FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Ireland
Address
3 James Joyce Street,Country
IrelandCity
DublinProvince
LeinsterMobile Phone
353 83 8003345Telephone
353 83 8003345E-Mail (2)
info@dublincityinterfaithforum.orgWebsite
Click HereYear of Establishment
2012Contact Person1
Mr. Adrian CristeaContact Person 2
Ms Sinead LynchOrganisation Type
Non-Governmental OrganizationFields of Activity
ReligionGeneral Information
The Dublin City Interfaith Forum (DCIF) is a network of people from a wide variety of faith communities in the city. It seeks to raise awareness of the diversity of faith and culture through deep interfaith dialogue and co-operation. We envisage a society based on mutual respect, co-operation and understanding driven by progressive pluralism and unity, diverse and vibrant, throughout Ireland and the World. The Forum works with leaders and representatives of faith communities to deliver interfaith and intercultural activities in Dublin and across the island of Ireland and supports people of different faiths area to dialogue, reflect and work together in matters of policy, strategy and action. DCIF works to develop strategies to support integration initiatives through cooperating with local civic, health and social services to promote mutual understanding of cultural, religious and legal sensitivities so that the needs of civil authorities, migrant and resident communities can be addressed.
Mission and Objectives
The guiding principles of DCIF recognises that although participants come from individual faith groups they coalesce around a common identity of humanity and the common principles in our respective faiths.
Service: Our primary focus within our respective faiths is service to others. Outreach and public awareness alongside education can increase the number of services provided over time and improve the well being of individuals, congregations and the broader community.
Interfaith: We are enriched through the diversity of our volunteers and recipients’ beliefs. While our primary focus is providing services, our shared activities facilitate appreciation and understanding of differing faiths.
Volunteers: Volunteers are the heart of our forum; they help people from varying backgrounds and traditions work together.
Collaboration: Fostering community collaborations and partnerships in support of those we serve while taking care to remain focused on our core services.
Integrity: We promote excellence within the organization at all levels and are prudent, transparent and accountable in our use of funds. We plan to create a stable and diverse funding base that supports our core programmes. DCIF does not take positions on political, social or religious issues. We do not support political candidates but endorse all activities that service the well being of people.
Main Projects / Activities
Main Projects/Activities
Faith communities have as a common ideal the spirit of service. Within DCIF the focus is on all faith communities both new and indigenous, communities willing and able to participate in and support civic life and integration. We continue to develop strategies to support integration initiatives and mutual understanding of the sensitivities of both the resident local and the new or resident migrant. Below are some examples of activities:
- Faith in The City Programme brings together statutory and non-statutory agencies, local community groups, neighbours to visit diverse places of worship with a view to break down prejudice and build a deeper sense of understanding, friendship and connectedness.
• Capacity Building and Training on Cultural and Faith Diversity Workshops.
• Regular meetings with An Garda Siochána and HSE to provide interfaith guidance and advice at a national level. Members of the Garda National Diversity and Integration Unit, the national diversity support and advisory office, are active participants and fully support the DCIF and its interfaith activities. Furthermore, DCIF briefing material, in electronic and published formats, now form part of a ‘Garda diversity toolkit’ maintained by (GNDIU) for use by all Garda members throughout the State.
• Annual Interfaith Walks for Peace marking the UN International Day of Peace.
• Interfaith and Intercultural seminars.
• The Forum has devised a number of strategies to educate people about the different faith communities, both native and migrant, in Dublin including series of public talks on the history, beliefs, rituals, etc. of different faith communities.
• Ongoing development and delivery of a schools programme of educational resources see (dcif.ie/resources)
• Published guide: ‘Come and See for Yourself’. Simple advice on what to expect if someone were to visit a church, mosque, temple or centre of one of our faith communities in Dublin.
• DCIF organizes regular meetings hosted by the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House between Faith Community leaders and the city administration.