How can the Muslim youth in Europe cope with the European life with its fitnas? Do you have suggestion and are there activities to get engaged in?
Answer
Dear sister Hafsa,
Assalam Aleikom,
I am glad to see that Muslim women want to be engaged in activities. A lot of associations in Europe and especially in Brussels need to have more dynamism. Our Office is in Brussels, so you are welcome to join us at anytime.
Concerning your question, I don’t agree with you, European life is not only fitnah. European Muslims enjoy living e in Europe, because they feel confident, they have freedom, they can express themselves, they can live with dignity and the most important is that they can practice their religion without any censorship.
Nevertheless, fitnah is present around us, so nothing to do , just to preserve ourselves and come back to our religion.
Name
Tallulah Bankhead
-
Profession
Question
As a young Saudi woman, I demand equal rights. I want to join my Army and be a soldier. Will you support my dream?
Answer
Dear sister,
We have contacts with sisters from Saudi Arabia who have dreams too. All Muslims should have dreams to strengthen our communities, to build positively our societies, to get high skilled education, and to be helpful citizenships.
To join the army, why not, is the duty of each one to defend the nation, however, we can be a soldier against poverty, illiteracy, etc. We can also fight against injustice to reach a more equal society.
In Saudi Arabia, there are a lot of competences; women are able to make a change.
Keep Going on!
Name
Um Salman
- France
Profession
Question
How can a European Muslim normal one promote peace?
Answer
Dear Um Salman,
Peace begins inside us. To make peace with others means to be a good Muslim, who takes care of neighbors, and is a good citizenship in all circumstances. Moreover, we have to love our Europeans countries, because loving nations is part of our faith. We are able to do it. We have the education of Islam. At this moment, we are deeply Muslims, and deeply European.
Name
Hasnaa
-
Profession
Team Coach, Amsterdam
Question
What issues will the event tackle and would the recommendations that you will come up with be implemented soon on the ground?
Answer
This is part of the program with lot of issues and the speakers (you can see the complete program on www.efomw.eu).
- Citizens united in diversity: Against racism and discrimination
Michael Privot, Head of the ENAR network and campaign and Member of the supervisory Group of the Platform for Intercultural Europe.
Leila Kurki, President of the SOC section of the European Economic and Social Committee.
- For a dialogue and peace education
Anne-Claire Huet, in charge of the Peace, “Initiatives & Change” Education Project
Amna Ismail Abdelkarim, Youth worker for the Peace Agents Project
Official Members of European Parliament
Sajjad Karim, Member of the European Parliament
Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Vice-president of the European Parliament
Luisa Morgantini, Vice-president of the European Parliament
The recommendations can be implemented on the ground when we regain mutual confidence and get rid of reciprocal patterns of rejection. We need a lot of time but we should begin. We need to have more partnership with NGOs and civil society in general. It’s not only the duty of European Forum of Muslim women but the duty of all of the European Muslims.
Name
Nozha Ahmed
- Denmark
Profession
Question
What are the goals of this forum and how do you really help the needy Muslim women in Europe?
Answer
Dear Nozha,
The forum was created in early 2006, following a series of meetings of the European coordination of associations of Muslim women active in several European countries.
The European Forum is working within the European Union to strengthen the bonds between the members and to enable them to exchange their experiences in order to favor the involvement of the Muslim woman as a citizen in society, to meet her expectations and to defend her interests with international and European bodies and organizations.
Our Goals:
To Represent Muslim women within international and European bodies and organizations as well as defend their interests.
- To favor the dialogue between citizens of different faiths, philosophical or political tendencies of society in order to achieve peaceful co-existence.
- To Establish friendship and cooperation bonds with other associations of women, whether religious or non-religious, European or international, working on helping women and defending their rights.
- To tackle discrimination in general and discrimination against women in particular.
- To take part in the reinforcement of the family structure and support its educational role.
- To strengthen, within the European Union, the exchanges and the coordination between women in general and between its members in particular.
- To Promote European-wide citizenship by enabling young people to take part in local democracy.
- To contribute to the promotion of the European identity by developing educational and cultural activities aimed at young people in European countries.
- To develop, European-wide and through activities, a thought about conciliating professional life and family life.
- To strive for equality between men and women in strategic fields; equal opportunities in professional fields; equal access to employment and equal treatment in terms of social matters.
There are many associations in Europe that defend the rights of Muslims in general. There are very active in many fields. However the question of the Muslim Women is rarely treated. But it seems that the Muslim Woman can be an answer for many questions that Muslims have to face here in Europe. Don’t forget that women are in the middle of all discussions and troubles that the European society had to face during the last decades. Muslim women are expected to react, our citizens want to understand and we want to help them in understanding us correctly. We expect with this forum to help Muslim women associations to be in the front, to become stronger, and work within the European societies.
Name
Soliman
-
Profession
Austria
Question
Could you give the European muslim women some tips for being effective and productive women and affect positively on her society?
Answer
Muslim should be educated. The first step is education.
This education allowed woman to be active (personnel engagement in the society) and productive (because we are witnesses in this life, and we should present our point of view).
We need more writers, more artists, more speakers, and we need a good education for our kids. Women have this role of providing societies with good Muslims citizenship.
Name
Palmilia Ahmed
-
Profession
UK
Question
What are the main themes of this event and what were the projects that the forum has done all over the European year of intercultural dialogue?
Answer
Hi Palmilia,
Women for Dialogue and Peace
As part of the 2008 European year: the European Forum of Muslim Women has launched a European campaign with the cooperation of our member and partner associations. We are also partners of the EYID 2008.
Participating Member Associations
Germany IFBED IslamischerFrauenverband für Bildung und Erziehung in Deutschland
Italy ADMI Associazone Donne Musulmane d’Italia
Switzerland ACFMS Association Culturelle des Femmes Musulmanes de Suisse
Sweden MKF Muslimska KvinnoFöreningen
Bosnia NAHLA Åsenski Edukacioni Centar
Greece: Centre Culturel Grec et Arabe
Ireland MAI: Muslim Association of Ireland
Ukraine Myriam
Participating Partner Associations
Macedonia FRI
France AFCL Association Femme, Culture et Loisirs
our agenda
Psychological wellbeing Guarantees Social Stability
8 /03 : Paris (Fr) :
The Common Principles of a Multicultural Society
8 /03 : Stockholm (Sv) :
Psychological Wellbeing for Women
9 /03 : Milan (It) :
Free Women in a Free Society
9 /03 : Kiev (Ukraine) :
Women Of the Future
4/04: Stockholm (Sv) :
Women for Dialogue and Peace
20/04 : Milan (It) :
Dialogue in the Family
26/04 : La Chaux-de-fonds (Ch) :
Draw me the Other
30/04-4/05: Geneva (Ch) :
Geneva International Book and Press Fair
30-31/05: Macedonia :
Women today and their role in society and developement
6-8/06 : Sarajevo (Ba) :
One nation, One culture, different religions"
29/06 : Zurich (Ch) :
Multicultural Festival
5/10 : Athens (Gr) :
Belonging to two Cultures, richness or duplication? "
24/10 : Stockholm (Sv) :
Eyewitness to War : One Woman’s Story
25/10 : Dublin (Ir) :
More dialogue Better understanding
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Question
---
Answer
This session has come to an end.
We would like to thank Dorsaf Ben Dhiab for speaking to IslamOnline.net audience today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue.
We apologize for not being able to accommodate any further questions. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
