Iftars - the breaking of fast after sunset during the Holy Month of Ramadan

There were a number of Iftars which members of the Interfaith Council for Wales were involved with. The Dialogue Society held one at the Senedd. In Newport, the Riverfront held one on behalf of Newport Live. There was a Welsh Sanctuary Iftar for all at Cardiff Castle. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held their annual ‘Big Iftar’. In North Wales we had news of the Iftar in Betsi Cadwallader hospital.

The photographs below give a flavour of the events and the wonderful community sharing of the Islamic custom.

Photos from Summit of the Future

On 13th February 2025 we held a conference in the International Conference Centre, at the Celtic Manor, Newport. Following the event please see a message from Kate McColgan (Chair)

we would like to thank so many of you for attending our recent summit for the future and being willing to share your thoughts and ideas. It soon became clear that we shared many of the same hopes and aspirations for the kind of world we wanted ourselves and our children to live in.

As promised, we have now been able to collate your various group responses and enclose these herewith for your information. Please feel free to share.

Having recently celebrated St David’s Day, the patron saint of Wales, and in keeping with his most famous words, “Do the little things”, we would like to encourage you to pick one or two things from the list of things you jointly suggested in the third column of the attached Shared Future (which you are not already doing of course) and encourage others around you to join you and in doing so, start/continue the change that we all want to see.

In addition, over the course of the next few months, we would encourage you to take photos, make short reports and generally feedback to us via our email address above, how this has made you feel and any positive outcomes.

We intend in November when we celebrate Interfaith week to share your joint contributions with the world through our website, social media and our council activity, the difference that doing the small things can make. (These can be anonymous if preferred).

Thank you for being part of the change that we all long to see, lighting what appears to be an increasingly dark world.

Hannukah Candle Lighting

On 30th of December 2024 Guests were invited to attend the Hannukah Candle Lighting at the Reform Synagogue in Cardiff.

It was a very special event which members of the Interfaith Council for Wales were delighted to attend. Afterwards we shared wonderful hospitality with warm soup and a lovely buffet. What a fabulous event!

The meaning of the festival was explained to us before the appropriate candles were lit. ‘Lighting candles on Hanukkah, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” symbolizes the miracle of a single day’s worth of oil lasting eight days in the rededicated Jewish Temple after the Maccabean Revolt, representing the triumph of light over darkness and the continued practice of Jewish faith despite oppression; each night, one additional candle is lit on the menorah, signifying the growing light of the miracle over time.’

Event for Interfaith Week November 2024 - A Celebration of Faiths and Unity

We had a really wonderful event with so many participants, all enjoying the evening. We were so pleased that Jane Hutt MS could start proceedings and Peredur Owen Griffiths MS could close. They are both very supportive of Interfaith ethos. The choir processed in with ‘Peace Prayer Mandala’ and then sang an inspirational song ‘Be The Light’ . Natalie Davies taught the songs and conducted at the event. We were told of ‘Inspirational Women of Faith’ by women from different faiths and were treated to some wonderful Indian Dancing. A big congratulation to Katie McColgan and the Events Committee for organising the event, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for hosting and to Radhika Kadaba for organising the wonderful refreshments (on behalf of Hindus( and to the Dialogue Society for Noah’s Pudding.

A happy photograph with Mrs Janey Howells MA, the High Sheriff of South Glamorgan, at the KFOR (Kosovo Peace Keeping Force) arranged by Heartstone Director Sitakumari.

To quote Sasha ‘A beautiful and thought provoking exhibition. Such a moving exhibition and brilliant speeches by all.’

This was at the Firing Line Museum in Cardiff Castle, where we attended the launch of the exhibition on 10th September 2024.

The Interfaith Council for Wales had a presence in Pontypridd for the National Eisteddfod in August. Gethin was able to arrange for us to have a stall in St Catherine’s Church Pontypridd. Different people from the IFC were in attendance on different days and really enjoyed conversations with the very many people who visited the stall.

The Interfaith Council for Wales at the National Eisteddfod 2024

A 'Super Day' in Ysbyty Gwynedd Wed September 11th 2024 Their Kerala nurses treated them to a traditional dance follwed by lovely food. What a treat!

Interfaith at the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod

Twenty five of us set off from Community House at 7am on Wednesday 3rd July 2024 . It was a long journey, but in good company, with members of Coffee’n’Laughs from Community House accompanied by Katie, Radhika and Christine. We had a fantastic day and everyone enjoyed it. The Interfaith Event went well with Katie telling the audience, from the stage, what distinctively she learnt from each of our faiths. Many thanks to Gareth Hall of North Wales Interfaith for organising everything so well and to the Llangollen Committee for wanting an interfaith event. Hopefully, this will be an annual occasion. See the video on Facebook This is the link https://fb.watch/t69ePGdem3/k .

An Interfaith Picnic at Roath Park

The sun came out for us as many people of all faiths and none met to share good company and to celebrate what unites our communities. As Jo Cox said. ‘We have much more in common than that which divides us’.

Katie Gilmour, you are a star. Thanks for all your hard work and fantastic organisation.

An Interfaith event at the International Convention Centre, Celtic Manor, Newport.

Nearly 150 guests were hosted at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport for an interfaith evening of celebration of Unity and Peace on 7^th March 2024. At the invitation of the High Sheriff of Gwent, Prof. Simon Gibson, CBE, DL, to the Interfaith Council of Wales to hold the event, including a delicious buffet, in the beautiful Woodland Suite, members of the Interfaith Council considered how they might best reach out to people who may never have experienced such a meeting before.

Three Newport schools accepted the invitation to give a presentation around the theme in whatever creative ways they wished. Maindee Primary School children presented a deeply moving Unity dance and their school song which included the use of sign language. Maindee school is accredited with the Peace Mala award and also works with the Onyx Link Foundation to bring people of faith and belief into the school to learn about their beliefs.

St Joseph’s RC High School presented inspiring poetry readings, written and read by the pupils themselves. The school has pupils from 42 ethnic backgrounds and 52 languages are spoken.

St Woolos Primary School sang four delightful songs that were important to them including ‘Shalom’ and ‘Calon Lan’. 32 children represented the school,also accompanied by fifteen parents.

In between the presentations guests heard ‘Sabbath Prayer’ played by Ponthir Recorder Harmonies and representatives from eight world faiths read short passages from each of their scriptures on ‘the Golden Rule’ a theme that runs throughout each faith – to treat others as you would like to be treated.
Amongst the guests were Trevor Watkins, Mayor of Newport, HM the Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent Robert Aitkin, CBE, former Judge, Her Honour Helen Mifflin, DL,the High Sheriff of Gwent in nomination for 2024-2025 and Chief Inspector of Blaenau Gwent Amanda Thomas.
The High Sheriff welcomed everyone to the Celtic Manor saying that one of the duties of the Sheriff was to encourage interfaith activity. It is one of the key objectives of the role to promote understanding, cooperation and good relations between organisations and people of different faiths, strongly encouraging acts of kindness, compassion and public service across all religious communities. Empowerment of young people is another priority objective and this event certainly contributed towards both of these.
The Interfaith Council for Wales thanks the High Sheriff for his generous offer to host the event which it feels will have contributed to opening up opportunities for people to get to know one another and have a greater understanding, love and respect for others.

Some memorable Iftars this year (2024)

Revd Wynne Roberts reported that there are three Iftars taking place in North Wales: in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bangor and Wrexham.

In South Wales, many of the members of the council attended one organised by The Dialogue Society, which took place in Llandaff Cathedral. Thank you Meymune, for the Invitation to attend and for the terrific organisation.