9/11 - RAMADAN REMEMBERANCE: A Creative Cultural Response to Violent Extremism.
At  Council Chamber Chelsea & Kensington Town Hall London W8 7NX
Nearest tube Kensington High Street  Tuesday 9th September 2008  :5.30 – 7.30pm

With the month of Ramadan hosting the commemoration of 9/11 this year its time for Muslims to be more strident in their condemnation of extremism in all its forms. A Dutch inspired initiative;  Ramadan Festival UK has launched this month and is highlighting the need for a 'Muslim Cultural Renaissance' and a more creative response to Violent extremism. 

The question is would Satchi and Satchi or the Tate Modern et al be up to the challenge of putting the 'Fun back in Fundamentalism' through the Arts - is contemporary Islamic Artistic expression  acceptable - or does the fear of Islamic fundamentalism relegate it to the creative dustbin ?  We are going to find out this year.

A cultural renaissance amongst the Muslim communities is needed and perhaps mainstream Britain also requires a raising of the bar in this regard through the Muslim creative awakening. We need to change the discourse from the scholastic Shariah-obsessed themes preoccupying Public sector the Media and Muslim' representatives to the grassroots reality of the emerging hybrid cultural identities amongst Muslims.

British Muslims have often stood accused of not doing enough to counter violent extremism in their midst but an emerging young leadership within the community is spearheading several innovative initiatives to deal with the increasing polarisation of communities and ensuring that a greater proportion of the next generation of British Muslims are given a chance to integrate with mainstream Britain.

Multicultural Britain cannot unite around one faith one culture or one political ideology but genuine co existence can only emerge through understanding and respecting each other at the micro level. Creativity and Culture however can be appreciated and shared at all levels and this perhaps has to be the vehicle for unifying our communities in their diversity. Islamic Cultures offer a rich and refreshing source of inspiration for future generations. Practitioners and creative thinkers need to be given the chance to challenge the insularity of extremists in all sectors of British society through their artistic expressions - they simply require patronage.

info@ramadanfestival.co.uk

< back