Commission on Interfaith Relations wants to hear your experiences — here’s how
People and groups of any faith background are being invited to share insights on resolving conflict between communities
Organisations and individuals of any faith are being invited to share their experiences of resolving conflict between different communities with the newly launched UK Commission on Interfaith Relations.
The commission, launched in the House of Lords in January, aims to produce a “playbook” to help local authorities and community leaders to “respond effectively during times of global conflict”.
The online consultation is open to anyone wishing to share professional or academic insight on the topic of interfaith relations as well as personal experiences. For those who are selected to take part, evidence can be submitted in writing or as an audio recording.
The commission, chaired by Ed Kessler, the president of the Woolf Institute, consists of 16 policymakers, academics, faith leaders and charity sector representatives, including Runnymede chief executive Shabna Begum. Crossbench peer Harry Woolf is the commission’s patron.
Commissioners will also take the consultations on the road during 2026. They will travel to cities in England, Scotland and Wales to speak at private events with faith community members about topics ranging from transnationalism to disinformation in the media and faith leadership.
They will visit:
- Leicester to talk about diaspora and transnationalism on 30 March 2026
- Leeds and Bradford to discuss young people, conflict and faith on 5 May
- Edinburgh to talk about faith leadership in polarised times on 8 June
- Manchester to discuss the media, misinformation and disinformation on 10 September
- Cardiff to discuss the subject of “practical solutions” on 4 November
“The commissioners are very interested in hearing more first-hand experiences of affected faith communities and, particularly, evidence or case studies of good practice where interfaith relationships have ameliorated or where tensions have been resolved following conflict,” said commission spokesperson Henry King.
He added that the commission was particularly eager to hear from “very local” faith leaders who can be a “conduit to reach very, very local faith perspectives”.
You can share your advice and experiences here.
