|TOP|Britain’s oldest interfaith organisation has announced it is to set up a number of far-reaching programmes in a move to combat anti-Semitism in the UK.

Six new projects were launched as part of the Strategic Development Plan of the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ).

The launch of the new projects is a response to changes in the demographic makeup of Britain as well as cultural changes.

One of the key areas of focus for the new projects is the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian situation while the CCJ also hopes that the projects will open the way to closer relations with the Christian media.

The plans have been welcomed by the Archbishop of Canterbury who described them as “significant”.

|AD|“I am delighted that CCJ has launched this plan in this the 350th anniversary year of the Jewish resettlement in Britain.

“These plans are very significant and will play an important role in Christian-Jewish understanding and community dialogue.”

The new strategy is the result of three months of collaboration between Christian and Jewish members of the CCJ.

The issue of growing anti-Semitism in Europe also arose when Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders from across Europe recently gathered in Brussels for a high profile interfaith meeting held by the European Union.

The European Union invited fifteen delegates to represent their faith communities, which also included the spiritual leader of the Buddhist religion, the Dalai Lama, at the meeting chaired by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, together with, Wolfgang Schussel, chancellor of Austria, the current holders of the EU presidency.

In the meeting, the faith representatives engaged primarily on the role that should be played by religious communities in promoting freedom, democracy and human rights across Europe.

In July 2005 religious leaders gathered at the European Commission but this is the first such interfaith meeting to have the support of the EU presidency.

Senior members of the European Commission, including the employment, justice and education ministers, were also present at the gathering.