TONY BLAIR LAUNCHES NEW GLOBAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME INVOLVING UK SCHOOLS

Left to Right: Robert Stead from Polycom (providing VC equipment), Terry Culver of Global Nomads (providing VC facilitation), Professor Bob Jackson, Director of WRERU, Institute of Education, University of Warwick (advising on this and other TBFF educational activities, and conducting the evaluation of the Face to Faith programme), Tony Blair, Simmi Kher, Principal of The Indian Heights School in New Delhi, Mahdu Gupta, Chair of The Indian Heights School, Kanta Vadhera of the British Council India (extending Face to Faith across India) and Jo Malone, Head of Citizenship and PSHE, Westhoughton Technology College (Lead School of Face to Faith programme).

On 9th June, Tony Blair will launch a radically new global education programme, Face to Faith, that engages secondary school students of different faiths across the world in learning directly with, from and about each other ­ and Westhoughton Technology College, Bolton has been selected to be in the first wave of this exciting new project involving schools in ten countries on four continents.

Tony Blair said: “The Face to Faith programme provides students with a unique opportunity to interact across continents, to talk about their own faith, and learn more about other religions and cultures. It is only by discussing different cultural and religious perspectives that young people can build their awareness of the role of faith in today’s world.”

Designed by an international group of education experts and piloted with more than 1,000 students on three continents, Face to Faith uses video conferencing, an online community and a course syllabus to support encounter, exploration and exchange between young people of different faiths. Face to Faith contributes to the project component of the ‘Global Perspectives’ IGSCE from Cambridge Assessment as well as to a range of national RE, Humanities, Social Sciences and Citizenship qualifications and curricula. Face to Faith is being evaluated by a team of researchers (who are also experienced teachers) from Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit (based at the University of Warwick) led by Professor Bob Jackson.

Westhoughton Technology College has been selected as the Lead School in the UK. Phil Hart, Headteacher at Westhoughton, said: “Our initial work with Face to Faith has clearly indicated its immense potential. Our students have welcomed the opportunity to discuss with their peers of different faiths important global issues in an engaging manner that challenges many of the negative views that are regularly portrayed across the media. I am confident that connecting young people across the globe, facilitating discussion and exploration, will have a positive impact on cultural and religious understanding.”

The programme has already been taken up by schools in India, Pakistan, Singapore, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Thailand, Indonesia, the US, the UK and Canada, who have recognised the programme’s potential to improve young people’s religious literacy, which is a vital skill in an increasingly complex, global society. Schools who have participated in the pilots are already reporting increased awareness by their students of the role of faith in today’s world as well as improved communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills from collaborating with those of different faiths and cultures.

Annika Small, Director of Education, Tony Blair Faith Foundation: “Drawing on educational best practice, Face to Faith promotes active participation, collaboration and personal reflection which helps students to explore diversity both within and between religious traditions. By encouraging young people to enter into genuine dialogue with each other, Face to Faith leads students to a deeper understanding of their own beliefs and worldviews as well as those of others. The pilots have shown there is real enthusiasm for this sort of encounter and exchange within a structured framework, which supports collaborative learning and respect for difference.”

Currently offered as a free programme to schools, Face to Faith comprises of::

• A series of facilitated video conferences, enabling direct encounter and structured exchange between students
• An online community providing sustained engagement between schools as well as opportunities to link with a wide range of schools
• Teacher training and support
• A set of optional teaching modules
• A team of facilitators who are on hand to moderate discussions and ensure that schools can find appropriate linking partners

The video conferences between partner schools are a vital element of the Face to Faith programme. These vary in format and include:

• Structured ­ students prepare their thoughts and ideas on a common issue, for example, the environment and present these to one another.
• Guest speakers ­ students can pose questions to guests from a particular faith background ­ discussing how their faith informs what they think and how they act.
• Semi-structured ­ in an open yet facilitated conversation, students discuss a current issue or latest news story and how it relates to religion.

Partners in the programme include: Global Nomads Group, Rafi.ki, Polycom and Warwick University. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation was founded by the Tony Blair and launched in May 2008.

The Foundation’s goal is to promote respect and understanding between the major religions, to make the case for faith as a force for good and to show this in action by encouraging inter-faith initiatives to bring people together to tackle global poverty and conflict.