Promoting interfaith dialogue
We promote and support the development of interfaith relations and dialogue as a vital way to lower barriers, eliminate fear and distrust and increase understanding and mutual respect
Interfaith Summit
The First Minister held Scotland's first Interfaith Summit in 2015 to raise the profile of interfaith activity and promote the contribution faith communities make to Scottish society.
This has now become a key annual meeting for Interfaith Scotland’s key faith and belief stakeholders.
In November 2018, the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government co-chaired the fourth Interfaith Summit with the theme ‘Connecting Generations’
Scottish Interfaith Week
We support Scottish Interfaith Week, an annual event which was established by Interfaith Scotland in 2004.
It provides an opportunity for individuals, interfaith groups and faith communities to bring local people together to promote understanding and co-operation between Scotland's diverse faith communities.
In 2011 we produced Belief in Dialogue, a good practice guide to developing effective working relationships between different faith and belief communities. This guide has continued to be popular with our faith and belief communities.
Supporting Scotland's faith and belief communities
Every year the First Minister meets with the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
This forms part of the Moderator's annual two- to three-day visit to the Scottish Parliament, which includes meetings with the Presiding Officer and Scottish party leaders.
The First Minister also meets annually with Action of Churches Together Scotland. This is Scotland's national ecumenical body, which brings together nine Christian denominations to work together on issues concerning Scottish churches.
We celebrate Hanukkah with Scotland's Jewish communities, and support regular meetings between Scottish Government Ministers and the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC).
We recognise the importance of belief alongside mainstream faiths. So we celebrate Yuletide in the Scottish Parliament every year with the Humanist Society Scotland.
We regularly engage with the Muslim Council of Scotland and support Islam Awareness Week, an event that encourages all Scotland's communities to become more familiar with Islam as a faith and culture.