The Organization of the Islamic Conference summit has opened in Senegal's capital, Dakar. The heads of state are discussing negative views of Islam, solidarity with poorer Muslim nations, and helping Palestinians. For VOA, Uma Ramiah has more from the conference site.
A Senegalese teenager chanted verses of the Koran as the summit got underway in a plush Dakar hotel.
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade (r) sits next to his Gabonese counterpart Omar Bongo Ondimba in Dakar, 13 Mar 2008
At the opening ceremony, Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade was officially given the chairmanship from Malaysia, which hosted the last OIC gathering in 2003.
Mr. Wade said he was honored that Dakar was for a few days the capital of Islam.
Senegal was to host the summit in 2006, but postponed it because the city could not be made ready in time. Despite this and early setbacks in bringing the Chadian and Sudanese presidents together for peace talks on the sideline of the meeting, President Wade remained optimistic.
He thanked all Muslims who had prayed for the conference, and assured them it would be a success.
The octogenarian president went on to denounce Islamophobia, saying that acts of terrorism are not in line with Islam and calling for dialogue and tolerance from the non-Muslim world.
Mr. Wade also called for Palestinians and Israelis to enter a peace process. He emphasized the importance of respecting the human rights of Palestinian people.
In the crowded lobby of the conference center, delegation members in traditional dress from member countries such as Lebanon, Mali, Russia, and Pakistan drank tea and discussed the days' events.
One eager participant was Palestinian ambassador to Malaysia Abdelaziz Aboughosh, who has previously held a high position in the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
"In my experience as former assistant Secretary General of the OIC for Palestine and Jerusalem, I think the OIC is the Islamic global force supporting the important Islamic issues," said Aboughosh.
Aboughosh says he is pleased the situation in Palestinian territories is getting so much attention this year.
"It is one of the first issues that the summit tackles," he said. "The main issue is the support of the Muslim and OIC countries towards the peace initiative that Palestine is currently trying to achieve."
Missing from the proceedings were heads of state from the largest member countries, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who were among the largest donors for this summit.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference brings together delegates from 57 member countries, and says it represents more than 1.3 billion Muslims throughout the world.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Islamic Summit Conference opens in Mecca with call to fight extremism
Islamic Summit Conference opens in Mecca with call to fight extremism
Posted: 07-12-2005 , 10:05 GMT
The third Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference (OIC) started on Wednesday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The summit is intended to help unite the world's Muslims and courage OIC countries to increase cooperation and reduce poverty and disease. 57 countries will participate in the two-day summit.
In his speech on Wednesday, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz called on Islamic states to fight extremism. "Islamic unity will not be achieved by bloodletting as the miscreants -- in their misguided waywardness -- insist on claiming.
"Fanaticism and extremism can not grow on an earth whose soil is embedded in the spirit of tolerance, moderation, and balance. It is here that the Islamic Fiqh Academy, with its overhauled makeup, comes in to assume its historic role and responsibility in resisting the extremist ideology in all its forms and manifestations. Further more, a gradual approach to this end is the way forward to ensure success, which starts with consultation in all walks of life -- political, economic, cultural, and social domains -- to reach a stage of solidarity and, God willing, to a true and fortified unity worked through strong institutions so as to restore the Ummah to its rightful place in the balance of power," the Saudi king said, according to SPA.
A 10-year strategic plan for Muslims will be submitted at the summit, ushering in a new era of Islamic unity and solidarity.
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, OIC Secretary-General, said that neither Iraq nor Kashmir were on the agenda of the conference. He explained that the OIC was intended to review the current state of the Islamic nation and to explore strategies for the Muslim world and enable it to face the challenges of the 21st century.
“The summit will discuss ways and means for the Islamic nation to regain a sense of self-confidence and to enable it to face the dangers that threaten it,” Ihsanoglu added.
Posted: 07-12-2005 , 10:05 GMT
The third Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference (OIC) started on Wednesday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The summit is intended to help unite the world's Muslims and courage OIC countries to increase cooperation and reduce poverty and disease. 57 countries will participate in the two-day summit.
In his speech on Wednesday, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz called on Islamic states to fight extremism. "Islamic unity will not be achieved by bloodletting as the miscreants -- in their misguided waywardness -- insist on claiming.
"Fanaticism and extremism can not grow on an earth whose soil is embedded in the spirit of tolerance, moderation, and balance. It is here that the Islamic Fiqh Academy, with its overhauled makeup, comes in to assume its historic role and responsibility in resisting the extremist ideology in all its forms and manifestations. Further more, a gradual approach to this end is the way forward to ensure success, which starts with consultation in all walks of life -- political, economic, cultural, and social domains -- to reach a stage of solidarity and, God willing, to a true and fortified unity worked through strong institutions so as to restore the Ummah to its rightful place in the balance of power," the Saudi king said, according to SPA.
A 10-year strategic plan for Muslims will be submitted at the summit, ushering in a new era of Islamic unity and solidarity.
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, OIC Secretary-General, said that neither Iraq nor Kashmir were on the agenda of the conference. He explained that the OIC was intended to review the current state of the Islamic nation and to explore strategies for the Muslim world and enable it to face the challenges of the 21st century.
“The summit will discuss ways and means for the Islamic nation to regain a sense of self-confidence and to enable it to face the dangers that threaten it,” Ihsanoglu added.
Muslim leaders gather for anti-terrorism summit
Muslim leaders gather for anti-terrorism summit
About 300 members of the Muslim community are attending an anti-terrorism summit in Sydney today.
The summit is looking at multiculturalism, anti-terrorism laws and civil liberties.
The president of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation, Mehmet Saral, says a number of groups are involved in the talks.
"We have invited community leaders, the Islamic Council of New South Wales and mosques, including the Auburn Gallipolli Mosque, Penshurst Mosque, Punchbowl Mosque and other community organisations," he said.
Mr Saral says the summit is a chance for the Muslim community to publicly denounce terrorism of all forms.
"The purpose of the summit is to provide a platform to the community and religious leaders of the Muslim community to denounce terrorism clearly and to declare commitment to the shared values of Australia," he said.
As well as observing a minute of silence, summit delegates have been invited to sign a declaration stating that by the laws of Islam, a terrorist cannot be deemed a Muslim.
Mr Saral says Islam is a religion of peace and trust.
"We hope the general society and governments will display understanding toward the issues Muslims are experiencing," he said.
Speaker Keysar Trad received the loudest applause from delegates when he said deaths resulting from state-sponsored violence were just as tragic as those caused by terrorists.
"But we're not allowed to talk about state-sponsored violence because the state is too powerful," he said.
"If John Howard has his way with his diversionary laws, we will not be allowed to talk about it."
Hate crimes
The summit coincides with the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
A report released today suggests New South Wales's Muslim, Arab and Sikh communities have been unfairly blamed in the wake of the attacks and are still feeling the impact.
A hotline set up immediately after the attacks recorded 248 complaints of racially-motivated violence and abuse.
University of Technology academics have analysed those complaints in a report on the impact of the incident on ethnic and religious minorities in Australia.
One of the report's authors, Dr Tanja Dreher, says all levels of government need to work on relations with the affected communities.
"All the evidence in our community consultations and in all the other research that's around indicates that the impact of September 11, 2001, in terms of increased racism, those impacts are ongoing," she said.
"[There is a] climate of increased fear and insecurity, a feeling of not belonging, a feeling of not being welcome in Australia ... particularly for Arab and Muslim communities in Australia."
About 300 members of the Muslim community are attending an anti-terrorism summit in Sydney today.
The summit is looking at multiculturalism, anti-terrorism laws and civil liberties.
The president of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation, Mehmet Saral, says a number of groups are involved in the talks.
"We have invited community leaders, the Islamic Council of New South Wales and mosques, including the Auburn Gallipolli Mosque, Penshurst Mosque, Punchbowl Mosque and other community organisations," he said.
Mr Saral says the summit is a chance for the Muslim community to publicly denounce terrorism of all forms.
"The purpose of the summit is to provide a platform to the community and religious leaders of the Muslim community to denounce terrorism clearly and to declare commitment to the shared values of Australia," he said.
As well as observing a minute of silence, summit delegates have been invited to sign a declaration stating that by the laws of Islam, a terrorist cannot be deemed a Muslim.
Mr Saral says Islam is a religion of peace and trust.
"We hope the general society and governments will display understanding toward the issues Muslims are experiencing," he said.
Speaker Keysar Trad received the loudest applause from delegates when he said deaths resulting from state-sponsored violence were just as tragic as those caused by terrorists.
"But we're not allowed to talk about state-sponsored violence because the state is too powerful," he said.
"If John Howard has his way with his diversionary laws, we will not be allowed to talk about it."
Hate crimes
The summit coincides with the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
A report released today suggests New South Wales's Muslim, Arab and Sikh communities have been unfairly blamed in the wake of the attacks and are still feeling the impact.
A hotline set up immediately after the attacks recorded 248 complaints of racially-motivated violence and abuse.
University of Technology academics have analysed those complaints in a report on the impact of the incident on ethnic and religious minorities in Australia.
One of the report's authors, Dr Tanja Dreher, says all levels of government need to work on relations with the affected communities.
"All the evidence in our community consultations and in all the other research that's around indicates that the impact of September 11, 2001, in terms of increased racism, those impacts are ongoing," she said.
"[There is a] climate of increased fear and insecurity, a feeling of not belonging, a feeling of not being welcome in Australia ... particularly for Arab and Muslim communities in Australia."
Young Muslims gather in D.C. for leadership summit
Young Muslims gather in D.C. for leadership summit
05:02 PM EDT on Monday, July 14, 2008
By Amanda Milkovits
Journal Staff Writer
Dr. Naba Sharif, a former pediatric resident at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, in Providence, was one of 25 Muslim Americans selected to speak with national political leaders and public officials shaping national policy during last week’s Young Muslim American Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
For Sharif, 28, a new graduate of Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, the meetings were an opportunity to talk to national leaders about the concerns and hopes of Muslims, like herself, who worry about growing issues of civil liberties, homeland security, and surveillance. She and the others met with political representatives and government officials who were already sympathetic to their message. But the group also wanted to meet with those who weren’t, Sharif said yesterday.
“We wanted to tell them who we were and show them … we are people who are just like you and interested in protecting civil liberties and interested in homeland security, and interested in protecting the environment,” Sharif said. “Hopefully, they will respect [Muslims] as much as they respect any other constituency.”
The Young Muslim Leaders Summit was sponsored by the Muslim Public Affairs Council, an American institution founded 20 years ago to inform and shape public policy.
Sharif grew up in Wappinger Falls, N.Y., and she was a teenager when her parents took in a Bosnian woman and her child for two years so the mother could be treated for cancer. She organized a clothing drive for Bosnia in her hometown and was later awarded a Young American Medal for Service by then-Attorney General Janet Reno. She volunteered for a month at a Guatemalan health clinic and also traveled to Egypt to learn Arabic so she could read the Koran.
Until last month, Sharif spent three years as a pediatric resident at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and mentored other Muslim students at Brown University. During the World Cup in 2006, she traveled to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories as part of a delegation of physicians teaching Middle Eastern high school students about the human heart.
Sharif is taking classes at the Harvard School of Public Health in preparation for practicing as a pediatrician in Washington. She plans to continue advocacy work, both on the part of her patients on issues such as health-care coverage for children, and on the part of Muslim Americans on civil liberties.
In the post-Sept. 11 world, Sharif, like many other Muslims, has been subjected to searches and questioning at airports. She laughed a little as she recalled occasions when she and a sister, wearing headscarves, were the only ones targeted. “It was so obvious that we weren’t randomly selected,” she said.
Such experiences helped drive the summit group’s questions last week to representatives of the civil liberties offices at the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security about civil liberties, homeland security, and the Foreign Intelligence & Surveillance Act. The government representatives offered reassurances that they were balancing civil liberties concerns and national security, such as setting up an oversight office for civil rights, Sharif said.
The group met with Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Congressmen Adam Schiff of California, Frank R. Wolf of Virginia and Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, was particularly inspiring, Sharif said.
“He talked about the alienation of the Muslim community, but he said, you know what, that’s even more reason to get involved, to show the public we are here and we want to make a difference in society,” Sharif said.
During a meeting with the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, they discussed a recent worldwide poll of Muslims that asked questions including their thoughts about the West, Sharif said.
What did the Muslims most admire about the West? Technology, freedom and democracy, Sharif said. What, generally, were their biggest concerns? Job security.
The responses didn’t surprise Sharif, who saw the survey as an example of how similar people are.
“It’s all one and the same,” Sharif said. “We’re all human beings. We all have the same humanity instilled in us.”
amilkovi@projo.com
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05:02 PM EDT on Monday, July 14, 2008
By Amanda Milkovits
Journal Staff Writer
Dr. Naba Sharif, a former pediatric resident at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, in Providence, was one of 25 Muslim Americans selected to speak with national political leaders and public officials shaping national policy during last week’s Young Muslim American Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
For Sharif, 28, a new graduate of Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, the meetings were an opportunity to talk to national leaders about the concerns and hopes of Muslims, like herself, who worry about growing issues of civil liberties, homeland security, and surveillance. She and the others met with political representatives and government officials who were already sympathetic to their message. But the group also wanted to meet with those who weren’t, Sharif said yesterday.
“We wanted to tell them who we were and show them … we are people who are just like you and interested in protecting civil liberties and interested in homeland security, and interested in protecting the environment,” Sharif said. “Hopefully, they will respect [Muslims] as much as they respect any other constituency.”
The Young Muslim Leaders Summit was sponsored by the Muslim Public Affairs Council, an American institution founded 20 years ago to inform and shape public policy.
Sharif grew up in Wappinger Falls, N.Y., and she was a teenager when her parents took in a Bosnian woman and her child for two years so the mother could be treated for cancer. She organized a clothing drive for Bosnia in her hometown and was later awarded a Young American Medal for Service by then-Attorney General Janet Reno. She volunteered for a month at a Guatemalan health clinic and also traveled to Egypt to learn Arabic so she could read the Koran.
Until last month, Sharif spent three years as a pediatric resident at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and mentored other Muslim students at Brown University. During the World Cup in 2006, she traveled to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories as part of a delegation of physicians teaching Middle Eastern high school students about the human heart.
Sharif is taking classes at the Harvard School of Public Health in preparation for practicing as a pediatrician in Washington. She plans to continue advocacy work, both on the part of her patients on issues such as health-care coverage for children, and on the part of Muslim Americans on civil liberties.
In the post-Sept. 11 world, Sharif, like many other Muslims, has been subjected to searches and questioning at airports. She laughed a little as she recalled occasions when she and a sister, wearing headscarves, were the only ones targeted. “It was so obvious that we weren’t randomly selected,” she said.
Such experiences helped drive the summit group’s questions last week to representatives of the civil liberties offices at the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security about civil liberties, homeland security, and the Foreign Intelligence & Surveillance Act. The government representatives offered reassurances that they were balancing civil liberties concerns and national security, such as setting up an oversight office for civil rights, Sharif said.
The group met with Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Congressmen Adam Schiff of California, Frank R. Wolf of Virginia and Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, was particularly inspiring, Sharif said.
“He talked about the alienation of the Muslim community, but he said, you know what, that’s even more reason to get involved, to show the public we are here and we want to make a difference in society,” Sharif said.
During a meeting with the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, they discussed a recent worldwide poll of Muslims that asked questions including their thoughts about the West, Sharif said.
What did the Muslims most admire about the West? Technology, freedom and democracy, Sharif said. What, generally, were their biggest concerns? Job security.
The responses didn’t surprise Sharif, who saw the survey as an example of how similar people are.
“It’s all one and the same,” Sharif said. “We’re all human beings. We all have the same humanity instilled in us.”
amilkovi@projo.com
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Terri Potts and Builders Helping Heroes celebrate the completion of renovations on Potts' Tiverton home.
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Use of outdoor furnaces has some neighbors boiling mad
In West Warwick, new dialogue over school spending
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Updated Wed 11.12.08
React to Barack Obama's victory
Would Rocco Baldelli be a good pickup for the Red Sox?
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Muslim leaders open summit amid new tensions
Muslim leaders open summit amid new tensions
Mar 13, 2008
DAKAR (AFP) — Leaders from the world's biggest Muslim forum started a summit here Thursday that was overshadowed by conflicts and new tensions that have stricken member nations.
The 11th Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit is meant to concentrate on a campaign against 'Islamophobia' in the West and efforts to reform the group and increase solidarity between its 57 members.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a key figure at the summit as he confronts tensions with the United States over its nuclear programme.
The two day meeting started with Malaysia handing over the presidency of the 57 member organisation to Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade, host of the summit which was twice postponed because of construction delays.
In a message read at the meeting, Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who cancelled his attendance because of domestic political troubles, called for the OIC to become more involved in efforts to secure "world peace".
Conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, and Somalia have all been key talking points in the buildup to the summit, diverting attention from the OIC leadership's efforts to reform the body and its campaign against 'Islamophobia' -- attacks and threats against Muslims and what it considers insults against the Islamic faith in the West.
Several leaders have called for a major campaign against Islam's negative image in the West, particularly since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
The OIC also wants western nations to clamp down harder on what it considers anti-Islamic gestures such as the publication of cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammed in Denmark and the looming release of an anti-Islamic film by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders.
The OIC was created in 1969 and its charter dates from 1972. OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said before the meeting that the summit would be a "turning point" because of the agreement to change its charter.
"The role of OIC as not only representative of these 57 countries, but as the spokesman of the Muslim world, the spokesman of the inspiration of the Islamic Ummah (community), has been increasing and expanding," said Ihsanoglu
Mar 13, 2008
DAKAR (AFP) — Leaders from the world's biggest Muslim forum started a summit here Thursday that was overshadowed by conflicts and new tensions that have stricken member nations.
The 11th Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit is meant to concentrate on a campaign against 'Islamophobia' in the West and efforts to reform the group and increase solidarity between its 57 members.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a key figure at the summit as he confronts tensions with the United States over its nuclear programme.
The two day meeting started with Malaysia handing over the presidency of the 57 member organisation to Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade, host of the summit which was twice postponed because of construction delays.
In a message read at the meeting, Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who cancelled his attendance because of domestic political troubles, called for the OIC to become more involved in efforts to secure "world peace".
Conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, and Somalia have all been key talking points in the buildup to the summit, diverting attention from the OIC leadership's efforts to reform the body and its campaign against 'Islamophobia' -- attacks and threats against Muslims and what it considers insults against the Islamic faith in the West.
Several leaders have called for a major campaign against Islam's negative image in the West, particularly since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
The OIC also wants western nations to clamp down harder on what it considers anti-Islamic gestures such as the publication of cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammed in Denmark and the looming release of an anti-Islamic film by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders.
The OIC was created in 1969 and its charter dates from 1972. OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said before the meeting that the summit would be a "turning point" because of the agreement to change its charter.
"The role of OIC as not only representative of these 57 countries, but as the spokesman of the Muslim world, the spokesman of the inspiration of the Islamic Ummah (community), has been increasing and expanding," said Ihsanoglu
Obama plans to organize a Muslim summit
January 30, 2008
Obama plans to organize a Muslim summit
Ed Lasky
Barack Obama told a French magazine that he would organize a summit of the Muslim world if he is elected. AFP reports:
Muslim and Western leaders would be invited to the summit for "a discussion about how we can prevent the widening misunderstandings and gaps between the Muslim world and the West," Obama said in the interview to Paris Match.
"I will ask them to join us in battling terrorism but we should also be willing to listen in terms of some of their concerns," he said in the interview to be released Thursday.
Listen to the concerns the Muslim world has? I wonder what those concerns might be? How about letting the Muslim world know about our concerns? Terrorism, denial of human rights, teaching of hatred, the death penalty (which Obama opposes), the impoverishing of the world because of sky high extortionate oil prices which has made a few rich and many desperately poor?
Posted at 07:42 PM | Email | Permalink
Obama plans to organize a Muslim summit
Ed Lasky
Barack Obama told a French magazine that he would organize a summit of the Muslim world if he is elected. AFP reports:
Muslim and Western leaders would be invited to the summit for "a discussion about how we can prevent the widening misunderstandings and gaps between the Muslim world and the West," Obama said in the interview to Paris Match.
"I will ask them to join us in battling terrorism but we should also be willing to listen in terms of some of their concerns," he said in the interview to be released Thursday.
Listen to the concerns the Muslim world has? I wonder what those concerns might be? How about letting the Muslim world know about our concerns? Terrorism, denial of human rights, teaching of hatred, the death penalty (which Obama opposes), the impoverishing of the world because of sky high extortionate oil prices which has made a few rich and many desperately poor?
Posted at 07:42 PM | Email | Permalink
Summit Gives Hope to the Muslim World
Summit Gives Hope to the Muslim World
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News
JEDDAH, 10 December 2005 — The extraordinary Islamic summit in the holy city of Makkah was a resounding success as it approved a 10-year action plan for the overall development of OIC member countries and gave the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims a new hope about a bright future.
Unlike the previous summits of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Makkah summit was well prepared and presented a future-looking agenda for the Muslim world. It also wanted a complete facelift of the organization in order to play an effective role on the world stage.
The 10-year action plan focuses on reforms and human rights and urges the member states to adopt a united stand on all issues at international forums. It has given the OIC secretary-general more powers and additional financial resources to carry out his mission.
The progressive action plan calls for greater political participation, equality, freedom and social justice for people in OIC countries, and it demands transparency and an end to corruption. It called for cooperation of member countries to achieve amicable settlement of regional conflicts.
The summit authorized the board of governors of the Islamic Development Bank to take necessary steps to increase the bank’s capital and strengthen the International Islamic Organization to Finance Trade. The board is also instructed to set up a special fund to fight poverty as well as to study prospects of either reducing or writing off the debts of certain deserving governments owed to the member states.
Before the summit, a group of leading intellectuals and scholars met in Makkah and presented a new vision for the Muslim world. They stressed the fact that the thoughts and energies of Muslims should be directed toward formulating answers rather than repeating questions. What is needed is a change motivated by and within the Islamic world and not imposed from outside.
“The new vision presented by the scholars was designed to call upon the member states to radically reform their international organization with a totally new mandate,” said OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. “A new OIC based on the principles of transparency, accountability, effectiveness, flexibility and pro-activeness must take the initiative to deal with the urgent problems of our day and age.”
A new OIC will have a more comprehensive and larger scope of activities. These activities include monitoring, coordinating, agenda-building, advocacy and raising awareness about such crucial issues as conflict prevention and management, minority affairs, disaster relief, policy harmonization, economic and commercial development, science and research, education and cultural issues, women’s and children’s rights, preventing extremism of all kinds, and easing religious, sectarian and ethnic tensions through the guidance of scholars and leaders.
The Makkah summit and its main architect, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, drew applause from Saudis as well as expatriates. According to Abdullah Omar Naseef, former deputy chairman of the Shoura Council, the summit was a big success. “It has presented a number of ambitious and forward-looking programs for the renaissance of the Islamic Ummah,” he said.
The summit has taken concrete steps to strengthen the OIC. “For the first time, we hear the OIC secretary-general talking in a new language, explaining the weaknesses and emphasizing the need for change in order for the OIC to play an effective role on world stage,” he said.
Naseef hoped that the secretary-general would follow up implementation of the decisions taken by the summit.
Abdul Ilah Saati of King Abdul Aziz University said it was the most successful OIC summit in terms of attendance and adoption of vital resolutions such as the 10-year plan, the firm stand against terrorism and the call to reform school curriculum. “I have not seen such resolutions in previous summits,” he added. He said the summit was one of the biggest achievements of King Abdullah.
Ali Hekami, a journalist who covered the summit, attributed the success to non-indulgence in thorny political issues.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, however, said the summit had discussed issues such as Palestine, Iraq and Kashmir.
Badr Olayan, director general of the Islamic Education Foundation in Al-Hamrah, said he was satisfied with the summit’s resolutions. “I believe if our leaders continue to hold such meetings in order to solve our problems they would have tremendous impact,” he said.
Olayan emphasized the importance of collective decision and action by OIC countries. “Individual action will not be enough and will be very weak,” he pointed out. He said all member countries should follow the decisions taken by the majority.
He said the whole Muslim world would soon enjoy the result of the Makkah summit.
Businessman Khaleel Bahadur praised the resolution calling for increasing trade between OIC states by 20 percent in 10 years.
Abdul Rahman Faqeeh, a well-known Makkah businessman, called upon OIC leaders to establish a permanent exhibition center for the products of member countries in the holy city.
Mustafa Hashim, editorial assistant of “Muslim Youth”, published by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, commended the king for his initiative that resulted in the 10-year plan, which includes programs to cultivate the spirit of moderation among Muslims and lead the Ummah on the path of modernization through science and technology.
In his comment, Saifudeen Thassim, assistant manager of the Samba Financial Group, made a pointed reference to the 10 fundamental principles outlined by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. He said the Malaysian model called for harnessing the resources of the OIC countries for the development of science and technology in the member countries. Another important aspect of the Malaysian model plan, he said, is increasing transparency and accountability among the member countries. He predicted that this would go a long way in promoting good governance and combating corruption, which is endemic to some of the member countries.
“The proposals were really encouraging, but they need the right Islamic spirit for effective implementation,” said Habib Badr, a freelance journalist.
— With input from Mohammed Rasooldeen and Galal Fakkar
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News
JEDDAH, 10 December 2005 — The extraordinary Islamic summit in the holy city of Makkah was a resounding success as it approved a 10-year action plan for the overall development of OIC member countries and gave the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims a new hope about a bright future.
Unlike the previous summits of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Makkah summit was well prepared and presented a future-looking agenda for the Muslim world. It also wanted a complete facelift of the organization in order to play an effective role on the world stage.
The 10-year action plan focuses on reforms and human rights and urges the member states to adopt a united stand on all issues at international forums. It has given the OIC secretary-general more powers and additional financial resources to carry out his mission.
The progressive action plan calls for greater political participation, equality, freedom and social justice for people in OIC countries, and it demands transparency and an end to corruption. It called for cooperation of member countries to achieve amicable settlement of regional conflicts.
The summit authorized the board of governors of the Islamic Development Bank to take necessary steps to increase the bank’s capital and strengthen the International Islamic Organization to Finance Trade. The board is also instructed to set up a special fund to fight poverty as well as to study prospects of either reducing or writing off the debts of certain deserving governments owed to the member states.
Before the summit, a group of leading intellectuals and scholars met in Makkah and presented a new vision for the Muslim world. They stressed the fact that the thoughts and energies of Muslims should be directed toward formulating answers rather than repeating questions. What is needed is a change motivated by and within the Islamic world and not imposed from outside.
“The new vision presented by the scholars was designed to call upon the member states to radically reform their international organization with a totally new mandate,” said OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. “A new OIC based on the principles of transparency, accountability, effectiveness, flexibility and pro-activeness must take the initiative to deal with the urgent problems of our day and age.”
A new OIC will have a more comprehensive and larger scope of activities. These activities include monitoring, coordinating, agenda-building, advocacy and raising awareness about such crucial issues as conflict prevention and management, minority affairs, disaster relief, policy harmonization, economic and commercial development, science and research, education and cultural issues, women’s and children’s rights, preventing extremism of all kinds, and easing religious, sectarian and ethnic tensions through the guidance of scholars and leaders.
The Makkah summit and its main architect, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, drew applause from Saudis as well as expatriates. According to Abdullah Omar Naseef, former deputy chairman of the Shoura Council, the summit was a big success. “It has presented a number of ambitious and forward-looking programs for the renaissance of the Islamic Ummah,” he said.
The summit has taken concrete steps to strengthen the OIC. “For the first time, we hear the OIC secretary-general talking in a new language, explaining the weaknesses and emphasizing the need for change in order for the OIC to play an effective role on world stage,” he said.
Naseef hoped that the secretary-general would follow up implementation of the decisions taken by the summit.
Abdul Ilah Saati of King Abdul Aziz University said it was the most successful OIC summit in terms of attendance and adoption of vital resolutions such as the 10-year plan, the firm stand against terrorism and the call to reform school curriculum. “I have not seen such resolutions in previous summits,” he added. He said the summit was one of the biggest achievements of King Abdullah.
Ali Hekami, a journalist who covered the summit, attributed the success to non-indulgence in thorny political issues.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, however, said the summit had discussed issues such as Palestine, Iraq and Kashmir.
Badr Olayan, director general of the Islamic Education Foundation in Al-Hamrah, said he was satisfied with the summit’s resolutions. “I believe if our leaders continue to hold such meetings in order to solve our problems they would have tremendous impact,” he said.
Olayan emphasized the importance of collective decision and action by OIC countries. “Individual action will not be enough and will be very weak,” he pointed out. He said all member countries should follow the decisions taken by the majority.
He said the whole Muslim world would soon enjoy the result of the Makkah summit.
Businessman Khaleel Bahadur praised the resolution calling for increasing trade between OIC states by 20 percent in 10 years.
Abdul Rahman Faqeeh, a well-known Makkah businessman, called upon OIC leaders to establish a permanent exhibition center for the products of member countries in the holy city.
Mustafa Hashim, editorial assistant of “Muslim Youth”, published by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, commended the king for his initiative that resulted in the 10-year plan, which includes programs to cultivate the spirit of moderation among Muslims and lead the Ummah on the path of modernization through science and technology.
In his comment, Saifudeen Thassim, assistant manager of the Samba Financial Group, made a pointed reference to the 10 fundamental principles outlined by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. He said the Malaysian model called for harnessing the resources of the OIC countries for the development of science and technology in the member countries. Another important aspect of the Malaysian model plan, he said, is increasing transparency and accountability among the member countries. He predicted that this would go a long way in promoting good governance and combating corruption, which is endemic to some of the member countries.
“The proposals were really encouraging, but they need the right Islamic spirit for effective implementation,” said Habib Badr, a freelance journalist.
— With input from Mohammed Rasooldeen and Galal Fakkar
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