikh Nuru, emphasised that Citizens UK of which he is a National trustee, a broad alliance of Our speakers were : Sheikh Nuru Mohammed, Minister people from different backgrounds, including all faiths, of Religion and Co-Chair of Citizens UK in Birmingham; stands for social justice and change. It focuses on Dr Harriet Crabtree OBE, Executive Director of the ‘relational power’ rather than dominant power, building Interfaith Network UK since 2007; Mr Paul Gutteridge, relationships with those in positions of responsibility to Initiatives of Change, and Honorary Fellow at the Edward Cadbury Centre, University of Birmingham; Dr Lakshmi

bring about positive change which then impacts on, and to maintain the proper working order of a society, its brings more happiness to, all people. members and those who govern. Dr Lakshmi also described her congenial relationship of Dr Crabtree, after detailing the origin of the phrase some years with Hon Roberta Metsola, who has now ‘Speaking Truth to Power’, made a number of informal become President of the European Parliament, and her comments including the fact that it is not always clear two audiences with His Holiness Pope Francis in 2021 who we should be speaking to. She cautioned against the and 2023. over simplification that those in power are not truthful, and those who are speaking may be somewhat self- Finally, we heard from Dr Michael Balcomb, President of righteous. “We are all fallible in our different ways!” She FFWPU for Europe and the Middle East, and someone spoke of the importance of social media, and the fact that who has met a considerable number of political and our voices may well get lost in ‘the babble’, stressing the religious leaders through his work with UPF. He cited need to choose careful paths if our voice is to be heard several historical figures, such as Nathan, Moses and effectively. Abraham, who spoke truth to power in different circumstances, but also reminded us that we should do the Paul Gutteridge, emphasising that there is far more that same in following the dictates of our conscience, and not unites us than divides us, spoke of his pioneering work in be indifferent or think that we do not have the power to bringing together those who exist physically and/or make a real difference in society. He quoted the example ideologically at the margins of British society, and having of UPF’s founders, Father and Mother Moon, who have very different religious and ideological perspectives. This taken considerable risks in speaking to leaders such as includes those who are at risk of radicalisation. People of Mikhail Gorbachev and Kim Il Sung, and Mother Moon’s faith have a unique, though not exclusive, position to be a consistent message to world leaders that ‘there are no ‘midwife’, to provide a safe space and environment where permanent solutions to our current problems without radically honest conversations can take place. He stressed God’. the importance of ‘proximity’ which enables relationships to be made, a common theme amongst the evenings’ We then heard from two respondents, City Councillor speakers. Shehla Moledina, and Mahmooda Qureshi from the West Midlands Faith and Belief Forum. Mahmooda posed the Dr Lakshmi explained to us about ‘Satya’ (truth) as the questions ‘Why are we not being listened to, and Why are mainstay of basic moral law in Hinduism, and that this is we not speaking out more together?’ and the panellists ideally inbuilt in us from childhood, to become a truthful spent some time discussing these. A very good meeting and honest person of integrity. By making Satya our life’s was then concluded with the music video ‘Where Peace principle, we are taking the essential steps towards living Begins’ and, as Dr Balcomb had previously reminded us a happy and fulfilled life. This principle should function all : Peace Begins With Me.