2. A new global schools programme
– Face to Faith
What is Face to Faith? “Face to Faith is an amazing platform
Face to Faith is a schools programme set
to teach our school children tolerance
up by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation
and respect for other religions. It gets
www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org.
them to think about the major religions
It is a compelling educational programme that engages of the world and hopefully learn to
students of different faiths and none across the world in understand them. Being in contact with
learning directly with, from and about each other. their counterparts from other countries
belonging to different faiths will
What are its main aims and certainly broaden their minds and will
objectives? definitely help in stretching themselves
beyond their own belief systems, at the
1. To promote cross-cultural understanding – equipping same time help them to work together
young people with key 21st century skills needed to to solve the 21st century problems.
live in a world of diverse faiths and beliefs.
2. To provide young people with the knowledge, skills
Religion is a sensitive subject and the
and competencies needed for meaningful inter
teachers are wary of talking about any
and intra-faith dialogue across a range of cultures,
kind of religion in the classroom, but
containing diverse and sometimes conflicting views.
3. To give students the knowledge and skills which
thanks to Face to Faith, it is a perfect
will enable them to resist extremist voices, and setting for interfaith dialogue; to
enable them to approach faith in a rational and address cross-cultural understanding
open-hearted way. and break down religious barriers.
Religion has the capacity to inspire
How does Face to Faith work? intolerance but it also has the potential
Using video conferencing and an online community, to play a constructive, not destructive
students of different faiths and none work together to role. We would like to explore different
investigate specific global issues; discuss a range of religions’ capacity to make a positive
opinions, values and beliefs; and explore the reasons for contribution to the community and the
similarity and difference. Face to Faith helps to address world at large. I personally feel this
the misrepresentations of religious belief that young
programme will make the students into
people are sometimes exposed to which can lead to
global citizens and they will be able to
extreme views and behaviour.
look at the problems and solutions of
What resources does Face to the world as one.”
Ms Simmi Kher, FTF Coordinator, India
Faith provide for schools?
• A set of optional teaching resources based around
global issues
• Teacher training and post-training support
• A series of facilitated videoconferences
• Access to a secure and moderated online community
• A set of proposed community engagement challenges
3. Is Face to Faith trying to convert “It is an honour for Amman Baptist
people to religion? School (ABS) to be a Lead School for
the FTF programme, for we view this
No. Face to Faith is designed to improve young people’s
knowledge of different religious and faith traditions,
opportunity as a means to enter a
which is a key skill in today’s global society. It is not world of a different faiths, cultures and
teaching into religion but about religions and world backgrounds.
views, which are important for young people to
understand if they are to be effective global citizens, The best of what FTF has to offer is
playing a meaningful role and share experiences in a the chance for students to engage with
world where differing viewpoints and perspectives are other students who are different in
key features of everyday life. many aspects and on different levels
and find common grounds for growth
Is Face to Faith trying to create and development.
one global, lowest-common-
As educators we believe that our circle
denominator religion? of influence will ripple to students and
No. Addressing this issue Tony Blair himself said at a
expand to the whole community whilst
speech at Westminster Cathedral in 2008:
we learn to accept others as they are.
“The Foundation will expressly not be about chucking Whatever our differences, we can unify
faith into a doctrinal melting pot. It is not about losing in achieving ultimate goals concerning
our distinctive faith. It is about learning, living and universal issues that relate to all
working with others of a different faith.” mankind.
Face to Faith is designed to encourage young ABS is keen to ally with many schools
people to recognise the similarities between faiths ....We are so energized and excited …”
and more importantly to respect and deal with the Ms Carol Jadoun, FTF Coordinator
differences between diverse and sometimes conflicting and Teacher, Jordan
worldviews. By learning about those of differing social,
cultural and religious perspectives, young people build
their awareness of the role of faith in their lives and in
the lives of others.
Will the Face to Faith
programme, whether
intentionally or not, convert
children to a different religion?
Face to Faith is designed to educate and learn, not to
convince or convert. Good, effective learning creates
understanding, overcomes prejudice and establishes
an invaluable and unique opportunity for reflective
dialogue. We don’t have to agree. We can challenge.
But we can only communicate and grow if we respect
each other’s opinions.
4. Surely Face to Faith is only “After thirty years of engaging in
relevant in those countries religious education with the goal of
where religious education is promoting interfaith dialogue among
different religious traditions and
taught in schools? peoples, I have finally glimpsed a way
On the contrary. Face to Faith has been developed forward without parallel. The Face
by an international group of educational experts who to Faith program is unique and far-
have devised a flexible programme that contributes reaching in its potential to promote
to a range of curricula subjects from the humanities, religious literacy among young people
religious and cultural studies to social sciences. The from different nations and religious
programme can be used to support the programme traditions. And with this literacy, the
component of the Global Perspectives IGCSE offered program offers a capacity to replace
in 140 countries by Cambridge Assessment and ignorance with knowledge, and with
aspects of the International Baccalaureate Middle that knowledge, the capacity to banish
Years Programme.
fear of the “other” with tolerance and
understanding. This is clearly a brilliant
What age group can take part? idea whose time has come.”
Currently Face to Faith is aimed at 11-16 year olds.
Professor Harry Stout
Doesn’t this programme just
impose a Western perspective on delays and low resolution images. In countries and
schools involved? regions where IT infrastructure is poor, we have set
The programme has been devised by an international up Face to Faith videoconference hubs for groups of
group of educational experts to ensure that it reflects schools to share.
the needs of school systems around the world. It has
been devised as a flexible, modular programme so that
it accommodates a wide range of learning requirements
and starting points. Face to Faith is always keen to
incorporate and endorse ideas from other perspectives
that foster reflective thought and contribute towards
meaningful inter and intra-faith dialogue, debate
and tolerance.
Face to Faith relies on video
conferencing. Isn’t that
expensive technology which
limits the engagement to well-
endowed schools?
We provide all schools interested in Face to Faith with
free access to the appropriate video conferencing
technology. The minimum broadband requirements
are 284kps. Video conferences can run with less
bandwidth, but the quality is much poorer, with audio
5. How are the needs and interests “Thank you so much to all of you for
of students without a particular making today’s VC possible. When I
faith or belief addressed? first heard about this program I thought
Face to Faith is uniquely structured to encourage
it sounded like a good idea. When I
young people to investigate big global issues; to share
went to the in-service and then started
their opinions, their personal beliefs and values; and preparing for the VC I realized it is an
to explore the reasons for both similar and different outstanding program, and after today’s
perspectives. In this way, it is as much for those who VC I now know it is an absolutely
have a religious faith as for those who do not. Our fantastic program. Our boys were high
aim is always to acknowledge, respect and make as kites afterwards and could have kept
use of the plethora of perspectives at hand in order going for another 2 hours I reckon.”
to enrich student life. The programme is designed to Mark Ellison, Teacher, Australia
support, encounter and exchange between those of
different faiths and none, with the aim of improving
understanding and respect for differences
in worldviews.
How many schools are currently
taking part?
We currently have over 250 registered schools and aim
to have over 400 by the end of the year. By 2012, we
aim to be working with over 1000 schools.
In which countries is Face to
Faith currently operating?
Schools in the UK, US, Canada, India, Pakistan,
Singapore, Indonesia, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories,
Jordan, UAE, Egypt, Philippines, Israel and Australia
are currently engaged in Face to Faith.
Face to Faith solely for those
fluent in English?
Face to Faith syllabus material is currently circulated
in the English, Arabic, French and Hebrew. However,
there are plans to translate the resources into
additional languages once the programme is more
established. Interestingly, many schools find that
Face to Faith is a useful contribution to their English-
language programmes as it provides the opportunity
for students to practice their English language and
conversational skills.
6. How are the teachers with no “This is very different, and it is good
religious education training able being different. We get the direct
to teach this programme? viewpoint of students living over there
The authors of the Face to Faith programme are acutely
and that increases the reliability of the
aware that few teachers around the world will have information. Through the programme
had explicit experience of teaching Religious Education. we can talk to and communicate with
The Tony Blair Faith Foundation hosts local two day our global peers on a daily basis ,
teacher training workshop to guide teachers through which is an opportunity we wouldn’t
the programme and address any challenges they may ordinarily have.”
face in its implementation. A comprehensive set of Student, India
lesson plans and resources designed by educational
experts that can be adapted to suit teachers’ needs are
also provided. How much does Face to Faith
Face to Faith will ensure that continuing teacher
cost a school?
training workshops are provided in each country – Currently, Face to Faith is offered free to schools
either by the Face to Faith’s Teacher Trainer, who including the installation of video conferencing
is a qualified in Religious Education and conducts software.
these workshops around the world; or by accredited
representatives within the country, who are local What skills will students learn
coordinators or teachers from the Lead School. Further
materials are available through the online community,
through the Face to Faith
and we encourage teachers to work together to form programme?
supportive communities within each region. E-learning Face to Faith helps students develop verbal, oral
materials for additional teacher support, as well as presentation, research, technological and problem
“teacher only” video-conference opportunities are solving skills as well as developing the confidence to
also available. present their own perspectives and opinions, while
being able to respond effectively and respectfully to the
How is one Lead school going differing beliefs of others. The programme is innovative
as it positions students as active researchers, enquiring
to provide adequate support for about different faiths and as providers of information,
countries as big as, for example, sharing their own experiences of their faith. In this
the USA or India? way, the programme gives students agency and
voice in their own learning. Moreover, Face to Faith
Initially one Lead School is appointed in each of our introduces new video conferencing technologies
participating countries. Each Lead School then takes into the classroom and gives students the tools to
responsibility for recruiting and training a cluster of communicate with their peers across the globe.
schools within their respective region or city. Over time,
the plan is to appoint Lead Schools in numerous towns, Finally, the programme is designed to highlight both
cities, regions and states in the larger countries. A local similarities and differences between people from
coordinator is appointed in all our countries in order to diverse faith and cultural backgrounds. Learning
support schools in implementing Face to Faith. Our local how to cope with and to accept differences will help
coordinators have been drawn from our Lead Schools. students to develop empathy; thereby enabling them
They liaise closely with their counterparts and the Face use newly acquired conflict negotiation and resolution
to Faith Manager in order to implement the programme skills to interact peacefully in their own communities
effectively within their respective countries. and beyond.
7. How much have parents been “Schools in my country are so eager to
consulted, and were there any join and become part of this initiative.
objections to their children being Ignorance is the source of enmity and
hatred. By securing serious ongoing
involved in this programme? access to information through dialogue,
Parents have been widely consulted in the development shifts in thinking of both students
of Face to Faith to ensure we address any concerns. and teachers will occur. This will help
Materials and resources are available to view, to to break down all aspects of stereo-
ensure transparency. In our experience when parents typing. We believe that making peace
have learned more about the project, they recognised means connecting with people, despite
its huge educational potential and accepted the religion, race or colour.”
participation by their children. Indeed, it has led to
Dr. Ghassan Abdallah, Face to Faith
further co-operation. Some schools have arranged video Co-ordinator for the Palestinian Territories
conferences between groups of parents to help improve
understanding about the programme and about
each other.
How is Face to Faith being
evaluated?
Professor Robert Jackson and a team of researchers
from the World Religions Education Unit at Warwick
University UK are carrying out an independent
evaluation of Face to Faith. The team uses both
qualitative and quantitative data collected from online
discussions, activities and video conference dialogue.
In addition, we advocate the use of self and peer
assessment in the classroom so that both students and
teachers can measure the success of the programme.
Face to Faith facilitators hold regular evaluation
sessions via videoconference with both students and
teachers in order to collect further evidence of how
successful Face to Faith is in combating extremist
views and raising tolerance and understanding
between different religious and faith traditions.
To find out more about the programme contact
Face to Faith Manager - Dr Leila Walker - at the
Tony Blair Faith Foundation
leila.walker@tonyblairfaithfoundation.org
8. a company limited registered charity registered office PO Box 60519
by guarantee and number 1123243 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London
registered in England London WC2A 3LH W27JU
number 06198959
+44 [0]207 6477880
www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org
