Halifax Minster’s Festival of Faith has allowed a range of diverse voices to be heard, particularly as part of the Minster’s In Conversation series.
The public conversations have been between the Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, Bishop of Huddersfield, and a range of guest, talking about faith in the public square.
The 2025 series of talks began with a discussion with Dr Edward Kessler, a Cambridge academic and expert on the Abrahamic Faiths, talking about interfaith work and the possibility of positive change when given time and courage.
Bishop Smitha then spoke with Professor Adeeba Malik, High Sheriff of West Yorkshire, who spoke of her parents coming to this country, their struggle, her upbringing, and her passion for justice, equality, and of her work to bring people together, in understanding and mutual respect.
Professor Malik is Deputy Chief Executive of award-winning Bradford based QED Foundation, a Board Member of the Home Office Strategic Race Board, Member of a State Honours Committee, Member of the UK-Pakistan Advisory Council at the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office, and Director of the Bradford Culture Company (2025 UK City of Culture).
Bishop Smitha also spoke to Alison Lowe MBE, a passionate black woman from Yorkshire with two gay children and who has served as Chief Executive of Touchstone, a mental health and wellbeing charity, Chair of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel, and represented Armley as an Elected Member on Leeds City Council.
Alison told her life story with energy, covering her difficult childhood, going to university with a young baby, her political and charity work, and her experiences of gender, culture and experience through the years.
The final session was with Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, lawyer, politician, and a member of the House of Lords, and who served as Co-chairwoman of the Conservative party from 2010 – 2012 and is a former Minister of State for Faith and Communities.
She has continued to speak out about Islamophobia across the UK, and the role of woman in society.
Baroness Warsi spoke to Bishop Smitha about faith, religion, politics, Islamophobia, the Middle East, British values, immigration and her new book: Muslims Don't Matter!
The Revd Canon Hilary Barber, Vicar of Halifax Minster, said: “The In Conversation Series comes out of a commitment to engage with faith in the public square and make the church relevant in people's lives by talking about things that really matter to society.
“The Festival of Faith has drawn people into the Minster of all faiths and none, to soak up the heritage and to engage with music, drama, exhibitions, public discussion, and a sermon series on the Lord's Prayer as part of the Archbishop of York's Festival for the North.
“Highlights include the Waterfall of Kites exhibition, the themed days on Sustainability and the Woman's Festival, the St Matthew Passion, and of course the In Conversation Series with Bishop Smitha.
“Plans are already being made for the Festival of Faith 26!”