The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government launched Face to Face Side by Side at Westminster Central Hall, London on 21st July 2008. CEO Inderjit Bhogal and Yorkshire & Humber Faiths Forum Council members Vice Chair, Sajda Shah, Patricia Farrell, Nahida Majid and Kiran Bali along with Council members of United Faiths, Chair, Jasdeep Singh Degun, Ushna Moghal and Lydia Barlow travelled to London to attend the launch. This framework sets out how, over the next three years, Communities and Local Government will support dialogue between people of different faiths and beliefs in every community and encourage the kind of practical interfaith cooperation that can make hospitable and harmonious neighbourhoods. It intends to create more opportunities for local interfaith groups to deepen face-to-face dialogue allowing for a greater understanding, respect and acceptance of each other.  The reference to side-by-side has the intention of providing more opportunities for people to come together sharing space and skills to improve their local neighbourhoods.

Hazel Blears commented:
• Faith Communities are often first on the scene at times of crisis and make a real difference.
• Faith Forums are shining examples of how Faith communities are engaging with each other.
• If we don’t cash in on the resources of Faith communities we will miss out on this resource.
With these comments in mind the framework has established three core principles:

Partnership: valuing contributions made by partners and working together to increase their impact.
Empowerment: the Government working with the population to make life better for us all.
Choice: local communities acting on what will work for them.

So how will Face to Face and Side by Side make a difference in the Yorkshire and Humber regional communities?
The framework is aimed at encouraging dialogue and social action in local communities. To enable this, the Government will provide a three year programme of investment and support of around £7.5m.  The Regional Faith Forums will receive some funding and YHFF will contribute some of this towards local initiatives which meet the aims of the framework in this region.  In a country where more than three quarters of the population consider themselves to have a faith, this strategy will benefit the vast majority of the region.