Cities Faith and Community Forum (CFCF)

This session centers on the work of the Cities Faith and Community Forum (CFCF): a network that facilitates the sharing of best practices between organizations working in cities throughout Europe, encouraging the development of robust and comprehensive multilateral programs. The session presents case studies focused on the work of three CFCF organizations around countering hate speech, hate crime, and intercommunal tensions in Barcelona, Edinburgh, and Dublin. The Blanquera Observatory (Barcelona) of Communication, Religion and Culture and their research into countering divisive rhetoric in the media and its impact on religious freedom and hate crimes in Catalonia. Edinburgh Interfaith Association contributes insights from their preventive educational programs that work to inoculate against the spreading of hate narratives. Dublin City Interfaith shares its experiences of responding to communal divisions and extremism, cultivating dialogue, resilience, and restoration, through its Safe Haven program.