"It is necessary to begin from schools. Improving knowledge means defeating ignorance, in turn generating intolerance. It is an investment in people to bring up new generations of European citizens". The education commissioner, Jan Figel’, was among the protagonists of the debate taking place in Brussels yesterday evening, on the subject of interreligious dialogue, an initiative included in the calendar of "2008 European year of intercultural dialogue". The speaker recalled the programmes and the community initiatives concerning education; then, he said to be convinced "that today’s European Union is made up of lots of diversities concerning nationality, language, the welfare state, jobs, and culture. It is time the multiple and important religious presences were taken into account in an adequate way, since they are a favourable element for integration", both within the 27 countries and between the EU and the rest of the world. "Religions are part of society, and influence public life", went on the Commissioner. Then, Figel’ went back to the subject of education as "factor of knowledge of one’s history, of the reality we are living in", an essential factor "to understand other people’s points of view", and "to aspire to unity". (To be continued)
