Interreligious Encounters & Creative Practice Join Us for Interreligious Encounters and Creative Practice!Register here.This event is organised by the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at Newcastle University, Religions for Peace UK and The University of Edinburgh (Social Anthropology & Alwaleed Centre) and seeks to strengthen bridges between:ArchitectureAnthropologyArtFilmPerformance artsCultural landscape studies, and other disciplinesThe event will feature an exhibition of creative practice outputs responding to the them and panel discussion [3-4 people per panel] on emerging themes. In this context, focus will be on the ways in which creative practice includes different modes of making, documenting, interpreting, teaching and developing history; those that challenge an objectivity and linearity, but open us up to the role of the imagination.Please note, filming, recording and/or photography may take place at this event. The photographs will likely feature on our website and social media pages to promote our activities. Please speak to the photographer and/or the organisers if you do not wish to feature in any photographs. If you have any queries regarding this event, please email thealwaleedcentre@ed.ac.uk OrganisersThe symposium is organised by Dr Christos Kakalis (SAPL), Dr George Tsourous (SAPL) and Dr Giulia Liberatore (Social Anthropology and Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, The University of Edinburgh).This event is kindly funded by Religions for Peace UK, part of the international Religions for Peace Movement which has over 90 affiliated national bodies. Their initiatives identify with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in order to weave peaceful coexistence amongst local, regional and local faith actors.More Information you will find: Religious Encounters and Creative Practice | School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape | Newcastle UniversityProvisional ProgrammeMONDAY 19th January 20261:30pm Registration(Informatics Forum, University of Edinburgh)2pm Introductions (Informatics Forum)Christos Kakalis (Newcastle University), George Tsourous, Giulia Liberatore (University of Edinburgh), Cinde Lee (RfPUK)2:30pm Film Screening (Informatics Forum)Laura Cuch, Spiritual Flavours, followed by a Q & A.3:30-5pmExhibition Opening:(The Chaplaincy Centre)Light Reception in the Chaplaincy Centre TUESDAY 20th January 20269:00-12:00, Live Drawing Performance (G.07 Informatics Forum)Matilde Toma: Live Drawing Performance for three hours in G.07 (Informatics Forum)10am- 12 noon (Informatics Forum)Panel 1: Making Suburban FaithPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Katy Beinart. The Fabric of FaithLaura Cuch. Spiritual FlavoursDavid Gilbert & Ali Mangeras.LUNCH 1-2pm12-1pm Floriana Luce da Luce2-3:30pm (Informatics Forum)Panel 2: Learning through MakingPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Giulia Liberatore (University of Edinburgh) & Kate Stanworth. Islamic Traces [GL4]Rosa Lin, Nikoleta Tsiama, George Tsourous, Christos Kakalis titleMaggie Roe, Sacred Spaces, Sacred Stories: Collaborative Creative Practices in the SundarbansCoffee break4-5:30pm (Informatics Forum)Panel 3: Thinking BodiesPresentations: [20 mins each & Q& A]Sabina Sallis. Dance of Commoning: Embodying Composition of Vitalities and AnalogiesMatilde Tomat. Drawing EncountersGabrielle Heller. SolitudeDinner 7pm WEDNESDAY 21st January 202610-11:30am (Informatics Forum)Panel 4: Mediating EncountersPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Milja Radovic. Cinematic Spaces of MemoryR. Santhosh. Title [TBC]Marcel de Medeiros Reis. Sounds and the divine: mediation, connection and artistic practices in a carioca favelaCoffee break12-1:30pm (Informatics Forum)Panel 5: Shaping EncountersPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Birgit Meyer, Dynamics of urban-religious world making in Madina, AccraJoseph Fifi Fosu-Ankrah. Religious Images, Lorry Parks, and the Dynamics of Coexistence: A Social History of Urban Encounters, Ecological Discourses, and Interreligious World-Making in Madina, Accra (2000s–Present)Frederico Dinis. Performing Memory, Shaping Belonging: Site-Specific Art in Religious ContextsLunch 1:30-2:30pm2:30-4pmPanel 6: Placing Encounters (Informatics Forum)Presentations [20 mins each & Q& A]:Susanna Trutta. Religious encounters in shared spaces: the case of the St. Georgis Eritrean orthodox community and the St. Paul congregation in Berlin, GermanyWay Weng Hew. Cosmopolitan Islam and Its Limits: Chinese-style mosques in Malaysia and IndonesiaIsabelle Christine Samma de Castron. From social threat to tourist attraction: the mosque Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil4-5pm Closing Remarks (Informatics Forum)Christos Kakalis (Newcastle University), George Tsourous, Giulia Liberatore (University of Edinburgh), Cinde Lee (RfPUK)Photo copyright: Kate Stanworth Tags The Alwaleed Centre Jan 19 2026 14.00 - Jan 21 2026 17.00 Interreligious Encounters & Creative Practice Join us for a fun, in-person event mixing faiths and creativity in one inspiring encounter! Informatics Forum 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB Venue Registration
Interreligious Encounters & Creative Practice Join Us for Interreligious Encounters and Creative Practice!Register here.This event is organised by the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at Newcastle University, Religions for Peace UK and The University of Edinburgh (Social Anthropology & Alwaleed Centre) and seeks to strengthen bridges between:ArchitectureAnthropologyArtFilmPerformance artsCultural landscape studies, and other disciplinesThe event will feature an exhibition of creative practice outputs responding to the them and panel discussion [3-4 people per panel] on emerging themes. In this context, focus will be on the ways in which creative practice includes different modes of making, documenting, interpreting, teaching and developing history; those that challenge an objectivity and linearity, but open us up to the role of the imagination.Please note, filming, recording and/or photography may take place at this event. The photographs will likely feature on our website and social media pages to promote our activities. Please speak to the photographer and/or the organisers if you do not wish to feature in any photographs. If you have any queries regarding this event, please email thealwaleedcentre@ed.ac.uk OrganisersThe symposium is organised by Dr Christos Kakalis (SAPL), Dr George Tsourous (SAPL) and Dr Giulia Liberatore (Social Anthropology and Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, The University of Edinburgh).This event is kindly funded by Religions for Peace UK, part of the international Religions for Peace Movement which has over 90 affiliated national bodies. Their initiatives identify with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in order to weave peaceful coexistence amongst local, regional and local faith actors.More Information you will find: Religious Encounters and Creative Practice | School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape | Newcastle UniversityProvisional ProgrammeMONDAY 19th January 20261:30pm Registration(Informatics Forum, University of Edinburgh)2pm Introductions (Informatics Forum)Christos Kakalis (Newcastle University), George Tsourous, Giulia Liberatore (University of Edinburgh), Cinde Lee (RfPUK)2:30pm Film Screening (Informatics Forum)Laura Cuch, Spiritual Flavours, followed by a Q & A.3:30-5pmExhibition Opening:(The Chaplaincy Centre)Light Reception in the Chaplaincy Centre TUESDAY 20th January 20269:00-12:00, Live Drawing Performance (G.07 Informatics Forum)Matilde Toma: Live Drawing Performance for three hours in G.07 (Informatics Forum)10am- 12 noon (Informatics Forum)Panel 1: Making Suburban FaithPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Katy Beinart. The Fabric of FaithLaura Cuch. Spiritual FlavoursDavid Gilbert & Ali Mangeras.LUNCH 1-2pm12-1pm Floriana Luce da Luce2-3:30pm (Informatics Forum)Panel 2: Learning through MakingPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Giulia Liberatore (University of Edinburgh) & Kate Stanworth. Islamic Traces [GL4]Rosa Lin, Nikoleta Tsiama, George Tsourous, Christos Kakalis titleMaggie Roe, Sacred Spaces, Sacred Stories: Collaborative Creative Practices in the SundarbansCoffee break4-5:30pm (Informatics Forum)Panel 3: Thinking BodiesPresentations: [20 mins each & Q& A]Sabina Sallis. Dance of Commoning: Embodying Composition of Vitalities and AnalogiesMatilde Tomat. Drawing EncountersGabrielle Heller. SolitudeDinner 7pm WEDNESDAY 21st January 202610-11:30am (Informatics Forum)Panel 4: Mediating EncountersPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Milja Radovic. Cinematic Spaces of MemoryR. Santhosh. Title [TBC]Marcel de Medeiros Reis. Sounds and the divine: mediation, connection and artistic practices in a carioca favelaCoffee break12-1:30pm (Informatics Forum)Panel 5: Shaping EncountersPresentations [20 mins each & Q& A]Birgit Meyer, Dynamics of urban-religious world making in Madina, AccraJoseph Fifi Fosu-Ankrah. Religious Images, Lorry Parks, and the Dynamics of Coexistence: A Social History of Urban Encounters, Ecological Discourses, and Interreligious World-Making in Madina, Accra (2000s–Present)Frederico Dinis. Performing Memory, Shaping Belonging: Site-Specific Art in Religious ContextsLunch 1:30-2:30pm2:30-4pmPanel 6: Placing Encounters (Informatics Forum)Presentations [20 mins each & Q& A]:Susanna Trutta. Religious encounters in shared spaces: the case of the St. Georgis Eritrean orthodox community and the St. Paul congregation in Berlin, GermanyWay Weng Hew. Cosmopolitan Islam and Its Limits: Chinese-style mosques in Malaysia and IndonesiaIsabelle Christine Samma de Castron. From social threat to tourist attraction: the mosque Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil4-5pm Closing Remarks (Informatics Forum)Christos Kakalis (Newcastle University), George Tsourous, Giulia Liberatore (University of Edinburgh), Cinde Lee (RfPUK)Photo copyright: Kate Stanworth Tags The Alwaleed Centre Jan 19 2026 14.00 - Jan 21 2026 17.00 Interreligious Encounters & Creative Practice Join us for a fun, in-person event mixing faiths and creativity in one inspiring encounter! Informatics Forum 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB Venue Registration
Jan 19 2026 14.00 - Jan 21 2026 17.00 Interreligious Encounters & Creative Practice Join us for a fun, in-person event mixing faiths and creativity in one inspiring encounter!
