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| Blair launches faith foundation | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Former prime minister Tony Blair has launched a faith foundation to tackle global poverty, challenge conflict and unite the world's religions. | |
| Mr Blair, who is a Roman Catholic, unveiled the foundation in New York. | Mr Blair, who is a Roman Catholic, unveiled the foundation in New York. |
| The Tony Blair Faith Foundation has three aims: to promote faith as a force for good, improve awareness between religions and tackle poverty and war. | |
| Mr Blair said there was "nothing more important" than creating understanding between different faiths and cultures. | Mr Blair said there was "nothing more important" than creating understanding between different faiths and cultures. |
| Before the official launch at the headquarters of media group Time Warner, he said: "Religious faith will be of the same significance to the 21st Century as political ideology was to the 20th Century. | Before the official launch at the headquarters of media group Time Warner, he said: "Religious faith will be of the same significance to the 21st Century as political ideology was to the 20th Century. |
| 'Peaceful co-existence' | 'Peaceful co-existence' |
| "In an era of globalisation, there is nothing more important than getting people of different faiths and cultures to understand each other better and live in peace and mutual respect; and to give faith itself its proper place in the future." | "In an era of globalisation, there is nothing more important than getting people of different faiths and cultures to understand each other better and live in peace and mutual respect; and to give faith itself its proper place in the future." |
| At the launch in New York he said: "The characteristic of today's world is change. The consequence is a world opening up and becoming inter-dependent. | At the launch in New York he said: "The characteristic of today's world is change. The consequence is a world opening up and becoming inter-dependent. |
| "The conclusion is that we make sense of this inter-dependence through peaceful co-existence and working together to resolve common challenges." | "The conclusion is that we make sense of this inter-dependence through peaceful co-existence and working together to resolve common challenges." |
| In another interview with Time magazine, Mr Blair, who is now a peace envoy to the Middle East, said the foundation was "how I want to spend the rest of my life". | In another interview with Time magazine, Mr Blair, who is now a peace envoy to the Middle East, said the foundation was "how I want to spend the rest of my life". |
| The vocation is something the former prime minister has been considering for some time. | The vocation is something the former prime minister has been considering for some time. |
| But Mr Blair said while in office he feared being branded a "nutter" if he talked about his religious views. | But Mr Blair said while in office he feared being branded a "nutter" if he talked about his religious views. |