Page 9 - ARUBA TODAY

A9
WORLD NEWS Wednesday 9 May 2018

Muslim minority communities meet in UAE to talk challenges

By AYA BATRAWY and FAY aren’t enough universities
ABUELGASIM and high schools. There
Associated Press are youth who study under
ABU DHABI, United Arab trees,” he said. Al-Ajamawi,
Emirates (AP) — The Unit- the conference spokes-
ed Arab Emirates hosted person, says the inaugu-
the start of a two-day fo- ral forum is just the start of
rum on Tuesday for Islamic what could be an annual
community leaders from event to bring together
countries around the world leaders of Muslim minority
where Muslims are minori- communities. Meanwhile,
ties. Turkey, which tolerates
Several hundred people and even supports some
attended the forum in the Islamist groups like the Mus-
UAE’s capital of Abu Dha- lim Brotherhood that the
bi to network and discuss UAE has outlawed, hosted
challenges around issues of its own summit for Muslim
Islamophobia, integration minorities last month with
and extremism. President Recep Tayyip Er-
Muslim community lead- dogan addressing attend-
ers attending the summit ees and urging unity in the
came from countries as far High ranking Muslim clerics attend the International Muslims Communities Congress, in Abu Dhabi, face of religious extrem-
as Venezuela and Vietnam, UAE, Tuesday, May 8, 2018. ism and anti-Muslim hate
where Muslims are minori- Associated Press crimes.q
ties. The forum also hosted mawi added. Canadian at- Canadian converts to Is-
speakers from international tendee, Muhammad Rob- lam who are at risk or have
organizations, like the Unit- ert Heft, said the confer- been radicalized.
ed Nations, and members ence in Abu Dhabi was an He said one of the chal-
of other faiths, such as Bud- opportunity to meet other lenges Muslim minorities
dhism and Christianity, to Muslim community leaders face when living abroad
deepen discussions on plu- from different backgrounds is integration without com-
ralism and tolerance. and walks of life to under- promising one’s religious
With more than half a billion stand the issues they face. principles.
Muslims living in countries “I think it’s important to sort “It’s finding that balance,”
where they are a minority, of get outside your bubble Heft said. “Let’s try to find
spokesperson for the Inter- and box. I mean I’m in To- that common ground and
national Muslim Communi- ronto, Canada so when live and let live.”
ties Conference, Fawziya you come to a place like Nurdine Aiuba Dauda
Al-Ajamawi, said it’s impor- this, you get a lot more and came to the conference
tant to combat misunder- a wider perspective about from Mozambique. He says
standings and portray Islam what’s happening in life, he memorized the Quran
“as a religion of forgiveness especially outside of, you by age 15 and studied
and love.” know, my circle,” he said. Arabic and Islam in Sudan
“The biggest issue we face Heft said he converted to and Saudi Arabia. He now
in Europe is the growth Islam 20 years ago at the preaches in mosques and
of Islamophobia and the age of 25. He is now found- works with Muslim youth in
fear of Islam and Muslims er and president of Para- his home country, where
because, daily, the news dise Forever, an organiza- Christianity is also widely
shows stories of bombings tion that works with Muslim practiced.
and terrorist activities,” she converts in Canada and is He says the challenges
said. funded by UAE Vice Presi- facing Muslims in Mozam-
“We are trying to correct dent and Dubai ruler Sheikh bique include poverty,
this picture that taints the Mohammed bin Rashid Al unemployment and ac-
image of Muslims,” Al-Aja- Maktoum. He’s counseled cess to education. “There