Womens’ Interfaith Workshops Project – History

A Redbridge Faith Forum Project

Who is it for?

In 2009 Redbridge Faith Forum hoped to attract a regular core group of women from Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other faith backgrounds living in Redbridge that had, or would like to have, strong links with their own cultural traditions and learn of the faiths and traditions of others interested in the aims of the project, which are to create a process of dialogue with women, which will strengthen communication between faith communities. The aims were further elaborated on at a workshop help in July 2009, to:

– Promote and strengthen interfaith collaboration, leading to a collective voice, through action projects

– Enable women from different faiths to have healthy discussions on a range of topics of mutual interest that will help overcome ignorance, prejudice and cross barriers

– Organise workshops open to any woman in Redbridge from any age group and faith who is interested in exploring the aims

– Develop an ongoing women’s interfaith group

– Establish a core group of women from different faith backgrounds, which over a period of years will meet on a regular basis and run joint projects

– Establish a self-directed and active ‘Redbridge Women of Faith Group’

– Bring women together across faith to gain the confidence and skills to bridge and link into different cultures.

This project proved to be a great success and is still a major feature of our work in 2015.  The workshops continue to be hosted in the meeting spaces of different faith community buildings. Trust has been built to make these safe, shared spaces for women to meet together and discuss openly various topics.