Letter from Christians and Muslims

Christians and Muslims greet each other for Ramadan and the summer break.

The first ever gathering at Lambeth Palace of Christian and Muslim leaders from around the country took place in July. This ground-breaking meeting was the culmination of the Christian Muslim Forum’s work over the last four years building bridges and sharing friendships between Christian and Muslim leaders.

The group of around 50 women and men agreed to send this letter to mosques, churches and throughout both faith groups encouraging Christians and Muslims to be good neighbours and friends with each other. The letter was posted on our website with our Ramadan greetings.

The delegates, who attended in Christian-Muslim pairs, were from various towns in England, including places with a reputation for segregation and the activities of the Far Right, such as Blackburn and Stoke on Trent.

The letter includes the following pledges:

• living up to the best of our traditions
• speaking generously of other faiths and engaging openly and honestly
• developing and sustaining friendships
• working together locally

This event follows on from other recent initiatives of the Christian Muslim Forum focusing on shared concerns and common issues:

• Christmas Statement, 2006 and 2009
• Ethical Witness Guidelines, June 2009
• Social Attitudes Seminar, May 2010

Notes for editors:

• The Christian Muslim Forum was launched at Lambeth Palace in January 2006
• This event was run in partnership with Churches Together in England and the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
• This was the Forum’s third event at Lambeth Palace in 2010, other events were ‘Should we Dialogue? for scholars (March) and a Faith Schools Seminar (April)
• Other Forum events during 2010 have taken place in the City of London, Brent, Oxford, Coventry and Chester

Best wishes
Julian