Devon Interfaith Forum 4 Youth (DIFFY)

feature-DIFFYDevon Interfaith Forum 4 Youth is a dynamic group of young people from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds committed to coming together for change. Young people from Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Bahá’í faiths, as well as those with no specific religious affiliation, gather together to socialise, have fun and learn from each other.

DIFFY grew from the Torbay Interfaith Youth Group TIFFY (Torbay Interfaith Forum For Youth) which was a previous young persons’ project and which produced a local DVD called “It Matters To Me” in 2012.

Marc Frank, the DIFFY leader, says:

“Together we explore the importance of tolerance and respect, sample the richness of each other’s cultures, and confront societal prejudice by sharing our own experiences, and promoting attitudes of peace and unity. Our events and activities range from musical shows and workshops, drumming circles, creative group discussions through to video-making, art & craft sessions, and outdoor pursuits.”

Future Events

A Day of Building Bridges and Valuing Visions

Sunday 17thNovember 2019 11am – 4pm

at Lupton House and its gorgeous grounds in Brixham

Recent events

DIFFY was recently successful in attracting a grant from Together in Service to fund a project called “Sharing Together for a Change” which focused on four local events for young people.

The “Standing up and Speaking Out” day workshop allowed a direct exploration of the dynamics of how prejudicial and discriminatory thinking develop, and made our young people aware of examples of direct and peaceful social action used to confront this type of intolerance, encouraging them to recognise their own capacity to challenge this when they see it emerge within or between faith communities.

The “Sacred Sounds – Community in Unity” event allowed for a celebration of creative diversity in the musical expression of a variety of faith communities, and an understanding of the bridge-building potential of music and the arts to promote unity between faiths for the good of all.

The “Many Faiths – One Earth” day encouraged our young people to consider practical steps towards social change through a consideration of their sacred connection to the environment, a deep appreciation of their place on the earth, and the context of this appreciation within the richness of diverse faith traditions. It also allowed young people to consider practical voluntary action and life changes that could be made in order to live a more sustainable life, in harmony with the planet on which they live.

“Diverse Doors” joined the Bristol Multifaith Forum event and allowed DIFFY participants to experience a hands on encounter and direct meeting with members of different faith communities, offer an opportunity to ask questions, learn about their lifestyles and explore their places of worship in Bristol.

Here’s a link to the DIFFY website: https://devoninterfaithforum4youth.wordpress.com/

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