Interreligious and values education in Europe

For the European Interreligious Encounter in Rovereto/Italy 2008, Johannes Lähnemann, chairman of the Peace Education Standing Commission (PESC) of Religions for Peace (RfP) in cooperation with Peter Schreiner of the Comenius Institut Münster has prepared a European Map of Interreligious and Values Education accompanied by a handbook containing project and country reports. It corresponds the general motto of the encounter - „Shared Values for a Changing Europe“. The fundamental idea for the „European Map of interreligious and values education“ is to make the conditions and developments in the different parts of Europe visible. The necessity of endeavours in this field is repeatedly stressed in documents of the EU. But what is really intended and done in the different parts or Europe? In an introduction challenges, tasks and chances of religious, interreligious and ethical learning in public education are identified. The possibilities of cooperation between school and religious communities as well as with interreligious groups and agencies for overcoming prejudices, dealing sensitively with history, giving authentic information, encouraging encounter and lively exchange are shown. The articles in the handbook give examples for all relevant regions of Europe and inform about the EU-research project REDCo: Religion in Education. A Contribution to dialogue or a factor of Conflict in transforming societies of European Countries (conducted by Professor Weisse/Hamburg).