Reggio Emilia hosts Leeds delegation to promote religious pluralism

The city of Reggio Emilia hosted a delegation from Leeds, England, on October 1 and 2 as part of the ‘Bridging Belief and Belonging’ project. This initiative is funded by the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities program and involves collaboration between Leeds, Reggio Emilia, and Paris.

The project aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences and mutual learning regarding religious freedom, pluralism, and social cohesion. This cooperation comes in response to increasing international and local tensions, as well as phenomena of discrimination and polarization affecting various communities.

The Leeds delegation included Emma Flint, Councilor for Equality, Adults, and Health; Geoffrey Turnbull, municipal lead for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and Becca Brownlow, head of the Social Cohesion Program. They met with Reggio Emilia officials, including Marwa Mahmoud, Councilor for Educational Policies and Interculturality, to share best practices and develop tools to address social complexity and value linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity.