Europe is currently facing unprecedented historical challenges: wars on the edge of Europe, terrorist acts and terrorist threats and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees. These phenomena are polarizing society and threatening the harmonious coexistence of the population.
The Community of Sant’Egidio is therefore organizing a breakfast meeting between top politicians and the leaders of the main churches and religions in Belgium and in Europe to speak about these challenges.
This Interfaith Harmony Breakfast will be held on Monday, February 1st, 2016 from 8.30 am to 10 am at the Hotel Le Plaza, Boulevard Adolphe Max 118-126, Brussels.
Forty representatives of the Christian churches, the Sunni and Shiite Islam, Judaism and other religions will engage in a dialogue with the Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens and Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans.
Among them will also be the new archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels Jozef De Kesel, Metropolitan Athenagoras of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Chief Rabbi of Brussels Albert Guigui, the president of the Muslim Executive of Belgium Nourredine Smaili and the head of the theological council of Moroccan Ulama in Europe, Taher Toujgani.
This interfaith breakfast takes place within the framework of the “Interfaith Harmony Week”, an initiative that was launched by King Abdullah II of Jordan and that is endorsed by the United Nations. Worldwide and particularly in Brussels all sorts of initiatives are organized throughout the first week of February to promote the encounter between religions.
The press is also welcome at the beginning of the meeting (8.30am – until approximately 9 am). The rest of the meeting will take place behind closed doors.
Photo: Community of Sant’Egidio
