Young Writer in Residence – ‘How I Keep Faith in the Future’
Our Young Writer in Residence project is a new and recurring mini-series here on the blog, platforming young voices who are all too often under represented in the interfaith space. This is the last post from our Summer 2026 Young Writer in Residence, 17 year-old Guildford High School student Zara Ahmad.
How I Keep Faith in the Future
In 2026, religious division and tension can feel almost impossible to escape. You can find it when you turn on the TV, when you pick up a newspaper at the train station or when you open a comment section on Instagram. And while undeniably, religious prejudices and hostility are very predominant issues that must be weeded out of society, this constant exposure can amplify hatred and make progress seem invisible.
Therefore, while is it essential to focus on our current religious climate to improve tensions and rifts, I also feel that it is integral to pause, look back, and recognise the progress society has already made to reach the position it is in now – even when that position is far from perfect.
For example, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights universally proclaimed everyone had freedom of religion and belief, thus establishing an international standard for tolerance and respect of all religious belief.
Two decades later, in 1965, the Catholic Church issued Nostra Aetate – a declaration that transformed its official approach towards other religions. It rejected the notion that Jewish people were collectively responsible for Jesus’ death and condemned antisemitism and the persecution of Jewish people.
Meanwhile, in America, 19% of people who married before 1960 had a spouse from a different faith background, in comparison to those between 2010 and 2014, where the proportion rose to 39%: another example of where religious boundaries have become less rigid (Murphy, 2015). Additionally, in 2010, the UN General Assembly established a World Interfaith Harmony Week, with the aim of formalising cooperation among various religions and further developing interfaith relations.
To be clear, religious tolerance has not come far enough and there is still vast ground to cover – however, I think these examples are crucial reminders of the distance we have already travelled, and fuel us to drive on into the future.
Therefore, it is ultimately our historical progress which enhances my faith in the future. This progress has not been perfect or linear, but the mere fact that we have already crossed bridges once considered impossible sustains my faith for just how much further we can go!
Bibliography:
Murphy, C. 2015. ‘Interfaith marriage is common in U.S., particularly among the recently wed’, Pew Research Center.