Cork’s Three Faiths Forum are delighted to launch The Pocket Facts Guide for Jewish, Christian and Muslim People 2020. 

The Cork Three Faiths Forum has been meeting since May 2016. It brings together members of the three Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – and seeks to create a space where people of faith can dialogue openly and respectfully, come to a better understanding of each other’s faith, and work together to enhance tolerance, cooperation and friendship in society. 

During this pandemic where we have all had our freedoms curtailed and ‘locked down’, we have spent considerable time thinking more closely about people who find themselves in difficulties throughout the world. We think especially of the Uighur Muslims in China, the Christians of Northern Nigeria, the Rohingya in Myanmar, Palestinians and Israelis from all three faiths in the Holy Land, and of so many other people who are persecuted on the basis of their faith or race and suffer horrific violence and destruction. Closer to home here in Europe, including in Ireland, we know that there are issues that divide us – from the importance of Black Lives Matter to many other societal disparities. We cannot look on silently but we call on governments to ensure justice for all people and we encourage each one of us to do what we can to promote peace and harmony in our global community. 

We pray for our societies to embrace pluralism and difference. We can share this great world  together. 

We appreciate that oftentimes discord and tension arises from the lack of understanding of ‘the  other’. This pocket guide initiative is a small step in helping us understand our neighbour a little better. Jews, Christians and Muslims are as diverse as the trees in the world so don’t expect all the answers in this small guide. We hope that this guide will begin a conversation between us and hopefully move us to reach out to each other (socially distant, at this time!) as we embrace the challenges that modern society poses to us all. 

Thank you to St Philip's Centre in Leicester for the idea of these booklets and for much of the content which was amended to reflect all three of the faiths represented in Cork 3FF. This Pocket Guide was produced with a grant obtained from the Westhill Foundation in 2020. 

The Pocket Facts Guide for Jewish, Christian and Muslim People 2020 will be launched at Cork City Council with Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Joe Kavanagh, Ardmhéara Chorcaí on Tuesday 6th October 2020 at 3:30pm. 

For further questions or queries please contact Dr. Amanullah De Sondy amanullah.desondy@ucc.ie or Revd Canon Elaine Murray emitincork@gmail.com