Climate change and tackling world poverty may be the most important issues facing this generation. But we can only progress these if we can build an 'alliance of civilizations'. Mike Lowe finds out why this new UN initiative is so important.

THIS MONTH sees the release of a new film, The Imam and the Pastor, which tells the story of a remarkable peacemaking partnership in northern Nigeria, a region where thousands have been killed in Muslim-Christian conflicts.

Egyptian professor Nasr Abu-Zayd speaks up for Islam’s respect for the rational.

Despair and fear are the enemies of peace, write Saliba Sarsar (left),a Palestinian American, and Yehezkel Landau, an Israeli American.

Often the strangers on the edge are the only people who can see the future as well as the past

A unique sacred space in the heart of London where people of all faiths, or none, can meet with others from different traditions and explore differences in a spirit of friendship and respect.

We all need to step out of our respective intellectual ghettos and say, ‘I am open-minded’, according to Professor Tariq Ramadan.

Catholic, Jew and Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Confucianist all find they can change where needed and travel along the good road together.

We’ve got to inspire people to believe that their efforts at relationships locally can transform the world.

Andrew Stallybrass meets Rabbi Marc Raphaël Guedj who is bringing rabbis and imams together to work for peace.