The Awareness Foundation was established in 2003 to help Christians make sense of their faith in the 21st Century, and to increase awareness of their neighbours’ faiths and cultures, so that they can live in a diverse society without fear and without compromising their beliefs. Their Patron is the Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...

. They are based in London, England, at Holy Trinity Sloane Square, with offices in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 and Damascus

Damascus

Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...

, Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

.

Vision

A central tenet of the Foundation's vision is that greater understanding among religions and among peoples will ultimately defeat extremism, and help nurture an environment where people can live together in peace.

The Foundation has two key vehicles:

• The Awareness Course
  Awareness Course
  The Awareness Course is the education programme of the Awareness Foundation. The Awareness Course has been described as ' Christians develop an informed response to the religious and cultural diversity around them by being centered in their faith and secure in their identity.'...
  
  , which is their education programme, and
• The Awareness Forum, which consists of special events such as dinners, conferences, roundtable exchanges and lectures, focusing on religious and cultural issues of the day. In 2009, a delegation of business and religious leaders travelled to Syria to meet with their counterparts from the region.

The Awareness Foundation is ecumenical, with Board members from the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, the Church of England

Church of England

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

, the Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church (United States)

The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...

 in the US and the Middle East, the Greek Orthodox Church

Greek Orthodox Church

The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...

, Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist

Baptist

Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...

 Churches, plus several charismatic evangelical churches.

Personnel

The Rt Revd Michael Marshall (bishop)

Michael Marshall (bishop)

Michael Eric Marshall was the eighth Bishop of Woolwich in the Church of England .Marshall was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge and was ordained in 1961. His first ministry position was as a curate at St Peter's Spring Hill, Birmingham after which he was temporarily a tutor at Ely...

 is President of the Awareness Foundation, and the Revd Nadim Nassar

Nadim Nassar

The Revd Nadim Nassar is the Director and Co-Founder of the Awareness Foundation, and co-author of the Awareness Course. He established the Awareness Foundation in 2003 with Bishop Michael Marshall in response to the growing need to study the Christian faith in the context of the 21st Century.Nadim...

 is Director. They are co-founders of the Awareness Foundation, and co-authors of the Awareness Course. Revd Nadim Nassar has been a guest blogger on the UK Daily Telegraph website,
and both Bishop Michael Marshall

Michael Marshall

Michael Marshall may refer to:* Michael Marshall , American R&B singer* Michael Marshall Smith , British writer* Sir Michael Marshall , British politician...

 and Revd Nassar are popular speakers around the world.. Charles Longbottom

Charles Longbottom

Charles Brooke Longbottom is a British barrister, businessman and politician. In recent years his interest has turned to Christian healing and education.-Early career:...

 is Chair of Trustees.

History

Established in 2003, and launched by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...

 at a service at Holy Trinity Sloane Square, where Michael Marshall

Michael Marshall

Michael Marshall may refer to:* Michael Marshall , American R&B singer* Michael Marshall Smith , British writer* Sir Michael Marshall , British politician...

 was Rector

Rector

The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...

 from 1997 to 2007 in September 2003.

Awareness Course

The Foundation describes the Awareness Course

Awareness Course

The Awareness Course is the education programme of the Awareness Foundation. The Awareness Course has been described as ' Christians develop an informed response to the religious and cultural diversity around them by being centered in their faith and secure in their identity.'...

 as 'helping Christians to make sense of their faith in the 21st century'. The first DVD Module of the Awareness Course

Awareness Course

The Awareness Course is the education programme of the Awareness Foundation. The Awareness Course has been described as ' Christians develop an informed response to the religious and cultural diversity around them by being centered in their faith and secure in their identity.'...

is called 'Citizens of Two Kingdoms'. A second DVD Module, 'The Diversity Code', was published in 2011. The DVD Modules are described as "very user-friendly and easy to teach."

The Course is said to be suitable for all, and while aimed primarily at Christians, the Foundation reports that people of other faiths or none regularly attend the sessions.