DESCRIPTION OF THE RELIGIOUS SITE
DESCRIPTION Formed of Christian and Muslim believers, the GAIC has the aim of contributing to a better knowledge of each other and of promoting common ethical and spiritual values to Christianism and Islam, in the framework of an open secularity. The members are volunteers, and act for a better understanding of the two communities through a concrete approach of coming together, of local meetings, of days of thinking, of workshops… They hope to participate in the building of an open, tolerant, respectful and united society. Each year, they organise the Weeks of Islamic-Christian Meeting.
HISTORICAL RELEVANCE The Groupe d’Amitié Islamo-Chrétienne was founded 25 years ago, in 1993 by two men: Father Michel Lelong and the philosopher Mustapha Cherif. In 25 years, the GAIC has developed a network of friendship, especially with the French Institute of Science and Theology of Religions, the French Catholic Institute of Paris, and the community of Taizé. It also works with the Islamic-Christian organisation Ensemble avec Marie.
INTER-RELIGIOUS RELEVANCE The GAIC organises workshops such as “Israel-Palestine”, “Living the Sacred Texts”, “Spiritual Path”…, whose number and topic vary throughout the years. Also, it organises 2 spiritual marches, one in spring in the city of Chartres, following the steps of Mary, and the other in autumn, following the steps of Saint Francis of Assisi and the emir Abdelkader. They also send messages and greetings on religious feasts, and messages in reference to the news. Also, each year in November, the GAIC organise the Week of Islamic-Christian Meeting. This event started in 2001 and lasts now more than a week. It is open to everyone (believers and non-believers) who wants to act for justice and peace within their families, neighbourhoods, schools, high schools, workplace, city… This Week is based upon Christians and Muslims locally involved in an approach of meeting through their religious, associative and social activities. They chose the themes and the framework of activities they offer in their cities: spiritual and religious themes, social issues, cultural and friendly meetings, common solidarity actions. During this week, a hundred activities are organised in France and in several European countries, notably in Belgium, in the UK and in the Netherlands: shared meals, visits of places of worship, plays in theatres, marches, conferences, sport games, etc.
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE The GAIC is very famous and gathers many people. As explained earlier, since it developed friendship with many other religious and interreligious organisations, it reaches many people, Catholic or Muslim. The friendship between Muslims and Christians is a pattern that tends to be developed in France, especially in the past few years with tensions, and conflation between Islam and the terrorist attacks that took place in France.
HOW TO USE WITH THE STUDENTS The teacher may organise practical activities about Christianism and Islam (using the practical activities of IO1) to discuss the two religions and how they have been in relation with each other in history. Then, he can lead discussions about the GAIC and ask the students how and why such an organisation is important.
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Groupe d'Amitié Islamo-Chrétienne
This document presents the GAIC, its main goals, the Week of Islamic-Christian Meeting, and the address of the local sites of the organisation.