Open Panel Discussion: Political Upheavals and Academia Join panelists tomorrow for an open conversation on the political upheavals currently facing academic institutions, explored through the lens of the ongoing debated around antisemitism in higher education. All are welcome to attend (no sign up required). Date & Time: 6pm on Tuesday 16 June 2026 Panellists: Prof. Derek Penslar (Harvard University) Prof. Yaron Peleg (University of Cambridge) Prof. Yaacov Yadgar (University of Oxford)

Our Executive Director Dr Esther-Miriam Wagner and Woolf Affiliated Researcher Dr Dunya Habash were delighted to take part in a panel, alongside representatives from the Von Hügel Institute and the Faraday Institute, on Academia and the Common Good at St Edmund’s College. #salon #research

It was a pleasure to recently welcome Year 10 students from St Bede’s Inter-Church School to the Woolf Institute for a whole day of workshops. The day began with a Conflict Transformation workshop, delivered by Dr Beth Phillips (Woolf Director of Education and Engagement) and which taught students how to listen when we disagree, understand when disagreement and conflict can be opportunities, and how to reframe disagreement. This was followed by a workshop on Architecture and Interfaith Encounter. Facilitated by Dunya Habash, PhD (Woolf Affiliated Researcher) and Emma Olson (Woolf PhD Scholar), students explored intellectual, artistic, and cultural relations between Christians, Jews, and Muslims through architecture, and culminated with a tour of the Woolf institute. The day concluded with a session entitled ‘Speed Faithing’, an opportunity for students to ask questions from individuals from 8 different faiths and worldviews in a ‘Speed Dating’ format. Many thanks to all of our contributors and to the students for making it such a wonderful day! #Interfaith #LivingInHarmony #Schools

Last week, the Cambridge Baha’i community hosted the most recent Interfaith Connection Cambridge event. Over 40 participants gathered to hear presentations, reflections, and music from different faith traditions on theme of ‘Community and Consultation’. Participants then split up into groups to consult one another on how to create vibrant and welcoming communities for all. Many thanks to the Baha’i community for organising and to Downing Place United Reformed Church for providing the venue. The Interfaith Connection Cambridge brings together people of faith in Cambridge so that we can learn about one another’s traditions, understand one another better, extend hospitality to one another, and become friends. #interfaith #multifaith #consultation #dialogue #community

Last week, our Executive Director Dr Esther-Miriam Wagner and Woolf Trustee and Honorary Fellow Rick Sopher met Sheikh Dr Mohammed al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League to discuss the current interfaith landscape of the UK. @THEMWLLO #interfaith #dialogue

There's still time to register for the next Interfaith Connection Cambridge event hosted by the Cambridge Baha’i Community. It's a great opportunity to learn how each of our faiths cherish community and contribute your own ideas and reflections in a spiritual consultation (details below). The Interfaith Connection Cambridge brings together people of faith in Cambridge so that we can learn about one another’s traditions, understand one another better, extend hospitality to one another, and become friends. Theme: Community and Consultation Date & Time: 2 June from 6 to 8pm Location: Downing Place United Reformed Church Register for free at: woolf.cam.ac.uk/whats-on/eve… #interfaith #community #consultation #cambridge

Eid Mubarak from the Woolf Institute! Eid ul-Adha honours the prophet Abraham’s devotion to God and his willingness to sacrifice his son. #EidMubarak #Abraham #AbrahamicFaiths #Islam

Today marks the beginning of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca. It occurs during the final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, and about two million people perform the pilgrimage each year. Read more about it at: britannica.com/topic/hajj #hajj #haj #mecca #islam

We are proud to have recently launched the How To Continue Talking: Research Report. Drawing together two years of research, interviews, event attendance, and analysis, the report examines the key reasons why and how interfaith dialogue in the UK has suffered since the 7th October 2023. Providing an academically rigorous study of the state of interfaith relations as manifest through local, regional, and national initiatives, the report also offers suggestions for paths forward to building stronger and more resilient interfaith relations. Swipe through to see the key themes and recommendations ➡️ Read the full report and reflective guide at: woolf.cam.ac.uk/research/pro… #HowToContinueTalking #Dialogue #MuslimJewishRelations #Judaism #Islam #IsraelPalestine

Last week we hosted 'Threads, Echoes, and Ink: Uncovering Minority Voices in Medieval Spain, Sefarad and al-Andalus' with @institutocervanteslondon organised by Woolf PhD Scholar Juan Moreno. Our presenters, Juan, Emma Olson (Woolf PhD Scholar), and Abigail Glickman (MPhil) shared their research on medieval Spain, exploring themes of cultural memory, music, manuscripts, textiles, and identity. Thank you to Seherish Abrar and to everyone who joined us for such an engaging evening of discussion, questions, and conversation. @socmedimedit #medieval #medievalspain #culturalmemory

Yesterday, we welcomed our commissioners to the Woolf Institute for the third meeting for the Commission on Interfaith Relations, chaired by Dr Ed Kessler MBE. Following reflections from Vice-Chair Bishop Lusa Nsenga Ngoy, commissioners heard presentations from Evie Sacks, Leo Taylor, and Adam Aslam on how young people encounter and interpret conflict, how these issues manifest in schools, universities, communities, online spaces, and faith settings, and what this may mean for social cohesion and specifically inter- and intra-faith relations. Commissioners also considered evidence gathered at the most recent public participation session (Leeds, 5 May), followed by a plenary and deliberations. Many thanks to our speakers and to all commissioners who were present. @Lustherev @JhuttiJay @shabnabegum @andrewcopson @FrancisTDavis @SallyFosterFul1 @andrewkpike #Interfaith #GlobalConflicts #CommunityResilence #CommissionOnInterfaithRelations

Last week, Woolf staff attended the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. We are immensely grateful to have received an invitation to such a wonderful occasion. #interfaith #religion #royalfamily #kingsgardenparty #royal

Congratulations to Dr Ani Avetisyan, Woolf Affiliated Researcher and Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge, has had her book ‘Arabic, Judaeo-Arabic, and Garshuni Versions of Ibn Al-Akfānī’s Treatise on Bloodletting: Linguistic Variation in Late Judaeo-Arabic’ published by Brill this week. Access at: brill.com/display/title/7078… #Judaism #Arabic #JuadeoArabic

'Antisemitism is evil, it must be confronted wherever it appears' The Bishop of Willesden, Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, the Church of England's Lead Bishop for Interfaith Engagement and Vice-Chair of the Commission on Interfaith Relations, spoke at the Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally in London earlier this week. Read the full address at: churchofengland.org/media/ne… @Lustherev #antisemitism #interfaith #HopeNotHate

How can we create loving and vibrant communities by serving together? How do listening and consultation help in the process of building community? Join us for the next Interfaith Connection Cambridge event hosted by the Cambridge Baha’i Community to learn how each of our faiths cherish community and contribute your own ideas and reflections in a spiritual consultation. The Interfaith Connection Cambridge brings together people of faith in Cambridge so that we can learn about one another’s traditions, understand one another better, extend hospitality to one another, and become friends. Theme: Community and Consultation Date & Time: 2 June from 6 to 8pm Location: Downing Place United Reformed Church Register for free at: woolf.cam.ac.uk/whats-on/eve… #interfaith #community #consultation

Our Reflective Guide to Talking About Israel-Palestine in Interfaith Settings is now live on our website. Emerging from our How To Continue Talking project - which has spent the last two years examining how interfaith relations in the UK have been impacted by violence in Israel-Palestine - the guide offers practical suggestions on how to facilitate dialogue relating to the region. Based on our examination of what works in real interfaith settings, we offer examples of best practice that we invite facilitators to reflect upon when thinking about how to carry out difficult dialogue. You can access the guide at: woolf.cam.ac.uk/research/pro… #HowToContinueTalking #Dialogue #MuslimJewishRelations #Judaism #Islam #IsraelPalestine

The Struggle to Belong – Woolf Annual Lecture Last week, we were honoured to welcome former Labour Cabinet minister, Professor John Denham, to deliver the annual Woolf lecture. His talk explored the roots of ‘Englishness’ and ‘Britishness’ and how these have increasingly come to reflect different values in contemporary society, divisions exacerbated by the exclusion of England from structures of governance. The necessary response: the establishment of a parliament for England; entrenched devolution of power in England; and the re-founding of the union as a voluntary collaboration of nations. The lecture was followed by a response by Professor Michael Kenny (Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge) and a Q&A. Particular thanks to our speaker and to Dr Mohammed Ibraheem Ahmed for facilitating the event. @BennettInst #interfaith #englishness #nationalism #publicpolicy #policy #belonging

Last week, we were delighted to present the findings of our How To Continue project in the House of Lords at an event attended by policy makers, interfaith practitioners, and faith leaders. The project’s lead researcher Dr James Sunderland outlined some of the challenges that have emerged in the interfaith space since the 7th October 2023 and paths forward for reforging disrupted relations on the ground in the UK. Our research found a number of key areas that have led to disruptions in interfaith relations in the UK over the last two and a half years. These included: · Differing uses of language and terminology by communities around Israel-Palestine · The use of different spaces for dialogue · The challenges that intense emotions and difficult topics cause for interfaith practitioners Following the presentation, a panel of speakers from different faith perspectives spoke movingly to guests about their experiences of interfaith amidst the fall out from violence in Israel-Palestine and how their own experiences give them hope for building a better society together. All speakers stressed the need of faith communities to come together in difficult times to support one another and tackle the issues that impact us all Particular thanks to Lord Wajid Khan for hosting us and to all of the speakers and panelists for their contributions. Read the report at: woolf.cam.ac.uk/research/pro… @ImamMonawar @RabCharley @rsopher #HowToContinueTalking #Dialogue #MuslimJewishRelations #Judaism #Islam #IsraelPalestine #Interfaith

Unfortunately, we have had to postpone today's webinar, held in collaboration with the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean. A new date will be decided and announced on social media in the foreseeable future - we are sorry for any inconvenience caused. @socmedimedit #medieval #medievalmediterranean