Press Release: Commission, Parliament and European Council bring together religious leaders to discuss solidarity between generations and demographic challenges across Europe

More than twenty senior representatives from Christian, Muslim and Jewish religions and from the Hindu and Bahá'í communities from all over Europe met on 12 July 2012 in Brussels, under the motto 'Intergenerational Solidarity: Setting the Parameters for Tomorrow's Society in Europe'.

This high-level meeting was called by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and co-chaired by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and László Surján, Vice-President of the European Parliament representing President Martin Schulz.

In a frank and open spirit, the leaders discussed intergenerational solidarity and other important demographic challenges for Europe, like tackling unemployment, fostering active ageing, and reconciling work and private life. President Barroso encouraged religious leaders to engage in public dialogue and show the specific contributions that churches and religious communities can make to explain the need for solidarity.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Memo/12/546: Commission, Parliament and European Council bring together religious leaders to discuss solidarity between generations and demographic challenges across Europe http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/12/546&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: Speech/12/553: Statement by President Barroso following the meeting with European faith leaders http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/553&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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