Religions, Faiths and Cultures Unite
Do you ever wonder if anything goes on locally to encourage people of different faiths – or none – to meet each other, discuss issues of mutual interest, or find out about differences and similarities of the various faith traditions? Well there is. It’s the Hastings and Rother Interfaith Forum. An organisation which promotes respect, tolerance and friendship between people of different faiths and cultures in our area.
Its monthly meetings are advertised to a mailing list of its members and anyone else who has asked to be on the list.
The meetings may gather to listen to an invited speaker, to discuss issues affecting people of different cultures, and to socialise – including sharing food. The meetings are open to all. The formal aims and objectives are the promotion of religious harmony for the benefit of the public by:
• Educating those interested in different religious beliefs, and an awareness of their distinctive features and their common ground to promote good relations between people of different faiths
• Promoting knowledge and understanding of the beliefs and practices of different faiths and respect for those who seek to live by them
• Working together to solve problems experienced by local faith communities in the practice of their religions.
Who can attend meetings? Anybody who is interested and is sympathetic to the forum’s aims, there is no attendance fee or charge.
Who can be a member? Anybody or organisation who supports the aims objectives and mission statement of the Hastings and Rother Interfaith Forum and pays the annual subscription.
The forum was founded by Habiba Anwar Batthi, of Hastings Voluntary Action, in 2007. As of the 2021 AGM, its organisational members were: Bexhill Islamic Association; Bexhill Churches Together; Churches Together Hastings and St Leonards; Hastings Quaker Meeting; Council of Christians and Jews; Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Hastings; and the Universal Peace Federation.
Among individual members are Buddhists, members of numerous and diverse Christian denominations, Druids, and Spiritualists.
• The forum became a charity in 2011 – Registered Charity No. 1144837.
More information and planned monthly meetings can be found on their website: www.hastingsinterfaith.org
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