Folia Canonica 11. (2008)
NEWS IN BRIEF - Nikos Maghioros: The Profile of the European Thematic Network on Religion and State Interaction
NEWS IN BRIEF 261 3. Innovation and European dimension. "The emerging European Higher Education Area will benefit from synergies with the European Research Area, thus strengthening the basis of the Europe of Knowledge. The aim is to preserve Europe's cultural richness and linguistic diversity, based on its heritage of diversified traditions, and to foster its potential of innovation and social and economic development through enhanced cooperation among European Higher Education Institutions." Berlin Communiqué, 19-7-2003. EuReSIS considers the inter-academic, interreligious and inter-confessional approach of this thematic area innovation. It will be the first pan-European attempt that has been made to map and examine the differing academic, scientific and cultural approaches and how local research initiatives focus on the relation between Religion and State. The already existing experiences that currently spread over Europe will constitute the backbone of EuReSIS Net. The European dimension is evident because of the multicultural structure of the European society. The generic mission of the network is to contribute to the creation of harmony and tolerance in the multicultural and multi-religious Europe. 4. Direct beneficiaries .. to create a European area of higher education, where national identities and common interests can interact and strengthen each other for the be benefit of Europe, of its students, and more generally of its citizens. Sorbonne declaration, 25-5-1998” Direct beneficiaries of the network will be the participants from the European higher education institutions and research centres. Also, the students of this thematic area, and particularly those of doctoral level, will be the immediate beneficiaries not only because of the high quality of knowledge that they will acquire, but especially because they will be trained in new approaches of the religious diversity. Other beneficiaries will be governmental institutions (e.g., ministries), non-governmental institutions (e.g., organizations concerning human rights, xenophobia and emigrants), professional bodies (advocates, theologians, sociologists) and associations working on this area. The outputs of this Network are of interest to European citizens, who enter into this crucial thematic area, understand its multiple dimensions and desire the social peace. 5. Envisaged outputs 1. Data material in printed and electronic form. a. A Guide on the actual situation, as well as on the tendencies and perspectives of the relations between Religion and State in Europe. This
