Radio Salaam Shalom

Radio Salaam Shalom is a Bristol-based online radio station staffed by a volunteer team mainly from the Jewish and Muslim communities of the city. It launched on 1 February 2007.

The project is seen as the UK's first Muslim-Jewish initiative of this type and emphasises the voice of the “moderate majority”. Its programmes give people from both communities the chance to celebrate, debate and share the events, issues and faith that shape their daily lives.

One of its most innovative features is an open invitation to its global listeners to submit their own podcasts from around the world for inclusion in its broadcasts.

A project of Salaam Shalom Ltd, a registered charity, the service relies entirely on donations and funding rather than advertising.

The project launched with technical support from Bristol Community FM and was granted start-up funding by the UK Home Office Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund, the Clore Duffield Foundation and the Community Development Foundation.

It celebrated its first anniversary in February 2008 with the station's first intercultural musical evening, featuring Chai4two, the Sweet Easy Peelers, traditional Jewish Hazzan singing and the sharing of the Adhaan, the Muslim call to prayer, by an Imam.

Radio Salaam Shalom was selected as a media partner for the UK events of the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and was also chosen as an example of Best Practice by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. It was also selected as a project of special significance by the UK Government Office (South West).

It has received coverage and been the subject of special features on many of the world's biggest broadcast networks, including NHK (Japan), RAI2 (Italy), BBC WORLD, BBCTV, CBC (Canada), CHANNEL 4 (UK), TRIPLE J (Australia), PRESS TV (Iran) and AL JAZEERA ENGLISH amongst others.

A new series of fortnightly Jewish-Muslim podcasts was launched in September 2008 and made available for download via iTunes and the station's website.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.salaamshalom.org.uk The official website of Radio Salaam Shalom]