JEDDAH, 21 October 2007 — The London-based Coexist Foundation plans to sponsor a new undergraduate program in Abrahamic religions based on Jewish, Christian and Muslim sacred texts, traditions, ethics, philosophy and law, according to a press statement received here yesterday. The program aims at improving the understanding of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; it will be conducted in collaboration with London University.
The foundation, established by Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, aims to promote greater understanding between Jews, Christians and Muslims — the three Abrahamic religions — through education, dialogue and research. The foundation will offer 10 scholarships in its initial stage.
“Through the projects and programs that we support, we hope to help people of these faiths improve relations — above all with each other, but also with other faiths,” according to the foundation’s website.
The foundation has organized and sponsored several exhibitions. The latest of them was “Sacred: Discover What We Share,” an exhibition of the sacred texts of the three religions at the British Library. Coexist co-sponsored this exhibition along with the Saint Catherine Foundation, the Moroccan British Society, and others.
Under the support of the King of Morocco and the Duke of Edinburgh, the exhibition opened on April 26 and ran until Sept. 23. A series of events including lectures and scriptural explanation, calligraphy classes and art shows, were held on the sidelines of the exhibition. The foundation also sponsored an “Islam and Muslims in the World Today” conference at Cambridge University.
Coexist Foundation has signed a 10-year agreement with the Gallup Organization to help in finding and publishing Muslim public opinion on major world issues. The Muslim approach toward many issues could be helpful to decision makers the world over. The foundation also aims to set up a center called Abraham House, where the public can learn about the three Abrahamic religions in a unique and shared environment. For more details on the foundation visit http://www.coexistfoundation.net.
