Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow

1. Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow American Society for Muslim Advancement In partnership with Cordoba Initiative

2. What have we learned so far? In Nov. 2004, 100 emerging young Muslim Leaders MLT’s were gathered from across North America for a retreat on the experience of being Muslim after 9/11 in challenging times in the US. The following was learned from the conversations that took place and evaluations submitted after the retreat: • Their fears: Extremists defining the entire Islamic agenda & mass media over representing the extremists ideology. • Their concerns: How the west relates to the global Muslim community; Inability for future generations to integrate into Western society, absence of role models in Islamic leadership, rigidity of some outdated attitudes towards women’s role. • What tires them: Remaining silent and passive. Being judged by others. Irrelevant issues dominating Islamic thinking. Lack of civil dialogue to express and debate differences.. • What excites them: Expression of one’s faith in the modern era; Revival of the variety of opinions once present within classical Islam. Development of a western Islamic identity. • What must be done: Carve their own path by rising to the challenge and becoming change agents. Consolidate the MLT network to create a western Muslim identity that engages in political and social mechanisms for the betterment of the community.

3. Why must we continue? • Young Muslims in the West find themselves in a time of enormous challenge and transformation on issues of: religion, identity, dual loyalties, assimilation, etc. • Left unaddressed, these issues are leading to alienated and socially marginalized youth that are falling victim to violent ideologies, as we see in the wake of Madrid, London, and Paris. • Acrimonious attitudes are developing at the deepest levels of both Western and Muslim societies, it is imperative to: • Empower a constructive movement amongst young Muslims to reject and marginalize the fatalistic worldviews promoted by extremists.

4. What and how do we want to do it? • Create a transformative experience for a highly diverse group of young Muslims, varied per gender, ethnicity, religiosity, and individual politics • Utilize a workshop oriented approach to ensure “a high level of focus on key issues” to extrapolate a deeper cross pollination of ideas. • Facilitate continued and active exchange of ideas through creation of a network of MLT conference participants: • Create communication website and hold regional conference calls for periodic discussion. • Circulate resulting conversations widely, so the MLT conference efforts can have a global impactand be replicable • Development of the participants into prominent leaders.

5. What issues do we want to break through? An MLT focus group deliberated on various break through issues. The following discussion points were recommended for the upcoming MLT conference to be held in London. . Is faith an important aspect of identity and sense of belonging? Why is Islamic faith transformative to some and to others the cause of insecure identity? What leads to alienation? Is it hidden discrimination, policies of integration or the individuals inability to reconcile faith with culture of origin and or birth country. What does secularism (church state separation) mean to western Muslim communities? What is an ummah(unified Muslim nation). Is it defined by borders or individuals with a similar worldview? Do Muslims need a caliphate as an alternative to the lack of central authority? Who is qualified to render judgments on issues of Shariah? Is gender a barrier? Are differences in intergenerational norms causing tensions with respect to social, religious, political and artistic forms of expression?

6. Where do we go from here? • Select 100 young emerging Muslim Leader from US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Bosnia in London, as a central location in Europe • Recruitment & selection for MLT participant from North America is completed • Recruitment for MLT candidates in Europe is targeted to be completed April end. • The US conference coordinators are evaluating potential partners based Denmark to help with the organization of the conference. • A Steering Committee of former MLT’s (Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow) has reviewed the implementation strategy in terms of vision, process, approach and media outreach. • Project budget has increased by 30% due to conference being held in London and to accommodate the higher cost of venue & accommodations. • Based on a budgetary assessment additional funding of $ 75,000 is required. The additional costs will fund advertisement and marketing, special receptions and catering, appropriate venues for the conference. • The conference date is July 7-10, 2006.