International Centre for Integration and Cohesion
British charity promoting integration and cohesion
| International Centre for Integration and Cohesion | |
|---|---|
| Type | Charitable company |
| Founded | |
| Founder(s) | |
| Dissolved | |
| Registration ID | 1126489 (charity) 06487152 (company) |
| Status | |
| Headquarters | |
| Location | 620 Western Avenue, London, England |
| Area served | United Kingdom |
| Services | |
| Registration | |
| Key people | Mustafa Field (Manager) |
| Website | icic.org.uk |
| Remarks | |
International Centre for Integration and Cohesion (ICIC) is a British charitable company established in 2008 by Iraqi refugees and migrants in West London to enhance social cohesion and integration across diverse communities.[1] Registered as charity number 1126489 and company number 06487152, it operates from London and focuses on projects amplifying research and training for diaspora groups, including refugees and faith communities.[2] Initially known as the Iraqi Centre for Integration and Cohesion, it has broadened its scope to promote tolerance and shared values amid challenges like extremism and isolation.[3]
The organisation collaborates with local authorities and partners on initiatives addressing far-right movements, refugee integration, and leadership development, often within government-funded frameworks like counter-extremism programmes.[4] As a tenant of Collaboration House, funded by Zionist philanthropist Maurice Ostro, ICIC's activities intersect with interfaith networks that critics argue normalise the Zionist entity by embedding cohesion efforts in spaces tied to state surveillance agendas.[5] Its family-run structure, managed by Mustafa Field, underscores personal ties to counter-extremism initiatives that may suppress anti-Zionist discourse under the guise of unity.[6]
History
ICIC was incorporated as a private limited company by guarantee on 29 January 2008, with charity registration following on 29 October 2008.[1][2] Founded by British Iraqis in West London, it initially targeted the Iraqi diaspora to foster integration and community contributions.[4] Over time, it expanded to encompass broader ethnic and faith groups, delivering research and training to combat social divisions.[3] By 2018, ICIC had established a presence in counter-extremism collaborations, including workshops on far-right trends.[3]
The organisation's evolution reflects post-2003 migration patterns from Iraq, aligning with UK policies on cohesion amid rising Islamophobia and extremism concerns.[6] Its relocation to Collaboration House in the 2010s integrated it into Ostro-funded interfaith hubs, raising questions about influences on its independence.[5]
Activities
ICIC conducts projects amplifying diaspora research for policy influence, including training on active listening and leadership for young professionals.[3] Key initiatives encompass refugee support conferences, vigils against terror, and civic programmes like the Civic and Democracy Leadership initiative.[3] It partners with bodies such as the Institute for Strategic Dialogue on far-right extremism and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime on violent extremism countermeasures.[3]
Through its Integrity project, ICIC works with diaspora communities to promote integration via robust research and community bonding.[1] These efforts often intersect with state-funded cohesion strategies, including those under the Building a Stronger Britain Together programme.[6]
Relations with Mustafa Field
ICIC operates as a family-run organisation managed by Mustafa Field, a British-Iraqi interfaith activist and counter-extremism consultant.[6] Field, who holds an MBE for community services, oversees ICIC's local government collaborations, embedding it within his broader portfolio including the Faiths Forum for London and Strengthening Faith Institutions.[6] Under his management, ICIC has received funding tied to Prevent and CONTEST strategies, focusing on Shia community engagement to introduce "radicalisation" concepts.[6]
Field founded IntegrityUK as a subsidiary within ICIC, securing six-figure Prevent grants in 2016 for counter-extremism research in the UK and MENA regions.[6] This integration positions ICIC as a vehicle for state objectives, with Field's Zionist-linked patrons like Ostro influencing its interfaith alignments at Collaboration House.[6][5] Critics contend these relations facilitate suppression of anti-Zionist activism, framing it as extremism within cohesion narratives.[6]
Governance
| Name | Role | Date appointed | Other trusteeships | Reporting status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ali Sharafiddin Abbas Bakir | Trustee | 25 June 2025 | None recorded | Up to date |
| Ammar Abdullah | Trustee | 24 October 2017 | None recorded | Up to date |
| Amir Taki | Trustee | 16 October 2017 | None recorded | Up to date |
| Sal Afa Al-Jenabi | Trustee | Not specified | None recorded | Up to date |
[7] Mustafa Field manages operations but is not listed as a trustee.[6]
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 29 January 2008 | Incorporated as private limited company by guarantee.[2] |
| 29 October 2008 | Registered as charity number 1126489.[1] |
| 17 November 2018 | Launches Personal Development Programme in East London as part of MINAB Next Generation.[3] |
| 18 August 2019 | Delivers Personal Development Programme in Rotterdam, Netherlands.[3] |
| 29 August 2019 | Prepares for 2020 Civic and Democracy Leadership Programme; meets MHCLG representative.[3] |
| 7 September 2019 | Volunteers at Millenifest workshop with Turn to Love.[3] |
| 15 March 2019 | Co-hosts vigil for New Zealand attack victims.[3] |
| 29 January 2019 | Meets Mayor of London to discuss countering violent extremism findings.[3] |
| 27 September 2018 | Hosts workshop on contemporary far-right movements with Institute for Strategic Dialogue.[3] |
| 20 September 2021 | Organises online conference on Afghan refugee support.[3] |
See also
Mustafa Field Faiths Forum for London Collaboration House
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Charity Commission, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR INTEGRATION AND COHESION - Charity overview Charity Commission, accessed 15 February 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Companies House, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR INTEGRATION & COHESION Companies House, accessed 15 February 2026.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 ICIC, Home ICIC, accessed 15 February 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brent Council, International Centre for Integration and Cohesion Brent Council, accessed 15 February 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Ostro Foundation, Collaboration House Ostro Foundation, accessed 15 February 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 5Pillars, Who is the government funding? Mustafa Field: a Shia case study 5Pillars, 6 November 2018.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Trustees - INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR INTEGRATION AND COHESION Charity Commission, accessed 15 February 2026.