3rd Annual Religious Peace Conference

international | sci-tech | opinion/analysis Wednesday May 09, 2007 14:42 by Sheikh Dr. Shaheed Satardien - Interfaith Roundtable

Faith, Education and Integration - Fitting in

The Inter-Faith Roundtable is a loose affiliation of people of different beliefs (from Christians, to Muslims, Hindus to Sikh etc) who seek to promote peace, tolerance, respect and understanding between the creeds and those of none. We believe that integration is an essential part of that process, as the lessons of Europe so starkly indicate.

According to the latest Census results, Ireland's population comprises about 10% of non-nationals. Whilst this is not significantly different from our European neighbours, the velocity of this development certainly is and is probably unique in modern peace-time history. Other countries have faced a much more gradual change in their cultural mix, they had much more time to gingerly test the waters. Ireland has been subjected to a somewhat more sudden immersion in the deep end of inter-culturalism.

It is arguable that this short-sharp-shock introduction to races, religions and cultures different from the Irish norm, may have been a positive development, akin to a patient being given less time to think about a potentially painful but beneficial injection. It is noticeable to anyone travelling in Europe that there appears to be far more cultural tensions in those countries where the rate of immigration was a more leisurely affair. In any event large numbers of migrants are here, and very likely here to stay. The question is, how best to integrate the "new" Irish and the "old" Irish?

The Inter-Faith Roundtable is a loose affiliation of people of different beliefs (from Christians, to Muslims, Hindus to Sikh etc) who seek to promote peace, tolerance, respect and understanding between the creeds and those of none. We believe that integration is an essential part of that process, as the lessons of Europe so starkly indicate. The role of education in promoting this development, in preparing our society for further changes in the future, and in arming our youth with the critical faculties necessary to address those changes, is very key. Accordingly, the subject of the 3 rd Annual Inter-Faith Roundtable Conference will be:

"Faith, Education & Integration: Learning to Fit In"

It will be held on Saturday 9th June from 9.30am until 4.30pm

In the St.Brigid's Community Hall

Church Street

Blanchardstown

We do hereby cordially invite you to particpate in this very important discussion and give your views on it. If you wish to present a paper on this theme then please contact us at your earliest convenience. We will have speakers from all the major faiths on the topic and academics in the field. We sincerely hope you will honour us by attending.