Europe is Failing its Muslims

Tuesday, 23rd February 2010, Cadogan Hall, London

Cadagon Hall, London - Photo: Mike Eleftheriades

Click here to watch the debate online!

'This is Our Shared Europe’s big London debut – and it has a large audience. Not just the 800 people sitting in the stalls, or indeed the further 1000 or so who wanted, but could not get, tickets but a potential 70,000,000 more people who will be able to watch it when BBC World News broadcast it on 6th and 7th March.'

This is how Martin Rose started his related post to the British Council blog site - click here to continue reading, and please leave a comment if you like.

The British Council in conjunction with Intelligence Squared in February 2010 organised a free debate chaired by BBC World News presenter Zeinab Badawi which centered around the following questions:

We hear endlessly in the media that European Muslims are failing to integrate; that they should stop wearing the burka and building mosques with minarets; that like the rest of us, they must learn to tolerate insults to their religion however painful that may be. But isn’t the boot really on the other foot? By constantly criticising their traditions and beliefs and insisting they be more like the rest of us, aren’t we breaching our own hallowed principle of live and let live? Far from Muslims failing to be good Europeans, isn’t it Europe that is acting illiberally and giving a raw deal to its Muslim citizens?

Speakers for the motion

Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University whose work concerns the position of Islam in the modern Western world
Petra Stienen, Dutch former diplomat and author with long experience in the Arab world

Tariq Ramadan and Petra Stienen - Photo: Mike Eleftheriades

Speakers against the motion

Douglas Murray, Author and Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion
Flemming Rose, Danish journalist and editor at Jyllends-Posten newspaper, who commissioned the controversial Muhammad cartoons

Flemming Rose and Douglas Murray - Photo: Mike Eleftheriades

Selected coverage

Debate: Is Europe Failing its Muslims?, Islam in Europe, 6 March
A Europa está a deixar mal os muçulmanos? (ou esta não é a pergunta certa?), Alexandra Lucas Coelho, 28 February
When Douglas met Tariq ..., Adam Branson, 27 February
Europe is failing its Muslims' : Debate, Kate Jenkins, 26 February
British Council Explores if "Europe is Failing Its Muslims", Joshua S. Fouts, 24 February
Murray Condemns BBC for Being 'Scared' of Muslims, Ethnic Multicultural Media Academy, 24 February
Auntie fights shy of new Muslim quarrel, Evening Standard, 24 February
Instead of facing reality, many young British Muslims take refuge in delusion and self-pity, Douglas Murray, 24 February
Laat Europa zijn moslims in de kou staan?, Wiardi Beckman Stichting, 24 February

The debate was filmed and broadcast on BBC World News in March 2010.

All photos on this page: Mike Eleftheriades