Following the success of the first year of the Celebrating Commonality Celebrating Difference programme (see press release extract below), the Churches Trust is now inviting people to participate in this innovative and enriching programme. The project is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
The participant group will explore the Abrahamic Faiths; Judaism, Christianity and Islam. No previous knowledge is needed; rather this course is learning about the underlying ethos, commonalities and differences between the Abrahamic Faiths, and will include a series of study trips and workshops between May 2019 and April 2020.
If interested in this programme please contact Fiona Fagan at The Churches Trust.
phone: 028 71 311322; email: fionafagan@thechurchestrust.org.uk.
Press Release Year 1
‘Celebrating Commonality Celebrating Difference’ Churches Trust
Churches Trust celebrated the completion of the first year of an innovative programme where a group of 20 people from a range of faith traditions explored the underlying ethos and commonalities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam – the Abrahamic faiths.
Celebrating Commonality Celebrating difference is a project supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Under PEACE IV small grants scheme the Churches Trust coordinated a community education project which fits within Building Positive Relations priority area. The project brought participants from various faith traditions and none, within the Derry City Strabane District Council area and Donegal who together explored the Abrahamic Faiths primarily in context of the commonalities and differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The project included a series of workshops, presentations, talks, interactive exercises and study visits.
Speaking at the celebration event which took place at the Guildhall, Seamus Farrell, co-facilitator with Johnston McMaster said that ‘Authentic faith tradition in peace building absolutely requires that faiths speak to each other’ and he welcomed the opportunity to share values such as peacefulness, and love your neighbour.
Fiona Fagan, Chief Executive of the Churches Trust, said that ‘it has been a truly enriching experience where people from a range of faith traditions had the opportunity to celebrate and embrace the diversity of cultures in the North West area.