Projecting British Islam
Projecting British Islam was a British government propaganda venture run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office between 2005 and 2010.
Background
According to the Foreign Office website at the time:
- The FCO funds regular visits to the Muslim world by prominent British Muslims. The aim of Projecting British Islam is to provide a platform for British Muslims to challenge misconceptions overseas about the reality of life for Muslims in Britain – by showcasing the integral role Muslims play in British society. This undermines a key part of the extremist narrative overseas that the UK and the West is engaged in a War with Islam. The programme strengthens partnerships between British Muslims and communities overseas leading to grassroots follow-up initiatives.[1]
This public statement of the project was backed up by Written Answers in Parliament. According to Kim Howells Minister of State at the FCO, in 2007:
- The 'Projecting British Islam' project is a programme of media intensive visits by British Muslim delegations, supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), to countries with significant Muslim populations. The aim is to counter misconceptions and misperceptions, which are exploited by extremists, about the treatment of Muslims and Islam in the UK.[2]
According to Kim Howells in 2007 the FCO both evaluated the effectiveness of the visits and encouraged delegates to continue working to promote government counter terrorism policy on their return to the UK:
To evaluate the effectiveness of the project, we monitor media coverage in the countries concerned surrounding the delegation’s visit and receive feedback from the delegates and the opinion-formers they meet. We also encourage follow-up by delegates on their return to the UK, in particular working through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Preventing Violent Extremism work.[2]
Propaganda value?
Cost and list of visits
According to Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells in 2007:
- In financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07 the delegations cost £350,000, visiting: Bahrain, Qatar, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Algeria, Bosnia, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the USA.
- In financial years 2007-08 the FCO has allocated £180,000 to this project, for delegations to a range of countries including Sudan, Indonesia, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Egypt, Bangladesh and Pakistan.[2]
According to a later FoI disclosure from the FCO: 'The PBM budget allocated for 2009/2010 was £277,900, and for 2008/2009 was £274,000'.[3]
By July 2008 there had 'been 26 visits involving over 70 delegates as part of the Projecting British Islam program since 2005... across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.'[4]
List of visits
- 2005-2007 - Bahrain, Qatar, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Algeria, Bosnia, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the USA.
- Iran Feb 2008
- Libya Feb 2008
- Indonesia March 2008
- Bangladesh (x2) March 2008 & May 2009
- Afghanistan (x2) April 2008 & October 2009
- Pakistan (x2) June & Nov 2008
- Egypt July 2008
- Ethiopia / Somaliland Aug 2008
- Turkey Nov 2008
- Sudan – Darfur (incl. Cairo, Jeddah, Dubai) Dec 2008
- Algeria & Morocco Feb 2009
- Lebanon March 2009
- Algeria Feb 2010
- India March 2010[5]
People
British Muslim participants
According to Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells in 2007:
- To date more than 60 British Muslims have taken part, reflecting the diversity of British Muslim communities, and with a balance of age and gender. The delegates come from a range of professional backgrounds—doctors, scholars, lawyers, teachers, bankers and community activists.[2]
British Muslims participating in trips under the auspices of Projecting British Islam included: Mohammed Abdul Aziz |
Iran
- February 2008
Indonesia
- March 2008
Bangladesh
- March 2008
Afghanistan
- April 2008
Sadiq Khan | Barrister Fatim Kurji Jumabhoy | Yasmin Qureshi | community worker Mustafa Suleyman | media expert Saad Mohseni[6]
Pakistan
- June 2008
Egypt
- July 2008
Usama Hasan | Aftab Malik | Wael Zubi[7] | writer Ed Hussein | Abdul-Rehman Malik, editor at the Muslim magazine Q-News[4]
Ethiopia and Somaliland
- 18-23 August 2008
Fuad Nahdi (Journalist); Sheikh Babikir Ahmed Babikir (Educationalist); Sabin Malik (Community Cohesion specialist); Habib Malik (Islamic Relief).[8]
Turkey
- 10-14 November 2008
Aftab Malik, scholar and author | Shaista Gohir, Director of Muslim Women's Network UK and Director of Muslim Voice UK | Dr. Anas Al-Shaikh-Ali, academic and scholar | Dr. Zahoor Qureshi, President Islamic Society of Britain | Navid Akhtar, Journalist | Shelina Janmohamed, writer and blogger[9]
Sudan
- 14-17 December 2008
Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Chair, Muslim Aid and Muslim Council of Britain | Jehangir Malik, UK Director of Islamic Relief | Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, Islamic scholar | Fatim Kurji, lawyer and Director of the CATCH charity project | Shelina Janmohamed, writer and commentator[10]
Algeria and Morocco
- 7-13 February 2009
Haroon Forde | Shaaz Mehboob | Sabin Malik | Amina Dahbi Skali | Saad Souissi | Wael Zubi[11]
Afghanistan
- October 2009
Shaykh Ghulam Rabbani | Mushfique Uddin | Imam Irfan Chishti[12]
Resources
- Paul Goodman to Kim Howells Projecting British Islam - Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written question – answered on 13th December 2007. Accessed 14 July 2016.
- Graeme Breen, Freedom of Information request to Foreign and Commonwealth Office FCO involvement with the Quilliam Foundation and the Projecting British Islam/Muslims programme, What do they know. March 2010.
Youtube videos
- British Satellite News PROJECTING BRITISH ISLAM CAMPAIGN CONTINUES, Youtube. 28 Mar 2008.
- British Satellite News UK ISLAM GROUP RETURNS FROM TURKEY 19 Nov 2008.
- Projecting British Muslims Aftab Malik at al-Azhar University in Cairo, Youttube, 24 Feb 2009.
- Projecting British Muslims 'You R Us' - A short film of British Muslims visiting Morocco & Algeria, Youtube, 27 Feb 2009.
- Projecting British Muslims Sabin Malik speaks to young people in Morocco (English & French). 24 February 2009.
FCO Flickr albums
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Muslims visit - Afghanistan - A group of British Muslims visited Helmand province in Afghanistan in October 2009 to give local people an insight into the lives of Muslims in Britain.
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Islam visit to Algeria & Morocco: A group of British Muslims visited Morocco and Algeria from 7-13 February 2009 as part of the Projecting British Islam programme.
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Islam visit to Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, December 2008: A group of prominent British Muslims visited Darfur and the Middle East as part of the Projecting British Islam programme from 13-23 December 2008.
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Islam visit to Turkey 10 to 14 November 2008
Notes
- ↑ FCO Projecting British Islam Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 8 January 2009 on 14 July 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 HC Deb, Projecting British Islam: Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written question. 13 December 2007, c831W
- ↑ Lucy Hughes, Head, Prevent Team, CTD to Graeme Breen, Freedom of Information request regarding FCO involvement with the Quilliam Foundation and the Projecting British Islam/Muslims Programme, reference 0238-10. What do they know, 10 May 2010.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Projecting British Muslims. International Quran News Agency, 10:12 - July 12, 2008.
- ↑ Annex B to Lucy Hughes, Head, Prevent Team, CTD to Graeme Breen, Freedom of Information request regarding FCO involvement with the Quilliam Foundation and the Projecting British Islam/Muslims Programme, reference 0238-10. What do they know, 10 May 2010.
- ↑ British Muslim delegation visits Afghanistan. Associated Press of Pakistan, 7 April 2008. Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 8 April 2008 on 14 July 2016.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Previous PBI visits. Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 8 January 2009 on 14 July 2016.
- ↑ M2 PressWIRE, UK Government: Projecting British Islam visit to Ethiopia and Hargeisa 18-23 August. August 27, 2008 Wednesday.
- ↑ Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Islam visit to Turkey 10 to 14 November 2008
- ↑ FCO British Muslim group visits Darfur and Middle East (17/12/2008) Retrieved from the Internet Archive of 14 February 2009 on 14 July 2016.
- ↑ Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Islam visit to Algeria & Morocco: A group of British Muslims visited Morocco and Algeria from 7-13 February 2009 as part of the Projecting British Islam programme.
- ↑ Foreign and Commonwealth Office Projecting British Muslims visit - Afghanistan - A group of British Muslims visited Helmand province in Afghanistan in October 2009 to give local people an insight into the lives of Muslims in Britain.
