Jun 27, 2012 | Events
Do cosmopolitanism and religion stand in opposition with each other? To which extent are cosmopolitan ideas, practices and narratives meaningful to the religious experiences and affiliations of concrete individuals and groups? To which extent have religious communities made use of cosmopolitanism as a cultural resource that is channelled by institutional structures? Which media platforms are available to religious organizations and movements concerned with the promotion of cosmopolitan solidarity and ecumenical understanding at both local and transnational level?
Cosmopolitanism gains momentum both as a practice that is apparent in things that people do and say to positively engage with the ‘otherness of the other’, and as a moral ideal that emphasises both tolerance towards difference and the possibility of a more just world order. Religion is not often seen in connection to cosmopolitanism, a notion that is commonly equated to worldliness and secularism. In fact, some religious affiliations and practices are understood as bound to parochialism, tradition, and lack of tolerance. In the media, the debate on religion is often tied to public discourses about terrorism, security and freedom of expression and opinion in the public sphere. This is particularly significant when we consider the way in which Islam is publicly perceived in the western world as a highly institutionalized religion with a strong influence on the conduct of and collective identity of Muslim communities. The growing visibility of Muslim identity in the public sphere, through particular forms of attire, behaviour, and symbols, is seen as potentially fuelling xenophobia and ethnic conflict in collective imaginaries across the Western world. The continuing controversy over the public use of the headscarf in France, the 2005 affair over the publication of the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and the 2009 Swiss vote to ban new mosque minarets, are only a few recent examples of how particular religious symbols and practices make the assertion of Muslim identity more visible in the public sphere. The fact that fundamentalist Islam is being increasingly tied to global terrorism in the mass media has played a key role on stirring the perception of fundamentalist Islam as a threat to individual freedoms and peace. While there is a growing interest in the meanings of religion and secularism in both media and scholarly debates, the linkages between cosmopolitanism and religion only very recently received the attention of sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists and religious scholars concerned with the role of religion in public life. This is in part because particularistic attachments to a community of faith sit uneasily with the ethical universalism and secular ideals of justice and equality that underpin cosmopolitan discourses and perspectives. Yet, while religions divide social groups and ethnic communities, religions can also offer influential forms of transnational, cosmopolitan solidarity and play a key role in conflict resolution both locally and globally. In pursuing particular forms of ecumenical understanding, religious organizations have, through history, always dealt with problems and challenges concerning the question of the ‘inclusion of the other’, which is at the heart of characterizations of cosmopolitanism as an ethico-political outlook.
By bringing together leading scholars from religious studies, sociology and anthropology, this conference seeks to investigate the connection between religion and cosmopolitanism and the role of religion in the public sphere through the lens of sociological, anthropological and theological perspectives.
The Cordoba Foundation will be presenting a paper here on its experiences and thoughts for Cosmopolitanism
For further information, please click here
Jun 27, 2012 | Events
Do cosmopolitanism and religion stand in opposition with each other? To which extent are cosmopolitan ideas, practices and narratives meaningful to the religious experiences and affiliations of concrete individuals and groups? To which extent have religious communities made use of cosmopolitanism as a cultural resource that is channelled by institutional structures? Which media platforms are available to religious organizations and movements concerned with the promotion of cosmopolitan solidarity and ecumenical understanding at both local and transnational level?
Cosmopolitanism gains momentum both as a practice that is apparent in things that people do and say to positively engage with the ‘otherness of the other’, and as a moral ideal that emphasises both tolerance towards difference and the possibility of a more just world order. Religion is not often seen in connection to cosmopolitanism, a notion that is commonly equated to worldliness and secularism. In fact, some religious affiliations and practices are understood as bound to parochialism, tradition, and lack of tolerance. In the media, the debate on religion is often tied to public discourses about terrorism, security and freedom of expression and opinion in the public sphere. This is particularly significant when we consider the way in which Islam is publicly perceived in the western world as a highly institutionalized religion with a strong influence on the conduct of and collective identity of Muslim communities. The growing visibility of Muslim identity in the public sphere, through particular forms of attire, behaviour, and symbols, is seen as potentially fuelling xenophobia and ethnic conflict in collective imaginaries across the Western world. The continuing controversy over the public use of the headscarf in France, the 2005 affair over the publication of the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and the 2009 Swiss vote to ban new mosque minarets, are only a few recent examples of how particular religious symbols and practices make the assertion of Muslim identity more visible in the public sphere. The fact that fundamentalist Islam is being increasingly tied to global terrorism in the mass media has played a key role on stirring the perception of fundamentalist Islam as a threat to individual freedoms and peace. While there is a growing interest in the meanings of religion and secularism in both media and scholarly debates, the linkages between cosmopolitanism and religion only very recently received the attention of sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists and religious scholars concerned with the role of religion in public life. This is in part because particularistic attachments to a community of faith sit uneasily with the ethical universalism and secular ideals of justice and equality that underpin cosmopolitan discourses and perspectives. Yet, while religions divide social groups and ethnic communities, religions can also offer influential forms of transnational, cosmopolitan solidarity and play a key role in conflict resolution both locally and globally. In pursuing particular forms of ecumenical understanding, religious organizations have, through history, always dealt with problems and challenges concerning the question of the ‘inclusion of the other’, which is at the heart of characterizations of cosmopolitanism as an ethico-political outlook.
By bringing together leading scholars from religious studies, sociology and anthropology, this conference seeks to investigate the connection between religion and cosmopolitanism and the role of religion in the public sphere through the lens of sociological, anthropological and theological perspectives.
The Cordoba Foundation will be presenting a paper here on its experiences and thoughts for Cosmopolitanism
For further information, please click here
Jun 27, 2012 | Events
The Cordoba Foundation has been invited to a roundtable discussion with the Malaysian Prime Minister on ‘Modernity and Islam: The
Role of British Muslims in the Global Framework’
Venue: The Dorchester Hotel, London
For more information, please click here
Jun 18, 2012 | Events
Arts Canteen and The Cordoba Foundation present Death Tunnel, a special screening and panel discussion exploring the true stories of Gazans, who living under siege, dig tunnels in order to work and live.
Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion with the documentary film maker Mohammed Harb, Maysoon Pachachi, founder of Baghdad film school and Oliver McTernan, director of Forward Thinking
Date & Time: Wednesday 27th June, 6.30pm
Venue: 24 Greencoat Place, London, SW1P 1RD (closest tube is Victoria).
LIMITED PLACES!!! BOOKING ESSENTIAL!!!!
To reserve a seat please click here.
Please note that there will be a £5 admission fee payable at the door.
May 29, 2012 | Events
Brief:
The Cordoba Foundation will be leading a delegation of British Muslims to Bosnia-Herzegovina this year, between 6/7* July to 15 July. The trip is part of ongoing work by The Cordoba Foundation in Bosnia, namely raising awareness around the massacre in Srebrenica and supporting specific projects.
2012 is the last year before the month of Ramadan coincides with the annual Srebrenica memorial (11th July), thus making it difficult for people to travel for the next few years. Join us this year inshaAllah.
Aims:
To:
1. Partake in the 11 July 2012 Srebrenica International Anniversary, where the janazah of hundreds of Bosnian Muslims will take place.
2. Observe how Bosnian Muslims have responded and are recovering from the long years of war, destruction and ethnic-cleansing.
3. Discuss and exchange ideas and thoughts about the Muslim experience in Europe and future scenarios.
4. Support a specific fundraising projects.
5. Raise greater awareness of the genocide.
Schedule:
The week-long trip (6/7-15 July) will include visits to important sites and meetings with prominent people, including the Grand Mufti, scholars, families of shuhada, teachers, community leaders, campaigners, families and orphans. The trip will also include recreational and sightseeing activities, including water-rafting and mountain-climbing.
A detailed scheduled will be provided closer to the time of the trip.
Fees:
Fees inclusive of flights, hotels, transportation inside Bosnia, trips and meetings/briefings. Cost is £800
Deadline for confirmation:
11th July 2012. Confirmation will need to be accompanied by full payment (cash and non-refundable) and the completion of form, below. To arrange payment of fees email: admin@thecordobafoundation.com (send completed form, along with a copy of a valid British passport to the same address).
Notes:
1. British citizens do not require visa to enter Bosnia. Non-UK residents will need to apply for visa, which can take time and may result in complications. We are therefore only accepting people who hold British passports.
2. Children are not encouraged on this trip given the packed schedule and extensive travel.
3. Pre-trip briefing and full itinerary will be provided nearer to the date.
4. The Cordoba Foundation will have the final say on the composition of the delegation.
Enquiries:
Abdullah Faliq – Organiser 07947 787 222 | abdullah@thecordobafoundation.com
May 1, 2012 | Events
A dialogue on Security in Europe, organised by the European Network on Religion and Belief (ENORB), exploring the contribution of Europe’s diversity of religions, humanist and philosophical traditions to overcoming discrimination, violence and extremism.
This event is the first public seminar organised by ENORB, a new European network combating discrimination and prejudice and promoting mutual understanding and harmony in the field of Religion and Belief. As with other EU Equalities networks, ENORB works for common action on the basis of the inclusive policies enshrined in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights
There is a deadline of May 15th for registering. Please click here to register
May 1, 2012 | Events
The Cordoba Foundation is launching a new series of talks called ‘Cordoba Heritage Series‘ aimed at exploring, understanding and appreciating our common heritage and creative legacy to offer solutions to difficult questions of identity and belonging in today’s ‘West’. By exploring the shared history that acknowledges the many sources of western culture from the east, we recognise the history of empire as a history that belongs equally to all its heirs, of every race, faith and nation.
In June 1887 two Indian servants were sent to Queen Victoria as a present for her Golden Jubilee. One was the 24-year-old Abdul Karim. Young Karim immediately caught the Queen’s eye and was rapidly promoted to become her Indian Secretary. He cooked her curries, became her Hindustani tutor and delighted the elderly Queen with his stories about India. She honoured him with titles, gave him houses in Windsor, Balmoral and Osborne and extensive land in Agra. He advised her on Indian politics and soon became the lonely monarch’s closest companion. Despite the objections of her family and courtiers, who even threatened to overthrow her on grounds of ‘insanity’, the Queen stood by Karim till her last days, and refused to let him go.
Victora & Abdul is the story of an unusual relationship between the Empress of India and a humble servant which flourished at a time when the British Empire was at its height. At its heart, it is a story of love and friendship in the midst of tensions and unease about the ‘Other’.
Venue: Initiatives of Change UK, 24 Greencoat Place, London, SW1P 1RD. (Click here for more directions on getting to the venue)
Date and time: Thursday 10th May 2012, 6.30pm
Apr 20, 2012 | Events
A roundtable discussion with
Dr Ahmet Alibašić – Bosnia-Herzegovina
Thursday 26 April, 2012
6:45pm
Islamic Forum of Europe (Meeting Room)
3rd Floor, Business Wing,
London Muslim Centre,
38 – 44 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1JX
Nearest tube: Whitechapel or Aldgate East.
Dr Ahmet Alibašić is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Sarajevo where he teaches Islamic culture and civilisation. He is also the director of the Center for Advanced Studies in Sarajevo. Dr Alibašić completed his doctorate at the Sarajevo University in 2011 researching Islamic opposition in the Arab World. He studied Arabic Language and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, later studying Islamic studies, political science, and Islamic civilisation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Dr Alibašić is actively involved in inter-religious dialogue and served as the first director of the InterReligious Institute in Sarajevo (2007-2008), which was jointly established by the Islamic Community, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and Jewish Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. From 2003 until 2007, he served as Deputy President of the Association of Islamic Scholars in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dr Alibašić has authored and translated a plethora of books and articles, ranging from Islam and politics, Islamic movements, Islam in the Balkans, democratisation of the Muslim World, human rights, opposition legitimisation in Islam, to church-state relations in Europe and the United States.
An invitation-only event. Limited spaces.
RSVP. abdullah@thecordobafoundation.com
Apr 10, 2012 | Events
Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football and the American Dream
Doors Open: 6:00 pm
Film Starts: 6:30 pm followed by a Panel Discussion till 9:00 pm
SPACE LIMITED.
TICKETS £5
FIRST 30 BOOKINGS FREE – INSERT “RMWPROMO1” ON CHECKOUT!
Join us for this first UK screening with Director Rashid Ghazi, Coach Fouad “Walker” Zaban, Former Principal of Fordson High Imad Fadlallah and the stars of the Fordson Tractors Football squad Ali Baidoun, Bilal Abu-Omarah, Baquer Sayed, Hassan Houssaiky.
Presented with support from The London Tigers and The Cordoba Foundation
Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football follows a predominately Muslim and Arab high school football team from a working-class Detroit suburb as they practice for their big cross-town rivalry game during the last ten days of Ramadan, revealing a community holding onto its Islamic faith while they struggle, under the dark clouds of growing anti-Muslim hatred, for acceptance in post 9/11 America.
Through the eyes of the team, their coaches, and their fans, Fordson offers an unprecedented glimpse inside the lives of a community that is home to the largest concentration of Arabs in any city outside of the Middle East, and their determination to share in and hold on to the American Dream.
Winner of…
Grand Jury Award for Best U.S. Documentary, 2011 Traverse City Film Festival
Best Documentary, 2011 Manhattan Film Festival
Special Grand Jury Award, 2011 Slamdance Film Festival
Special Jury Prize, 2011 DEADCenter Film Festival
Audience and Founders Award, 2011 Politics on Film Festival
Best Documentary Award, 2011 Detroit-Windsor Film Festival
Best Documentary, 2011 Land Lock Film Festival
Champion of the World Cup Film Awards
2011 Cine Golden Eagle Award
This screening is made possible by the generous support of the Cultural Attaché’s Office
For more details visit http://fordson.eventbrite.co.uk
Fordson Tour site coming soon to http://fordson.radicalmiddleway.co.uk
