Religions for Peace UK has been preparing to set up the UK chapter of Interfaith Youth Network and our European colleagues have been most graciously helping us along the way. On the 3rd December, the culmination of a long period of preparation work reached maturity and the summit at Taplow Court organised by the European Interfaith Youth Network, and the event heralded the inception of the UK Interfaith Youth Network.

The summit included representatives from many faiths coming from UK, Italy, France, Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland, and Israel. The wealth of knowledge and dedication of these young people will contribute greatly to the building up of the UK chapter and we are looking forward very much to the continuation of formation work in 2017.

The Buddhist participant Gabrielle Westhead, representative from Soka Gakkai International-UK (SGI-UK) –  the lay Nichiren Buddhist organisation, writes:

The UK Interfaith Youth Network is still very much in its infancy, it is already a great cause for multireligious youth from organisations in the UK, including members of Soka Gakkai-UK, Coexister, Focolare, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, National Hindu Student Forum UK, Pandava Sena and the Student Christian Movement UK, to unite and contribute to coexistence and peace here in the UK. It will develop its vision into the new year and invites UKreligious and interreligious youth organisations to consider joining the network.

More information on the Religions for Peace Website:  http://www.religionsforpeace.org.uk/

and RfP European Interfaith Youth Network Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rfp.eiyn/

Please contact Gabrielle Westhead (gmwesthead@gmail.com) and/or Rupal Maru (rupalmaruc@gmail.com) for any enquiries.