WHO WE ARE
The Coexistence Trust was formed in 2005 – initially as the "The Political Council For Coexistence" during a joint visit to Sarejevo, Bosnia in 2005 by HRH Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan and Lord Greville Janner QC.
They were concerned by the fragmentation and divisions in society caused by religion as a source of conflict. They felt that the histories, traditions and values of Islam and Judaism offered opportunities for bringing a divided society together, providing a shared response to issues of discrimination and intolerance.
Currently, we have 120 members across 54 countries. This network has the potential to act as an unparalleled source of international political support in helping governments tackle racial and religious intolerance, including Islamophobia and anti-semitism, in higher education.
The Coexistence Trust launched the first-ever cross-party initiative to discuss Muslim and Jewish student community relations on UK University Campuses. The tour addressed the integration of minority communities into British society and explored parallels in the journeys of Jewish and Muslim communities in Britain through discussion with Jewish and Muslim figures from the Houses of Parliament. Universities included LSE, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham and Leeds.
This year, in addition to our 2010 University Campus Tour, we will launch a Campus Ambassadors programme in 12 universities, to harness emerging student leadership within Jewish and Muslim student groups, to develop a network of faith societies fostering positive and constructive inter-communal dialogue and address issues of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in campuses.
The Council was set up as a bi-lateral political network of Muslim and Jewish parliamentary leaders with the following aims:
- Public awareness. To raise public awareness about the positive contributions both Muslim and Jewish communities have made to society.
- Policy influence. To work for the benefit of Muslim and Jewish communities within national government and representative bodies.
- Mobilisation and advocacy. To mobilise political leaders into consultation, access, and advocacy so as to address issues of discrimination or intolerance in national governments.
In 2007, under the leadership of its first Director Alan Sennit, past national chairman of the Union of Jewish Students, the organisation's name was changed to ‘The Coexistence Trust’ and began to actively engage with issues of discrimination and intolerance on university campuses, working with university administrations to tackle antisemitism and Islamophobia and to ensure the safety and welfare of their minority student populations.
In 2008, The Coexistence Trust launched the first-ever cross-party initiative to discuss Muslim and Jewish student community relations on UK University Campuses. The tour addressed the integration of minority communities into British society and explored parallels in the journeys of Jewish and Muslim communities in Britain through discussion with Jewish and Muslim figures from the Houses of Parliament.
Further information about the Trust's composition can be found in the following subpages: