In this Diamond Jubilee year, there will be a special extended Inter Faith Week running from 18 - 27 November, reflecting the fact that there are likely to be additional activities taking place. The opening Sunday of the Week will again coincide with Mitzvah Day.Also in 2012 a special project called ‘A Year of Service’ will be taking place. In each month, for A Year of Service, faith communities will be hosting a day or days of volunteering and inviting people of other faiths and non-religious beliefs to join in. There will also be workplace volunteering opportunities. The Year provides an opportunity for marking in a practical way the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen – of whose reign service has been a key theme.
The days around which the programme is built have been chosen reflect both religious festivals and dedicated faith-based special volunteering ‘Days’. Other faith groups around the country can choose to hold their own volunteering events linked to other days.
See press release from DCLG issued on 13 January by the Government In this, Eric Pickles said: “Faith is a great motivator, and throughout the year people from different faiths regularly give something back, volunteering for projects that benefit individuals in need or their local neighbourhood… We want to help them do what they do best, recognising that just a little support can make a big difference. The Year of Service is a chance to link these great efforts together throughout the year… [projects will be] led by individual faith communities but involving people of all faiths and none.”
Further information about the project can be found at http://www.ayearofservice.org.uk/. The site, which is owned and managed by Mitzvah Day for A Year of Service, will include ideas for activities, case studies of existing projects and background information on why volunteering is important to each featured faith community.
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