The Chief Rabbi was joined by dignitaries from several faiths in marking the start of the annual Interfaith Week at a ceremony in London on Tuesday.

Lord Sacks spoke at the event at Central Hall Westminster alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and Eric Pickles, the Communities and Local Government Secretary. Fifty religious figures were present, including representatives from the Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities.

The focus of this week, which concludes on Saturday, is "living well together", about how the different religious groups contribute to British society and how they can better co-operate and contribute.

Interfaith Week was first held two years ago, organised by the Inter Faith Network for the UK, an organisation linking the official bodies of Britain's various religious groups.

In the Jewish community, this year's week was heralded by Mitzvah Day, when social action projects and events were held around the country. The idea, which began seven years ago, has been taken on by non-Jewish communities in recent years.