Christian Muslim Forum held at Westminster Abbey
Monday, 16th January 2012
The Christian Muslim Forum marked its 6th anniversary on Monday 16th January 2012 with a conversation between Christian and Muslim leaders at Westminster Abbey.
Members of the Forum, guests, MPs and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, met in the Jerusalem Chamber to reflect on the state of Christian-Muslim relations in Britain.
Reflections on the Forum’s six years of ground-breaking initiatives explored what more people of faith should do to build peace and good relationships, especially changing perceptions of what both faiths can bring to today’s society.
The Right Reverend Richard Cheetham, Bishop of Kingston and Co-Chair of the Forum, said:
we are enormously grateful to the staff of Westminster Abbey for creating this opportunity for Christians and Muslims to meet in such an iconic building as we discuss how we can build a better society together. It is an apt venue for the beginnings of a national conversation on how Christian-Muslim relations should grow in the years ahead.
Co-Chair of the Forum, Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, said:
Muslims are encouraged to set a good example and be good role models and to refrain from evil. Sadly there can be some negative images of Islam in British society. We are here today to show at a national level that Muslim leaders are at the heart of British society, comfortable with Christian colleagues and that Muslim organisations are supportive of the Christian Muslim Forum.
The Christian Muslim Forum, which was launched by the Archbishop of Canterbury in January 2006, aims to build a shared public platform to strengthen Christians and Muslims working together for the common good in partnership with others and to develop channels of communication to help Christians and Muslims together to respond to events which test our relationship.
Following the conversation on 16th January participants were welcomed to Evensong in the Abbey.
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