Young Muslims Speak

adapted from the Peace Direct website

Peace Direct took a different approach to the London Bombings. They initiated the Young Muslims Speak project which aimed to provide a platform for young Muslims from all backgrounds to share ideas, express their feelings freely, identify their needs and suggest ways that could help them in fulfilling their full potential within British society.

Over two workshops the project was facilitated by international peacebuilders working in conflict areas. Dekha Ibrahim Abdi from Northern Kenya, and Mohammad Shbyta from the West Bank employed peacebuilding and dialogue tools developed at a grassroots level to understand and consider issues and challenges raised by participants. Through dialogue techniques, a strategy for action is now being developed as well as a network capable of representing young people’s concerns.

The participants agreed that unless we understand the implications of being British and Muslim we will not be able to create the conditions in which all young Muslims feel that they have a respected and valued place in UK society. The existence of individuals who feel marginalized and disrespected is one of the classic causes of conflict. The project came to focus on four issues participants felt to be at the root of this concern; perceptions, the media and islamaphobia, the community generation gap and Muslim participation. The young Muslims came together to describe how a multi-layered approach could be brought to tackling these issues. This included plans for furthering dialogue and education at a national level whilst also pointing out ways that specific projects at a very local level could be undertaken and identified the difficulties and opportunities of working with local authorities.

Working alongside participants, Peace Direct has collated the findings from the two workshops together to create a project report. This is now being released to the media, local/national policy-makers and organizations with an interest in Muslim affairs. It is hoped that the paper will lead to a better understanding of young Muslims and the most important issues facing them whilst the creation of a network representing young Muslims will mobilize and equip them in fulfilling their lives in British society.

Comments

[vibram five fingers]

The project came to focus on four issues participants felt to be at the root of this concern

[vibram five fingers]

The existence of individuals who feel marginalized and disrespected is one of the classic causes of conflict.