"Islam, Christianity and Europe": this is the title of a sequence of four workshops that will take place in Brussels until September, one of the initiatives for 2008 as the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The proposal comes from Comece (Commission of EU Bishops Conferences), from the Church and Society Commission of Kek (Conference of European Churches) and from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, with the support of Islamic partners and the European Parliament, which will host the meetings. The idea of devoting one whole year to an exchange of opinions about the cultures, traditions and religious beliefs of the continent "aims at strengthening social cohesion and peace in Europe", explain the promoters. It comes from the realisation that the Europeans must learn to live together in diversity", which is increased "by the circulation of people and ideas". One of the consequences of such diversity is the increased number of Muslim people "in a space where the majority have traditionally been Christian". Hence the proposal of holding the workshops, the first one due on Thursday 17th April, called "Intercultural dialogue: the answer to all problems? The Christian and the Muslim perspective". "Which of the problems faced by Muslims living in Europe are related to religious and cultural aspects and which are basically socio-economical in nature? What is the specific contribution made by the Islamic and Christian communities and by intercultural dialogue to solving such problems?" These questions will provide the cue to start tomorrow's workshop at the European Parliament, promoted by Comece and Kek for the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The next meetings will take place in the same venue in Brussels on the following days: 29 May, Visibility of religions in the European public space; 3 July, "Christian Europe" and Islam in Europe; 11 September, The EU's external relations with the Muslim countries and the international responsibility of the religious communities. The promoters of the initiative explain that, as to the EU's foreign policy, the Special Year 2008 "tries, among other things, to develop relations with the partner countries in the Mediterranean, which are rooted in the Arab-Muslim civilisation". In addition to religious leaders and experts, the meetings will also be attended by MEPs and delegates from other EU institutions.

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