The Faith & Belief Forum: Recent Episodes
faithbeliefforum
Conversations about faith, belief and identity, welcoming a wide range of perspectives. Dialogue, not debate.
In this podcast for Earth Day 2023, a panel of activists from different faith and belief backgrounds share their connections to nature and the environment, concepts from their traditions, what activism looks like in their lives, and hopes for the future. Hosted by Siobhán from F&BF’s Green Team with: •Lori, Humanist Climate Action Coordinator•Sheila, Environmental Consultant•John, Buddhist practitioner and Community Gardener•Shantanu, Co-Chair, ReSpECC CEESP, IUCN
An personal conversation with Bibi Khan MBE DL. Bibi details her upbringing in Guyana, moving to London, building the London Islamic Cultural Centre (LICS) in Haringey with her father, and going on to lead it since 2019. We hear the challenges faced in the community and personally, how they supported local residents and how faith guides Bibi in daily life.
Knowledgeable and inclusive workplaces, which understand lived experiences and are able to meet employees’ needs, are essential to enabling individuals, teams, and organisations to thrive. Yet faith and belief inclusion is often overlooked, sometimes out of fear of ‘getting it wrong’. At this podcast from our Interfaith Week Breakfast Forum, F&BF's Siobhán Anderson is joined by Dr Kathryn Wright, Chief Executive at Culham St Gabriel's Trust, and Jag Jethwa from OVO Energy, as they discuss how organisations can become more inclusive of people from different backgrounds.
The newest Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, Randeep Lall DL, discusses his personal and professional background. We talk about his charity, Nishkam SWAT, how it started and their faith-based motivation for providing relief to the homeless in London and beyond. We also hear about his work with His Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of London's Council on Faith as well as learning some Sikh philosophy along the way.
We talk to four students from Birmingham City University on the ParliaMentors leadership programme about how interfaith social action has enabled them to stay connected and create positive change in their local community during the pandemic.
In this Faith & Belief Forum Podcast we talk to a group of students on our ParliaMentors leadership programme from the University of Nottingham about creating connections and social change during a pandemic. We discuss diverse leadership in different sectors, and the importance of dialogue between people with different religious and political beliefs.
In this Faith & Belief Forum Podcast we talk to a group of students on our ParliaMentors leadership programme from the University of Manchester. We discuss leadership, stereotypes, and building connections across difference, as well as the importance of people staying connected and supporting one another during COVID-19. We also discuss Black History Month and Black Lives Matter and how to be more inclusive when dealing with questions of race and faith.
In this Faith & Belief Forum Podcast we talk to a group of students on our ParliaMentors leadership programme from the University of Liverpool. We discuss their ideas for educating young people about politics and stereotypes in the media, and the importance of connecting people from different communities during COVID.
F&BF's Ben Shapiro and Philip Ybring talk about the importance of diverse leadership in all sectors of society. We discuss the impact our ParliaMentors leadership programme has had on those who go through it, how we are adapting to COVID-19, and why today's leaders have to be confident dealing with issues of faith, belief and identity.
The Faith & Belief Forum’s Tim Mortimer is joined by Dr Maryyum Mehmood, Professor Tariq Modood FBA, and Dr Madeleine Pennington to discuss our new report on faith, belief and social cohesion. They examine some of the key developments in the UK over the past few decades, discuss good examples of local cohesion-building initiatives, and share hopes and ideas for the future.
We talk to Rajinder Singh, a 73-year old Sikh pensioner who recently found online fame as the Skipping Sikh. Also joining us is his daughter Min Kaur who has been supporting her father’s campaign to raise money for the NHS.We discuss health and well-being during lockdown, the importance of community, and how challenging situations can bring people closer to faith and spirituality.
In this podcast from the West Midlands, the Faith & Belief Forum's Rich Pringle is joined virtually by Val Harrison, Nikhat Panjwani, Satnam Poonian and Ben Lees as they discuss navigating faith and staying connected during lockdown.This podcast was recorded at the end of April 2020.(Unfortunately, due to connection issues, most of Nikhat Panjwani’s contributions to the podcast had to be edited out. We hope she can join us again in the future.)
At the Faith & Belief Forum, we create spaces where people can engage with questions of belief and identity and meet people different from themselves. Social distancing has highlighted the importance of connecting with others and has created an opportunity to explore how people can get together digitally. In this podcast, F&BF’s Daisy King is joined virtually by Heather Bateson, Maria Brennan and Akshita Canchi as they discuss life in lockdown and how they are engaging with their communities and faiths in new ways.
We speak to Dr Jagbir Jhutti-Johal about the Sikh community in the West Midlands and how they are adapting to the coronavirus epidemic. We discuss the concept of Sewa - selfless service - and how people are supporting both their own and other communities through challenging times. We also talk about faith, belief and environmental issues.
During the coronavirus pandemic we are talking to people from faith and belief communities across Britain about how they are dealing with this challenging situation. This week we're speaking to Simon and Keely Bateson, Lead Pastors of Riverside Vineyard Church in Whitstable. We talked how they are staying connected to their faith and their community during times of social distancing.
We speak to Rabbi Mark Goldsmith about how life in his Jewish community has changed since the coronavirus epidemic began, and about the meaning of the festival of Passover.
Faith & Belief Forum Director Phil Champain is joined by Kamran Shezad from the Bahu Trust, Maria Elena Arana from CAFOD, and Shulamit Morris-Evans from Extinction Rebellion Jews to discuss how faith groups can help combat climate change.
A few weeks ago, the F&BF Education and Learning team were paid a visit by Lucy Peacock who is conducting a PhD evaluating the effectiveness of our School Linking Programme. This podcast gives an overview of her motives for starting the PhD, the methods she’s been using, some personal and intellectual highlights so far – as well as hopes for the future of her findings.
Through the youth-led Amplify programme, students have come together to create a movement called #WeAreMoreThanYourHeadlines to challenge divisive narratives in the media.
In this podcast, Rich Pringle is joined by Arron Gill and students Lauryn Chan, Tariq Roubayi, and Layla Chishti to discuss the process of creating their manifesto for change.
The Faith & Belief Forum's Amplify programme creates spaces for exploring issues relating to faith, belief and identity in an interconnected world. In this podcast, Ana Co follows Amplify students from Westminster Academy on their last ever session and chats to them about why the initiative is important.
BBC journalist Anisa Subedar is joined by authors Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, Jackie Mouradian, and Na'ima B. Robert to discuss belief and identity in books and their experience in the publishing industry. This podcast was recorded at an event for International Women's Day.
Our first Dialogues Across Difference podcast looks at the new recommendations from the Commission on Religious Education and what they might mean for the future of the subject. What knowledge and skills do young people need to live and thrive in a culturally diverse society?