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NEWS
CER Meets with the President of the European
Commission
by Yated Ne'eman Staff
Representatives of various religions met with the President
of the European Commission (EC), Jose Manuel Barroso, in
Brussels. Jewish leaders proposed that the EU take a bigger
role in improving the education of children and young
people.
Addressing the gathering, Maram Stern, Deputy Secretary-
General and European representative of the World Jewish
Congress (WJC), asked the Commission to become more involved
in education policy to ensure that adequate instruments be
deployed across the EU to acquaint young people with the
various faiths and their traditions. Different religious
calendars and customs should be respected in all member
states.
Stern's comments were supported by Rabbi Aba Dunner,
Executive Director of the Conference of European Rabbis, who
said that European integration went hand in hand with the
recognition of European diversity. "The recognition and
respect for Jewish culture and tradition in Europe is no more
than Europe recognizing an integral part of its own history,"
Rabbi Dunner said. For Stern, religious associations and
institutions should play a more prominent role, alongside the
family and state actors, to overcome prejudices and
stereotypes, foster a climate of mutual respect in society
and to reduce misunderstandings and social conflict in the
European Union.
The meeting with Barroso was attended by representatives of
the Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches as
well as of the Muslim and Jewish communities in Europe. Rabbi
Albert Guigui, Chief Rabbi of the Belgian Consistoire, was
also present at the meeting.
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