Ministry of Education, Universities and Research and Tony Blair sign agreement to expand Tony Blair Faith Foundation programmes in more Italian schools
Photo of courtesy of the Italian Government
The Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) and Tony Blair, Patron of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation signed a second Memorandum of Understanding that will see a pilot education programme on engagement between young people of different faiths taken forward throughout more Italian schools.
Already active in 19 countries around the world, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation’s Face to Faith programme is a compelling school curriculum that engages students of different faiths in meaningful dialogue across a range of cultures. It enables students to connect with others across the world, and provides the opportunity to discuss diverse and sometimes conflicting world views through video-conferences and a secure website.
Mr Blair’s Foundation and the MIUR signed an initial agreement last November which piloted the Face to Faith programme in Rome, Catania, Treviso, Bari, Turin and Milan. Today’s agreement signals the success of the initial phase with a new commitment to roll out the programme in more schools throughout Italy.
Speaking about Face to Faith in Italy, Tony Blair said: I am delighted to be working with the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research to bring my Foundation’s Face to Faith programme into the Italian education system through the success of the pilot programme, and now its wider implementations in Italian schools nationwide. It will provide a transformative experience for Italian students to be affiliated globally, without overlooking their national aspirations, and help Italian students and teachers to develop deeper dialogue and negotiation skills, whilst also gaining greater understanding of the role of religion in the modern world.”
The new agreement between the Government of Italy and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation will provide Italian teachers and students with the opportunity to develop skills required for peace-building and negotiation across different faith traditions. Teachers and students will also have access to to a global teacher-student community able to have meaningful and respectful interfaith dialogue on issues that they may have conflicting views on.
This second MOU enables the Faith Foundation and the Ministry of Education to work together to plan further the sustainable implementation of Face to Faith in Italian schools. Learn more about Face to Faith.
