Turkish Minister of Religious Affairs hosts European Muslim leaders and Dr. Wilkinson delivers a paper

By Dr. Matthew Wilkinson

12-14 May 2005. Dr. Matthew Wilkinson presented a paper in Brussels at the Conference of the Eurasian Islamic Council hosted by the Turkish Minister of Religious Affairs, Professor Mehmet Görmez.

Dr. Wilkinson’s paper contributed to a European-wide conversation about how religious education can be a useful and relevant part of the education of the contemporary child.

This paper – Towards a serious religious education for young Muslims in multi-faith Europe – showed how religious education in school can be a tool for nurturing spiritual mindsets that are confident in the realities of their faith, humble and critical in interpretations of their faith and open to the wisdom and insights of those from other faiths (and none).

The conference was attended by Muslim religious leaders in Europe, including the Muftis of Kosovo, Romania, Slovenia, Estonia and Croatia and the Muslim Secretary Generals of the Councils of Britain, Norway, Finland, Belgium and Denmark.