Coexistence Project to empower Diversity and understanding: Toaha Qureshi MBE

‘Learning to live together, to coexist, to learn to accept difference, and make the world safe for difference will be one of the great challenges for the 21 Century. Concept of Coexistence has been emerging in a number of great social and political movements. The key characteristic of the theme is its relation with its ‘others’ and the acknowledgement that an ‘others’ exists. So the world’s three great religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism must experiment with the idea as they have been living together in harmony for hundreds of years.  Toaha Qureshi, founder chairman of Forum for International Relations Development shared these thoughts while speaking to Princess Badiya bint El Hassan, Chairman of Mosaic, a mentoring programme founded by Prince’s Charity.

Toaha Qureshi introduced Princess Badiya to FIRD’s Coexistence Project and highlighted how the project would build bridges among students in Israel, Palestine, and the UK.  FIRD Chairman shared his experience from his week-long trip to Israel and Palestine in early 2012, on the invitation of the Israeli Embassy and Israeli Chamber of Commerce. He explained that London College of Business Management and Information Technology (LCBMIT), a subsidiary organisation of FIRD would take lead on the project by awarding  thirty scholarships to Israeli, Palestinian and British students and they would complete a post-graduation programme together in London while learning the essence of diversity, understanding and respecting the difference.

Princess Badiya shared her pleasure describing the move as innovative and much wanted in the current climate and assured cooperation from Mosaic. The Coexistence Project is likely to take off by the end of 2012.