October 19th 2016. After serving a probationary two year period The Druid Network was admitted to the Inter Faith Network as a full voting member. This was the culmination of over 4 years of work that included both legal and moral challenges to the Inter Faith Networks’ previous admittance policy and was even deemed important enough to have been discussed at the House of Lords.
TDN’s full IFN membership is another important step both for TDN and Druidry in general as the IFN is mainly Government funded and acts as a consultative body the Government uses to gauge religious input when legislating. For the first time in the modern era, Druidry and paganism now has a voice and a seat at this very important table.
TDN’s approval was granted because, amongst other things, TDN’s Foreword to its Constitution was deemed to satisfy the definition of religious activity and structure. Our friends in the Pagan Federation also were voted on as full members as well, also satisfying the criteria for IFN membership.
For the first time in its history, the UK Inter Faith Network has two full voting pagan members. Full membership also brings with it more legal standing as being a full IFN member means that HM Government recognises Druidry, as defined in TDN’s constitution along with the stated multiple Pagan Federation practices, as legitimate religious activities which will now be afforded further legal protection under UK law.
TDN looks forward to further interactions and participation in the future with the UK Inter Faith Network, working in conjunction with our friends from the Pagan Federation.
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