Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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Citizenship <strong>and</strong> Integration
Unity Forums, aresponseto<strong>the</strong>commission’s
reports documenting hate-crimes in <strong>the</strong> Arab,
Muslim <strong>and</strong> South Asian communities. One
survey found that 69% of <strong>the</strong> respondents
“believed <strong>the</strong>y were <strong>the</strong> victim of one or more
incidents of discrimination or bias related
harassment.”
National-level Muslim organizations in <strong>the</strong> United
States have taken a wide variety of initiatives
to promote dialogue. The Muslim Public
Affairs Council brought young Muslims from
across America toge<strong>the</strong>r in 2007 with high-level
government officials <strong>and</strong> Congressional staffers
for a National Muslim American Youth Summit.
While <strong>the</strong> government representatives
underscored <strong>the</strong>ir desire to work with <strong>the</strong> Muslim
community, several young Muslim representatives
pressed instead for public service programmes
aligned to <strong>the</strong>ir Muslim values.
The Washington, DC based Council for
American-<strong>Islam</strong>ic Relations (CAIR) has
convened a variety of dialogues that bring
toge<strong>the</strong>r Muslim <strong>and</strong> non-Muslim citizens around
issues of common concern. The organization
has joined with o<strong>the</strong>rs – Muslim, Christian,
Jewish <strong>and</strong> secular – to fight <strong>the</strong> Patriot Act in
court <strong>and</strong> promote national <strong>and</strong> state legislation
to protect <strong>the</strong> rights of Muslim citizens. Since
2005, CAIR has backed a proposed End Racial
Profiling Act, which would establish procedures
to log, investigate <strong>and</strong> respond to complaints
of racial profiling. The act would also include
provisions to discipline law enforcement officers
who engage in racial profiling.
Within <strong>the</strong> US, with its increasing religious <strong>and</strong>
cultural diversity, Muslim-<strong>West</strong> dialogue has often
been folded into a broader interfaith context.
To cite one of many examples, The Interfaith
Alliance in Washington, DC, supports a
Leadership Education Advancing Democracy
<strong>and</strong> Diversity programme that empowers high
school age students to become more informed
about religious diversity <strong>and</strong> take action to
encourage religious liberty <strong>and</strong> civil rights.
Interfaith groups in many cities, including Chicago,
New York <strong>and</strong> Los Angeles, have sponsored
events designed to increase knowledge of <strong>and</strong>
appreciation for <strong>Islam</strong> – from informal ga<strong>the</strong>rings
to lectures <strong>and</strong> conferences. The Interfaith
Center of New York convenes roundtables
with religious leaders <strong>and</strong> judges to discuss
access to <strong>the</strong> legal system <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> particular
concerns of religious communities.
Outside <strong>the</strong> Transatlantic Area
Australia <strong>and</strong> New Zeal<strong>and</strong> have an established
tradition of national <strong>and</strong> local dialogue initiatives
that include outreach to Muslim minorities.
The year 2006-2007 saw a continued focus
on issues of citizenship. In November 2006
<strong>the</strong> Federation of <strong>Islam</strong>ic Associations in
New Zeal<strong>and</strong> hosted an Eid al-Fitr celebration
with parliamentarians, designed to promote
government efforts to better engage <strong>the</strong>
Muslim community.
The Australian Intercultural Society held a
symposium in June 2007 on National Social
Cohesion: Muslims in Australia <strong>and</strong> Social
Integration. InAugustitco-hosted<strong>the</strong>Sixth
<strong>Annual</strong> International Abraham Conference on
<strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>me, Shaping a Nation’s Values: The
Abrahamic Contribution. Bo<strong>the</strong>ventstook
place against <strong>the</strong> backdrop of a nation-wide
debate about <strong>the</strong> fairness of Australian
citizenship tests for Muslim immigrants.
Similar efforts have unfolded at <strong>the</strong> state level
in Australia, with <strong>the</strong> Department of Families,
Community Services, <strong>and</strong> Indigenous Affairs
hosting a symposium on Australian Muslims
entitled Sharing Our Achievements. Asignificant