Building Bridges: Hope for a Unified World

Hope Helps: Navigating Everyday Life

“We don’t live in isolated communities,” says civil service worker Mamataj Begum. We meet different people all around us, whether at work, school, sporting events, or simply walking down the street. As society becomes increasingly divided, collaboration with others becomes increasingly valuable. Ben Shapiro is a six-year employee of the interfaith charity, the Faith and Belief Forum. He describes the power people have to dispel stereotypes and solve societal problems when they work together and understand each other. The good news? Exciting opportunities for inter-community engagement are all around us.

Interfaith charities exist to connect people with different backgrounds who share common goals. Ben and Mamataj originally became involved through university programs. Since then, they have participated in interfaith book clubs, theatre productions, zoom conferences, dinner parties, festival days, and fitness challenges. “If you like doing something,” notes Mamataj, “inevitably there’ll be an [interfaith] group on the internet [which also does] that thing.”

In the end, what matters most may not be the activity we engage in, but the attitude we bring. Inter-community environments create a “safe space” where people can be themselves without fear of being judged. When we approach these spaces with curiosity instead of assumptions, we are better prepared to learn from each other. “Take the first step,” Ben urges. “It’s so much better than you can imagine… [Kind, welcoming] people are waiting for you.”