The President of the Republic of Slovenia speaks at the Examination Schools

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, presented a well received lecture on "Europe and Islam: Coexistence or Integration?" to a capacity audience at the Examination Schools.

In his lecture, President Türk spoke about the varied experiences of Europe’s minority groups, noting that each country has had specific experiences with immigrants from different parts of the world. There was a need for frank and open discussions about the impact of these arrivals on the majority population while appreciating the needs of the minority groups. Dr Türk noted that the existing legal mechanisms for the protection of minorities have often proved to be insufficient. The way forward to resolve these issues was through the use of human rights legislation.

The President hoped that immigration policies could be developed to be more inclusive and allow for the the stimulation of entrepreneurship among minority groups; provide access to education at all levels in order to ensure equal opportunities; give respect for the religious needs of Muslim minority communities and ensure a robust anti-discrimination policy in the workplace. These reforms, the President concluded, would help facilitate a more tolerant and inclusive dialogue between Muslim and Non-Muslim communities in Europe.

Following the lecture the Director of the Centre hosted a dinner in honour of the President.