‘If we are to live in a peaceful world, we have to learn about each other’s ways of life, and mutually respect each others beliefs’
– Professor Sir Nasser D. Khalili
The Maimonides Interfaith Initiative, a project of the Khalili Foundation and supported by UNESCO, promotes understanding and respect between people from the three Abrahamic faiths through a series of grassroots projects relating to art, culture and education. The initiative is named after the 12th century philosopher Moses Maimonides, whose ideas epitomised Abrahamic unity.
An audience with the late Pope John Paul II
An audience with His Holiness Pope Francis, December 2013, with whom Professor Khalili discussed the activities of the Maimonides Interfaith Initiative.
As one of the first initiatives to champion interfaith dialogue in the UK, its supporters have been some of the world’s most highly respected leaders in religion, culture and diplomacy including His Holiness Pope Francis, world renowned scholar of religions Karen Armstrong FRSL and the Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova. Since 1995, the initiative has helped drive discussions around key issues and challenges relating to the role of faith, religion and pluralism in the world today through a variety of arts, cultural, sporting and academic programmes. These include:
