Islam and Democracy National Conference – London, 2015
THE CORDOBA FOUNDATION
MEDIA RELEASE | 18TH FEBRUARY, 2015
Islam and Democracy conference — Clarity and confidence for Muslim communities in the midst of growing uncertainty and fears
The Cordoba Foundation convened a successful conference on Thursday, the 12th of February in Central London. The conference examined, amongst other things, the growing interest and critique of political Islam following the Arab Spring, with particular focus on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Held at the Holiday Inn – Kensington Forum, the packed day-long conference with keynote addresses and break-out sessions brought together an esteemed line-up of international experts, scholars, academics, journalists and politicians. The morning keynote, entitled “Contemporary political Islam — an important object of social scientific inquiry?” was delivered by Professor Jeffrey Haynes, Associate Dean (research) of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at London Metropolitan University. Professor Yasin Aktay, Deputy Chairman of the AK Party in Turkey, speaking at the inaugural session moderated by The Rt. Hon. Clare Short, Secretary of State (1997- 2003), mapped out the manifestation and role of political Islam in Turkey. Professor John Esposito, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, USA, rounded-up the conference with his keynote, “The Future of Political Islam: Democracy, Militant Jihadist and a War on Terrorism?”
Other topics ranged from Islamists’ perceptions of democracy, the State, secularism, violence and extremism; to specific issues related to the Muslim Brotherhood, including its ideology and principles of democracy; the relevance of the Brotherhood today and the impact of repressive measures targeting it globally. The conference also addressed the specific issue of the Western and European approaches to the Brotherhood and the UK Government “Review” that commenced in 2014.
Dr Anas Altikriti, CEO of The Cordoba Foundation commented: “this conference proved timely and the themes discussed quite relevant as the discussions that took place throughout were robust and raised many intriguing points. Political Islam in the aftermath of the Arab Spring is arguably the most important theme of any discussion of the MENA region and its dominant political trends, and the conference agreed that much more discussion and debate were necessary to better understand this topic and draw possible scenarios for the future of the most volatile region in the world today.”
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Notes to editors:
1. The conference was titled, Islam and Democracy: Exploring the Strategies of Political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Contribution, and was held the Holiday Inn London – Kensington Forum, 97 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4DN
2. Full conference schedule and profiles of speakers available here:
Schedule_Final
3. To access the video recording of the entire conference proceedings, visit The Cordoba Foundation’s Youtube Channel
4. Picture highlights from the conference are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/99397747@N03/sets/72157650465404608/
5. For media interviews and queries, please email media@thecordobafoundation.com
6. The Cordoba Foundation is an independent strategic think tank that works to promote intercultural dialogue and positive coexistence, through a range of activities including research and publications, training and capacity building, policy briefings and dialogues. The Foundation takes its name from the city of Cordoba. The European metropolis was once a symbol of human excellence and intellectual ingenuity, where cultures, civilisations and ideas thrived. Embodying this spirit, TCF today facilitates the meeting of minds, to advance understanding and respect for one another.
www.thecordobafoundation.com
London Islam and Democracy conference — Exploring the strategies of political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s contribution towards democracy
THE CORDOBA FOUNDATION
MEDIA RELEASE | 5TH FEBRUARY, 2015
London Islam and Democracy conference — Exploring the strategies of political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s contribution towards democracy
The Cordoba Foundation will be hosting a timely international conference next week in Central London, analysing the trending upsurge in interest and critique of political Islam following the Arab Spring, with particular focus on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Unpicking the nature and manifestation of political Islam in Britain today, the conference will principally explore whether the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood is compatible with democracy; the orientation of the Brotherhood towards violence, extremism and radicalisation in Britain and abroad; the repressive measures targeting the group globally and the impact thereof, and the increasing pressure placed on the political space by more extremist actors such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Leading experts, scholars and academics will address a myriad of topics during a day-long conference, which Dr Anas Altikriti, CEO of The Cordoba Foundation, dubs as “a unique platform of specialists and experts debating one of the most pressing issues of our time: democracy and the role of political Islam.” Speakers include Professor John Esposito, Georgetown University; Professor George Joffé, Kings College, London; Professor Yasin Aktay, Deputy Chairman, AK Party, Turkey; as well as a host of academics, lawyers, politicians, specialists, journalists, writers and Muslim leaders including representatives from the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party in Egypt. For the latest list of speakers, visit http://www.thecordobafoundation.com/events.php?id=1&art=144
The sold-out event takes place on Thursday 12 February, 2015 from 10am-5pm at the Holiday Inn – Kensington Forum, Central London. There are limited spaces for members of the press to cover the event (contact details below to confirm attendance).
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Notes to editors:
1. The conference is titled, Islam and Democracy: Exploring the Strategies of Political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Contribution. The venue is: Holiday Inn London – Kensington Forum, 97 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4DN
2. To attend please email: media@thecordobafoundation.com
3. The Cordoba Foundation is an independent strategic think tank that works to promote intercultural dialogue and positive coexistence, through a range of activities including research and publications, training and capacity building, policy briefings and dialogues. The Foundation takes its name from the city of Cordoba. The European metropolis was once a symbol of human excellence and intellectual ingenuity, where cultures, civilisations and ideas thrived. Embodying this spirit, TCF today facilitates the meeting of minds, to advance understanding and respect for one another.
www.thecordobafoundation.com
Video: ‘You can’t wage war on an idea’ on YouTube – Dr Anas Altikriti
Video Below
Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill: An Open Letter to our MPs
The Coalition government’s fast-tracked Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill is now at report stage in the Commons and will soon proceed to its third reading. Rightly, human rights implications have been raised from all sides of the House, such as the lack of clarity in defining ‘reasonable suspicion’ when considering the seizure of travel documents or the serious matter of revoking the passport of a British citizen while overseas.
However some key aspects have not been sufficiently probed, and we call on you to be vigilant to its further implications: making the Home Office/ACPO Channel referral programme statutory, giving officials the discretion to assess whether an individual is ‘vulnerable to be drawn to terrorism’; placing statutory terrorism prevention duties on university lecturers and school teachers and a variety of public authorities including NHS Trusts; and, from recent reports, it appears that there will be an onus on nurseries and early years childcare providers to be alert to extremist inclinations! What impact analysis has there been in the education sector, where teachers seek to build a trusted environment in which to motivate and inspire and cultivate critical thinking?
CT legislation thus far has given latitude for subjective application and difficult-to-challenge powers to officialdom. The climate of oversight and control is widening; our financial institutions, for example, now have compliance officers with past careers in the police and even US Homeland Security. Sir Peter Fahy, chief constable of Greater Manchester, recently said that the battle against extremism could lead to a drift towards a police state in which officers are turned into ‘thought police’. The British Muslim community is bearing the brunt of this securitisation.
During the Trojan Horse controversy, which was about state schools with predominantly Muslim children, too often OFSTED inspectors’ reports contained judgemental phrases such as ‘governance is not good enough’ or ‘[governors] have little understanding of the quality of teaching’. The inspectors conflated religious and social conservatism as extremism. Muslim charities too have been disproportionately subject to investigation on the basis of hear-say, with bank accounts frozen, only to be cleared but at a cost to their reputation.
Many of us involved in doorstep work promoting voter registration in good time for the General Election are sensing alienation and anxiety. We are asked how the Chair of the Charity Commission William Shawcross can be trusted as a regulator when he was formerly associated with neo-con networks that demonise Muslims? We are asked how the former head of the Met’s anti-terrorist branch is both a board member of the Charity Commission and also called on to investigate Birmingham schools? The Bill will weaken trust within communities. Despotic regimes overseas with whom we have intelligence-sharing agreements will be emboldened to prompt ‘investigations’ more to do with silencing political opposition than tackling criminality. Note the pressure already placed by the UAE on Islamic Relief Worldwide, The Cordoba Foundation and the Muslim Association of Britain – all respected members of British civil society.
Please challenge this Bill’s schedules that draw public authorities further into a CT role. The hopes of many, Muslim and non-Muslims, in a fair Britain depend on you. We do not wish to see our values of transparency and democracy contaminated – not in this eighth centenary year of the Magna Carta!
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From concerned British citizens
6th January 2015
ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY: Exploring the Strategies of Political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Contribution
(NEW) Occasional Papers: The Role of Civil Society in Post-2015 Development Architecture
Occasional Papers is a publication of The Cordoba Foundation that provides a medium for diverse opinions, presenting a comprehensive view of the myriad perspectives pertaining to dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. This is done by publishing important contributions by experts and world leader
This issue explores the role of civil society in post-2015 dvelopment architecture from the perspective of equitable growth and inclusive development through insights from Dr Jemilah Mahmood, founder of MERCY Malaysia.
tcf_op_civil_final_w(PAST EVENTS) Critical Platform: Islam, Extremism, Terrorism
UAE ‘Terrorist Organisation’ list is farcical
THE CORDOBA FOUNDATION
17 November, 2014
UAE ‘Terrorist Organisation’ list is farcical
The Cordoba Foundation (TCF), following the implementation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Law No. 7 of 2014, ratified by the UAE Cabinet in which 83 organisations, groups and associations from around the world, are designated as terrorist, rejects such an unprecedented and irresponsible move and condemns the motives behind such a draconian measure.
TCF is a prominent UK based Think Tank, with an established and significant track record in conflict resolution, hostage negotiation, and the promotion of dialogue over the last decade. TCF rejects wholeheartedly any such libellous accusations, and expresses its profound shock that there are those that would seek to designate it as such.
To list TCF along the likes of Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and ISIL, is not only a cause for libel but a dangerous precedent given that groups which espouse extreme violence as a means to realise political goals are listed alongside those who reject such methods as a point of principle in their unshakable values.
All countries have a responsibility to fight terrorism and take the appropriate preventative and proper legal measures to address this threat; however, using legislation to target legitimate organisations is counter-productive.
It is no coincidence that groups that have legitimate, acceptable aims, have been placed on to the ‘terrorist’ list, given that all of these groups have criticised the UAE for their lack of observation of human rights, and the violent oppression of their own citizens.
It is evident that the UAE have become agitated given the barrage of international opposition to oppression, anti-reform, and anti-democratic policies within its own borders and beyond, namely Egypt, Libya, and Yemen.
The inclusion of TCF amongst other legitimate groups in such a list is an absurd step that does not take into account its clear ramifications, namely tarnishing the image of a respectable and successful organisation. To group TCF and others in the same list as extremist organisations such as Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and ISIL, is shameful, and cannot be justified, it is simply another example of a despotic regime seeking to silence any form of dissent.
TCF considers the moves taken by the UAE extremely seriously and will immediately take steps to ensure that its reputation is restored and compensation sought for the damage caused through all appropriate means.
TCF calls upon the UK Government to shoulder its responsibility and stand side-by-side with the legitimate and reputable British organisations operating within the UK, such as TCF, against the libellous actions of an autocratic regime that has a clear agenda to oppress, violate human rights, and stifle democracy and fundamental freedoms.
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Notes to editors:
1. The Cordoba Foundation is an independent strategic think tank aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue and positive coexistence, through a range of activities including research and publications, training and capacity building, policy briefings and dialogues. The Foundation takes its name from the city of Cordoba. The European metropolis was once a symbol of human excellence and intellectual ingenuity, where cultures, civilizations and ideas thrived. Embodying this spirit, TCF today facilitates the meeting of minds, to advance understanding and respect for one another.
2. Media and interview requests, contact: info@thecordobafoundation.com | 020 8991 3372 | http://thecordobafoundation.com
ENORB Meeting – 12th of November
Advance notice of a special ENORB UK event for Inter Faith Week 2014
WHEN? Wednesday 12 November 10am – 12 noon
WHO? Andrew Copson, CEO of the British Humanist Association*
WHAT? Humanism, Laïcité, Atheism, Secularism across Europe: how do we work together across religious & belief traditions for fair treatment for all?
WHERE? Europe House, Smith Square, SW1P 3EU
