What do a part-time imam, a martial arts enthusiast and a potential Olympic rower have in common?
They are all starting work as campus ambassadors for the Coexistence Trust, combating antisemitism and Islamophobia at universities across the country.
The one-year leadership programme for first and second year Jewish and Muslim students was launched at the House of Lords last week.
Working on a dozen campuses, the ambassadors will engage with students from all religious backgrounds to develop social action projects, explore common links, and promote positive interfaith work.
Gabrielle Cahen, a Jewish student who runs a Muslim-Jewish group at Oxford University, said: "We can improve the awareness young people have of each other and to encourage our curiosity and understanding of what difference is."
She said it was possible for students from different backgrounds to work together. To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, Oxford University Islamic Society hosted a talk about Arabs who helped Jews during the Second World War.
Abid Khan, a part-time imam studying at UCL, spoke of the values Muslims and Jews share – education, family values, enterprise – but warned that both communities also share a lengthy list of concerns.
Birmingham University student Mark Robins explained why he wanted to be an ambassador: "I want to play a part in building bridges between these two great communities. I have a chance to make a real difference.
"If I can get pro-Palestinians and Zionist students to sit and discuss peace rather than blaming one another then I can go to sleep at night knowing I've made a positive impact on the world and served my community in the best way possible."
Coexistence Trust chairman Lord Mitchell, who hosted the launch, said: "Islamophobia is the same poison as antisemitism, coming from the same people, and both our communities have to work together to counter all this. Together we can be much stronger than if we try to do it separately."
Gerald Ronson, Community Security Trust chairman, said: "Now the trust focuses on what I think is its greatest challenge yet - university students. I couldn't think of a more important place for the trust's work than on campuses, grooming leaders for the future.
"When Islamophobia hurts Muslims, it also hurts Jews."