Muslim and Jewish students keep faith with Big Society at City University
Published: 18th February, 2011
by PETER GRUNER
MUSLIM and Jewish students will join forces to take part in a community event at City University next month aimed at combating Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
The Coexistence Trust, a charity that works to improve understanding between Jewish and Muslim students, is launching a “Big Society” student volunteering project at the campus in Northampton Square, Finsbury, on Thursday March 3 at 10.30am to promote social action and mutual respect.
Linzi Marks, from the Coexistence Trust, said: “Muslim and Jewish students have said to us they would like more opportunities to get to know each other, and we thought that getting them volunteering would be an excellent idea. Social action, no matter how small, can be rewarding.”
Ms Marks, a student engagement project manager, said: “The Big Society should be about people organising volunteering projects from the grass roots, and that is what we are doing.”
The trust will be transporting a crystal-like structure to the university. This shed-sized bowl – made of imitation glass – is a space where Muslim and Jewish students can take part in activities together.
Students will be encouraged to donate 10 hours of their time over a seven-week period, and post their experiences on the project website at www.campusfaithhub.org