Thursday, 02 May 2013 18:08

EMU statement about positive ways to deal with today's prejudices

Germany: encounters between Muslims and non-Muslims in one of Germanys biggest mosques. (credit: Mercator Stiftung)

The announced beginning of the trial against Beate Zschäpe, surviving member of the right-wing terror network NSU in a Munich court as well as the latest publication of the Bertelsmann Foundation (a leading and highly influential German thinktank) about the anti-religious, especially anti-Muslim resentment has prompted the European Muslim Union (EMU) to highlight these important and compounded issues.

Read more: Active Engagement is the Best Answer to Rise of Anti-Muslim Resentment

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 10:09

A delegation of the European Muslim Union informs leading OIC representatives about the situation of Muslim Communities in Europe

On wednesday, 10th April 2013, a delegation of the European Muslim Union (EMU) visited the headquarters of the Organisation of Islamic Coorporation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In an informative exchange with Abdullah Alim, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs of OIC, who is also OIC‘s special representative on Kashmir, and Mahdy Fathalla, Director General of Political Affairs, Former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, the EMU representatives informed the OIC dignitaries about the situation of the European Muslims and their communities.

Read more: “Muslims are Europeans and are therefore not in need of integration“

Wednesday, 27 February 2013 13:56

As in previous years, the ODIHR is preparing an annual report on hate crimes and is encouraging NGOs to contribute to the report.

The annual reports of the ODIHR provide an overview of data collected on hate crimes, including against Muslims, as well as of responses to combat such offences. The 2012 report will be launched the day before International Tolerance Day, which is on 16 November 2013.

Read more: Call for submissions on Hate Crimes to ODIHR

Friday, 18 January 2013 12:02

The War in Mali

The concern of the European Muslim Union is primarily the position of Muslims in Europe as affected by the war in Mali.
EMU experts arrive at the following conclusions regarding the current situation in Mali:

It is vital that European Muslims are aware that Mali was a Muslim country prior to the rebel uprising in the North. Not only that but it is the guardian of one of the greatest collections of classical Islamic literature in the world, centred in Timbuktu.

Read more: The war in Mali - EMU experts' conclusions

Wednesday, 09 January 2013 15:39

The European Muslim Union (EMU) invited guests to Weimar, the heart of German culture and the city of Goethe and Schiller for a one-day seminar on “Goethe and his relationship with Islam”.

Sulaiman Wilms, Chief Editor of Islamische Zeitung, Dr. Manfred Osten, Goethe Specialist

Weimar (EMU) – On 5th January 2013 the European Muslim Union, in cooperation with the Islamische Zeitung – Germany's leading Muslim publication – and the Al Farooq Mosque and Center, Dubai, extended an invitation to a well-attended seminar in Weimar. In addition to the very interesting and informative lecture there was a thematic tour through the heart of German culture followed by a lunch with participants at which there was a chance for the guests to interact. Afterwards the guests visited the home of the great European and free thinker Goethe at the close of the event.

Read more: Building Bridges to the European Heritage

Monday, 07 January 2013 17:25

We present hereby a summary of the EMU Gathering held in Rotterdam in September 2012 and the three main talks on the subject of the importance of education for Muslims in Europe.

EMU Press Release – Rotterdam, 18th September 2102

(EMU) – The European Muslim Union continued its traditional annual gatherings this year in Rotterdam, Holland. From 14th to the 16th of September, EMU members, cooperation partners, associates, delegates and local Muslim communities were invited to participate in the event, held at the Islamic University of Rotterdam (IUR).

Read more: The 2012 Gathering of the EMU

Wednesday, 28 November 2012 17:12

On 24/25 November 2012, Tankut Soykan, ODIHR Adviser on Combating Intolerance against Muslims, and Larry Olomofe, ODIHR's Advisor for Combating Racism and Xenophobia, lead a training session in Berlin for representatives of NGOs and Muslim organisations from Germany, Austria and Switzerland on countering hate crimes against Muslims.

Participants from Germany, Austria and Switzerland

The aim of the training was to raise awareness of the concept of hate crimes and provide information on how to monitor and respond to such incidents, with a view to increasing understanding of the impact of hate crimes on society. Part of the training was to differentiate between what constitutes a hate crime, discrimintion and hate speech.

ODIHR has organized similar workshops on countering hate crimes against Muslims for non-governmental organizations in France, Spain and Bulgaria.