Title: The Future of Interfaith in Singapore: In Conversation with Ms Fahima Farha and Dr Shahril Salleh
Date: 19 September 2025

Synopsis

In this episode of RIMA’s advocacy podcast, we reflect on what it truly means to live harmoniously in a highly diverse nation. What are some experiences, both challenging and rewarding, that advocates face? And how can we bridge different faiths and cultures to build a more inclusive and compassionate society?

Catch our debut episode titled The Future of Interfaith: In Conversation with Ms Fahima Farha and Dr Shahril Salleh on YouTube and Spotify!

Speakers

  1. Ms Fahima Farha, Vice President, Roses of Peace
  2. Dr Shahril Salleh, Founder & Artistic Director, Vox Camerata

Key Takeaways

  1. Interfaith work is not simply about preaching to the choir but involves various levels of intervention: raising awareness, to building capacity, to championing initiatives.
  2. The human facet of interfaith would benefit most from a whole-of-society approach, and Singaporeans must take ownership of the work with the necessary regulations to keep the protection of rights in place.
  3. Ms Fahima said that interfaith work is faith work – the values of being kind, loving strangers, or contributing to society are important in many different faiths and can be acts of faith themselves.
  4. Dr Shahril stressed the importance of being comfortable with not knowing everything – instead of feeling defensive, to meet questions in good faith and be open to learning together with companions.
  5. Ultimately, the core message was to keep an open mind and heart; to keep biases in check; and to always champion the mindset of collaborative learning.

Read more in the the full RIMA brief here: The Future of Interfaith in Singapore (Brief)

Watch the video of the podcast here: The Future of Interfaith in Singapore (YouTube)

Listen to the audio of the podcast here: The Future of Interfaith in Singapore (Spotify)