Wolverhampton
is a multi-cultural city. The different cultures that
originated
in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean and that make up a
substantial part of Wolverhampton’s population
brought many faiths and religions to the city. This has
had a massive impact on the social and physical landscape
of the local region. The many religions practised here
include Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism.
Wolverhampton has a long tradition of dialogue and co-operation
between these faiths. In 1974, Wolverhampton established
one of Britain’s first inner-faith groups with
the aim of promoting friendship, understanding, peace,
and justice, and harmony among the different faith groups.
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Inter-faith
Group (2 min 10 sec) ref : HR17 ID-13
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Inter-faith
Group (46 sec) ref : HR17 ID-14
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There
is a clear link between Wolverhampton’s high
level of religious diversity and its multi-cultural population.
This provides for some interesting comparisons across the
West Midlands. The 2001 Census, for example, indicates that
Birmingham’s Muslim population (14.3%) far exceeds
that of Wolverhampton (1.7%). This disparity is reflected
in the respective sizes of the Pakistani communities: 10.7%
in Birmingham and 1.2% in Wolverhampton. Conversely, Wolverhampton’s
comparatively larger Sikh population indicates a higher proportion
of Indians and people of Indian descent within the overall
population. Exploration into Wolverhampton’s many
faith communities, then, engages the ethnic and racial
history of a diverse city.
The sudden increase in the black and Asian population following
World War II challenged established codes of identity in
Wolverhampton. For many people, religion and membership within
a faith community eased the transition to a new environment.
The Inter-faith Group encourages co-operation and promotes
understanding between different faith communities. The Wolverhampton
Inter-Faith Group believes that although different religions
have different theologies, they share common goals and face
common social maladies and pressures.
This website functions in the
spirit of the Inter-faith Group and encourages its
users to explore different religions and faith communities
that make up Wolverhampton today. |
