By Chris Jones - 14th February 2006
German MEP Hans-Gert Poettering is to call for a review of the way religion is taught in EU schools amid the row over cartoons of the prophet Muhammad.
Poettering, the Christian Democrat leader of the biggest political group in the European parliament, will use a Wednesday debate on freedom of speech to propose overhauling the educational system.
“I will propose the creation of a committee to look at the terms and concepts used in European text books on religion,” he told journalists on Tuesday.
“The European commission, religious leaders and the UN secretary general should all be involved.”
Poettering said that he would also call for a pan-European competition to find the best essays on promoting tolerance among young people.
And he said that the existing Euromed agreement between the EU and its Middle Eastern and North African neighbours should be extended to include more cultural and religious dialogue.
“I am fully in favour of the freedom of expression, but we have to recognise that the future would be a much better place if we did not insist on an eye for an eye retaliation all the time,” he said.
“Dialogue on its own is not enough, it has to be the right kind of dialogue, between Christians, Muslims and Jews, offering tangible ideas about religious tolerance and focusing in particular on attitudes of young people.”
Martin Schulz, leader of centre-left MEPs, said that former Danish leader Poul Nyrup Rasmussen would talk for his group in the debate.
The current Danish government has angered Muslims for failing to condemn the publication of caricatures of Muhammad, which Muslims consider to be insulting.
“He will say that there can be no negotiation of the freedom of expression, but that it should also come with responsibility,” said Schulz.
“We know that there are radicals on either side looking for trouble over this issue, but we have to be careful about our own credibility.”
“There are European leaders whose own governments include radicals – including in Denmark – who have inflamed the debate with their comments.”
“This does nothing for our credibility.”
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