|TOP|Leading figures from across Scotland’s major faith groups met earlier in the week in Aberdeen, Scotland, to develop a strategy for responding to national emergencies and world crises.

The religious leaders gathered against the backdrop of the avian flu crisis and the recent furore over the Prophet Mohammed cartoons.

The meeting brought together key religious leaders from across the main faith groups in Scotland including representatives of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Ba’hai, Sikhism and Buddhism, and was hosted by the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Bruce Cameron.

The leaders gathered to explore different ways in which they could realise unity between the different faith groups whilst still maintaining their distinctiveness, as well as to consider an appropriate response to national religious matters.

Bishop Cameron expressed his keenness to discuss how religious leaders should respond to national emergencies, reports the Aberdeen Press and Journal.

|AD|He said: "I also believe that now is a good time to look at the perception of faith communities across Scotland and to look at the influence the media have on this perception and how we might influence or challenge that image ourselves.

"In a world where there is increasing fundamentalism and attacks on civil liberties, it is more important than ever that faith communities continue to talk and work together to challenge stereotypes and discrimination against people of faith."

The meeting was co-chaired by Dianna Wolfson, convener of the Scottish Interfaith Council, which also supported the meeting.

She said: "There are many issues which all-faith communities in Scotland have to deal with and by creating a united approach, we can show that it is possible to hold true to your own faith while respecting other peoples."