Belieforama is a European project which offers a panoramic approach to issues of religion, belief and anti-discrimination, bringing people with a variety of views, perspectives and sectors into contact with each other and empowering all (including those of no belief or practice) to engage in positive social action for promoting coexistence within a culturally diverse society. The 8 partners involved in the project are the Institute for International Co-operation of the German Adult Education Association and VV International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (Germany); CEJI (Belgium);  Partners Bulgaria Foundation (Bulgaria); ICA Spain; Institutul Intercultural Timisoara (Rumania); Extravaleren (The Netherlands); and People Can (ex Novas Scarman) and The Multifaith Centre at the University of Derby (U.K.). 

The project is led by CEJI, a Jewish Contribution for an Inclusive Europe, based in Belgium.   

The project´s  most important assets are its various training programmes, which aim to find productive ways to transform the discourse around these issues, raise awareness of other perspectives and views, and find ways in which these can be reconciled so that all people can express and exercise  with mutual respect their rights and responsibilities. The training programmes are:

Religious Diversity and Antidiscrimination: It provides an educational process that transforms obstacles presented by different perspectives on religion into opportunities for social transformation. 

Overcoming Anti-Semitism:   The need to confront anti-Semitism where it exists and to prevent it from spreading is urgent for those wishing to live in societies that are free from hatred. This training course seeks to develop an understanding that Jewish identity has diverse expressions.

Overcoming Islamophobia:   The recent recognition and identification of Islamophobia means that comparatively little data is available on it (in contrast to anti-Semitism, which has been well-documented for centuries). Moreover, public opinion is often fed with generalised and prejudicial messages about Islam and its followers. 

Reconciling Religion, Gender and Sexual Orientation: Any examination of the challenges faced by those living in religiously diverse societies shows that some of the most sensitive topics revolve around issues of gender and sexuality, i.e. the role of men and women, sexual and reproductive rights, and conflicts of rights (real or perceived) between religious rights and gay rights.  This course is being offered for the first time in February 2012 in Venice.

A cornerstone of Belieforama is its Community of Practice, which is a network that supports individuals and organisations seeking to make a long term impact on religious diversity and belief issues through educational processes and

materials that generate and inspire personal, organisational and social commitment, action and reflection.

The quality and achievements of Belieforama have been recognised in two prestigious awards:

* Gold Prize Winner for quality in adult education from the European Commission Lifelong Learning Programme (2008)
* First Prize Winner for Intercultural Commitment by the BMW Group (2010).

We invite you to watch the following video link “Belieforama and Personal Change”; where you will find several interviews from users and trainers on their reflections after attending the course. http://youtu.be/d_ZcqwiUu1U .

Here is some feedback from participants who have attended the Religious Diversity & Antidiscrimination course:

 “A wonderful means of exchanging ideas, expanding on knowledge and challenging stereotypes.”

“It has allowed me to see the wide scope of diversity and the intricate elements of
religion which should be carefully considered before forming impressions of any individual.”

“I achieved a much greater level of personal awareness not only of my religious experience, but also about its place among other unique diverse experiences. To me, the course provided a precious opportunity for self-exploration, which was a great added value to the strictly professional aspects of the programme.”

“We all agree about the existence of religious diversity and the problems which arise from it. In order to tackle these issues, we must first look into our own diversity. In doing so, we learn a great deal - not only about ourselves but also about others - what we think, what we believe, what we hope. That is the mental and spiritual profit of diversity. That for me was an invaluable outcome of the training.”

“The training was a wonderful, personally enriching experience. The participants and leaders were great, the discussion lively, and the topic clearly presented. I left with a heightened appreciation of the importance of religious tolerance in integrating minorities into mainstream European society”.

Belieforama is an Adults Educational Project  (2009-2012) supported by The European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme

Useful links for more information:
Belieforama: www.belieforama.eu
CEJI:   www.ceji.org
Belieforama & Personal Change: http://youtu.be/d_ZcqwiUu1U
ICA Spain:  www.iac-es.org (Spanish)
Belieforama Presentation for the BMW award:
http://www.slideshare.net