CAIRS (The Churches’ Agency for Inter Faith Relations in Scotland) exists to equip ministers and congregations from all denominations of Christian churches across Scotland in the area of Inter Faith relations. A new programme designed to help achieve this aim kicked off in Dundee at the Al-Maktoum Institute on the 4th of May.

The programme began with a talk by Donald Reid from the ‘Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association’ who told us the history of the ‘Edinburgh Festival of Spirituality and Peace’. He also outlined the exciting plans for this year’s events and the challenges of finding funding for future festivals.

The Festival has attracted significant audiences in recent years and is one of the few platforms that exist in the UK to bring people of different faiths together, applying the principles of their faiths to the issues of the day. It also attracts large numbers of people from non-faith and other faith back grounds who can see that faith can be a source for good. An example of how highly regarded the Festival has become is represented in the calibre of internationally renowned speakers who have appeared at the Festival.

We then enjoyed what could only be described as an inspirational talk from Ewan Gurr and Faisal Hussein. Ewan was featured on a documentary on Channel Four a few years ago entitled, ‘Secret Millionaire’ which followed Ewan’s work helping to feed low income families across Dundee. Ewan, an active member of the Assemblies of God Full Gospel Church in Dundee’s Hilltown, felt compelled by his faith to help those less well off than him. He started a programme to provide food to struggling families called the ‘Discovery Food Programme,’ which now delivers to 4400 people in Dundee a year with emergency food relief being sent to over 140 households per month.

Ewan explained that the ‘Discovery Programme’ was at one stage on its knees, unable to meet the demand, until an unexpected delivery turned up at Ewan’s door. Unaware of Ewan’s work until tumbling upon the T.V. programme a young local Muslim activist, Faisal Hussein, turned up at Ewan’s door looking to deliver a truck load of food which was too large to fit into Ewan’s storage rooms. As Ewan explained, ‘The Muslim community kept Discovery Food going.’

Their story was an inspiration to us all as we seek ways to work together in dialogue for the good of our communities. Questions were posed to CAIRS –“How we can encourage others to become involved in this area of work? Would there be other Churches and communities willing to hold food banks?” Pardoning the pun, Ewan and Faisal had definitely given us food for thought.

In the afternoon we welcomed Professor Malory Nye, Principal of the Islamic Al-Maktoum Institute, who spoke of the history of the centre and the plans to expand the centre in a new location. The centre has done much to promote good Christian/Muslim relations both in Scotland and across the UK. It has close ties with the Church of England and provides training on Islam to trainee ministers. Malory also spoke of the success of the “One Scotland Many Cultures” initiative which has encouraged Muslims and other faiths to have a deeper affiliation to Scotland than many people of other faiths in other parts of the UK.

The programme of speakers concluded with a presentation by Medhi from Dundee University ‘Muslim Message Society’. The Society has run several events with Christian and Muslim speakers speaking on a chosen issue with time for discussion afterwards.

All in all it was a very inspiring day, enjoyed by all, and many of us left enthused and desperate to do more to promote people of faith working together across Scotland.

Iain Stewart,
Church of Scotland Interfaith Development Worker.