BRUSSELS (EJP)---Over 200 Jewish women from across Europe will mark the EU’s Year of Intercultural Dialogue at a 3-day conference in Brussels that will explore how to further inter-religious and intercultural dialogue in participants' native countries, and build a more culturally inclusive Europe.
The event, which is being organized by the International Council of Jewish Women (ICJW), will take place March 16-18.
Entitled "European Women in Intercultural Dialogue:" Perception and Reality", the conference will bring together women from Bosnia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, France, the UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, Finland and Sweden to exchange practices on intercultural and inter-religious dialogue by women, their organizations and local and international agencies, and to discuss ways in which to help minorities integrate into mainstream society.
ICJW's European chairman, Gillian Gold, believes Jewish women have a key role to play in facilitating and furthering multicultural dialogue and inclusivity because they have experienced the difficulties of immigration, integration and discrimination.
“Almost every country in Europe is struggling to deal with the challenges posed by an increasingly multi-cultural society," she says. "That is why this conference is so imperative,” he said.
Among keynote speakers, Israel’s ambassador to Belgium, Tamar Samash, will discuss women's advances in Israel over the past 60 years.
Special sessions will include a Jewish-Muslim-Christian panel with speakers from Portugal, Bosnia and Nigeria. Another session will focus on the intercultural initiatives of women's organizations in Croatia, Belgium, France and the UK.
ICJW represents 52 Jewish women's organizations in 47 countries around the world working for social justice and welfare for all races and creeds.