HAPPY 2008 TO ALL OUR READERS!

Reflecting on the past year, we at CEJI are proud of the blossoming of many new initiatives that took several years to launch, including the Religious Diversity and Anti-Discrimination Training Programme, the European Jewish Muslim Co-operation Platform, the FRUITCAKES Training on Gender-based and Homophobic Discrimination, as well as the legal independence of EPTO. CEJI will be taking the opportunity of the European Year on Intercultural Dialogue to harness political and programmatic momentum in order to strengthen and improve our long-standing and more recent programmes. Intercultural dialogue is CEJI’s raison d’être, a core principle within our organisational identity that drives all of our work, alongside the principles of equality, inclusion, education and social activism. Our hope is that the events of 2008 will bring more faith and possibility for the general realisation of these principles within an inclusive Europe.

With appreciation and best wishes to all our partners, supporters and colleagues for a fruitful year ahead!

Robin Sclafani, Anna Rosenberg, Luís Pinto, Gidon van Emden, Ruth Friedman, Katy Nicholson and Giuseppe Marletta

5-day Religious Diversity & Anti-Discrimination Trainings for Adult Educators: February & June 2008

Are you involved in education and working with religiously diverse populations?

CEJI is running two training sessions in 2008 offering adult educators tools for situations where religious diversity and discrimination are a concern. Register with your national agency before the 31 January 2008 deadline and become eligible for financial support to cover your participation in the June training | Read more...



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International Conference ‘Intercultural Dialogue as the Fundamental Value of the EU’, January 2008

CEJI Policy Officer Gidon van Emden recently attended a two-day international conference on intercultural dialogue organised by the European Commission and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, during which he was interviewed on Slovenian national television for his views on intercultural dialogue

Click here to watch the clip


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European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007 Closing Event, December 2007

CEJI Educational Advisor Luís Manuel Pinto was invited to speak at the Closure of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All on 18 December 2007. The event, held at the Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire, saw EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimír Špidla, and Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel’, underline their commitment to future European polities on equal opportunities, social inclusion and diversity in 2008 and beyond | Read more (PDF 70kb)...

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Europe for Citizens Forum, November 2007

CEJI Director Robin Sclafani participated in a panel discussion on ‘Mobilising to Carry Out Dialogue’ at the Europe for Citizens Forum 2007 – Together for Intercultural Dialogue, held in Brussels on 8 November 2007: ‘We have to remember that intercultural dialogue is not for the sake of intercultural dialogue… it is for the purpose of keeping our society intact, growing strong, peacefully. Cohesive. It means talking, and listening – to each others’ perspectives, experiences, needs – and responding to them’ | Download the full text of Robin’s intervention (PDF 135kb)

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CEJI in ‘Lifelong Learning in Europe’ Magazine

An article on CEJI, entitled ‘Jewish Organisation Develops Tools for Intercultural Dialogue’, appears in the latest edition of the adult education journal ‘Lifelong Learning in Europe’:

'Education helps. Young people, adults, teachers are the key to understanding and respect in our future Europe. Jewish and Muslim people can be enemies but also partners with a common religious and historical basis, and shared experiences of discrimination. Dialogue and understanding between both communities is therefore essential. CEJI tries to give tools to an Inclusive Europe....' | Click here to read the full article (PDF 82kb)


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EPTO News

There are now 24 new peer trainers in Europe thanks to a Train-the-Trainer programme held in Bremen, Germany, 7 – 14 December 2007. The training course ‘Peer Education against Exclusion, Racism and Xenophobia’ welcomed participants from Germany, Lithuania, France, Ireland and the Netherlands. They are now ready to work on a local, regional, national and trans-national level. The next Train-the-Trainer programme will be held from 19 to 26 February in Hungary. More peer education, less discrimination! :) | For more info on EPTO’s work visit www.epto.org

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Staff News

The CEJI team is sad to say goodbye to Communications Officer Katy Nicholson, who is leaving to take up a full-time position as Research Director of the Lo Tishkach European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative, established in 2006 to guarantee the protection and preservation of European Jewish burial grounds. We wish her well in her future position.

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Upcoming Events

  • Religious Diversity & Anti-Discrimination Five-Day Training for Adult Educators, Toulouse: 24 – 29 February 2008
Visit www.ceji.org/events for further details.
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