Dialogue and understanding were top of the agenda during an interfaith campus tour this week.
Campus Faith Hub: From Dialogue to Action offered students the opportunity to discuss global issues, including conflict resolution and poverty.
The project was backed by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the Three Faiths Forum and the Coexistence Trust.
The tour visited the universities of Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester, Salford and Birmingham.
TFF’s Daniella Shaw Gabay said it was vital to offer young adults of different faiths the “opportunity to achieve positive social change while receiving personal and career benefits”.
A debate on the financial crisis took place on each campus. Former Communities and Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears was among the panellists.
The organisations backing the project showcased their own student programmes, such as the TFF’s Parliamentors scheme.
Josh Landy, activities officer at Leeds University Union, took part when the tour got under way in Yorkshire.
He said: “As a former faith society president on campus I know that building understanding and co-operation between faith groups is really important for campus life.”
Lord Parry Mitchell, chairman of the Coexistence Trust, said creating dialogue and understanding between students of all faiths was “crucial to campus harmony”.