This Thursday May 9th 2019, we celebrate the 34th Europe Day.
Since 1985, all European state members celebrate the European Union creation. A little bit of history, the 9th of May 1950, Robert Schuman, French foreign minister at the time, proposed a creation project of a common organisation between several European states and this is how the predecessor of the European Union was created.

In this joyful day of remembrance, the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Students Organisations would like to remind once again how grateful we should be for having such a strong organisation as the European Union. We, as FEMYSO, strongly believe of the need of such organisation and that it is only altogether that we will be successful.

As a European civil society organisation, we aim at building a diverse, cohesive and vibrant Europe and we remember today that our work has been made possible thanks to the creation of the European Union a few decades back.

When looking at our History, we cannot help but see how throughout the times we are still facing similar challenges and as our predecessors, we are working towards a common future, a Europe of freedom, equality, human rights and peace, a Europe we believe will continue to strive as the rightful heirs of the Schuman Declaration of 1950.

This Europe Day is particularly special this year since it comes a few days before the European Parliament elections and shows even more the importance of voting. In a few days, we will shape our future by one simple yet precious vote and this 9th of May sounds even more important today as it echoes an ideal we all want to see: a strong and peaceful Europe.

We witness with sadness the consequences of hate speech, once again innocent blood has been spilled in the name of white supremacism. Only a few weeks after Christchurch, it is now the Jewish community, who is the target of hatred and evil. Prior to this event, the attacker burnt a mosque for the same motive and declared in his manifesto that he was strongly inspired by the Christchurch terrorist.

The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisation stands strong with the Jewish community and is deeply shocked by the wide spread of horrific ideologies across the world.

Sadly today, only a few days after the Sri Lanka massacres, we share these mournful words with a heavy heart as witnesses of hate.

We extend our sincere condolences to the victims’ families of this hellish shooting and more widely our support to the Jewish community in California and elsewhere. As we mourn the loss of innocent worshippers on the last day of Passover, we should never stop working towards peace among our different communities regardless of the many attempts to destroy our unity.

Today more than ever, we urge and call on all international and civil society organisations to take concrete actions and establish real policies to not only stop these heinous attacks but also prevent such horrible murders to happen again.

FEMYSO will always denounce hate speech and fight against anti-semitism and all forms of hate, racism and discrimination, and we summon all civil society actors work towards stronger policies on such important matters.

[End]

The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) stands with the Christian community against the horrific series of explosions targeting churches holding Easter services and hotels in Sri Lanka. FEMYSO is deeply saddened to witness that once again hatred and extremism is the cause of another atrocity.

FEMYSO strongly condemns such nefarious attacks and all forms of violence and hate crime. We therefore would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and our solidarity to the people of Sri Lanka and the Christian communities around the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this time of grieving.

As we grieve the loss of the innocent, we urge and call on all international and civil society organisations to condemn these atrocious attacks and to strengthen the security of religious institutions** (not sure institutions is the right word but cant think of another one)

We at FEMYSO will continue our efforts on advocating against all forms of hate crimes, racism and discrimination, and push for more effective policies that reflects the seriousness of the matter.

SriLankaattacks #SriLanka #Terrorhasnoreligion

The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) would like to congratulate Zamzam Ibrahim on her election as the President of the National Union of Students (NUS) at the annual National Conference in Glasgow.

The former president of the University of Salford Students’ Union and current NUS Vice President Society and Citizenship is the third black and minority ethnic (BME) woman to hold this position and will be representing 600 student unions and over 7 million students across the United Kingdom. The dedication of Zamzam towards supporting and campaigning for student rights cannot go unnoticed.

On the 9th of April, the NUS passed the motion to formally adopt the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia, and commit to a suite of actions to tackle islamophobia in the student movement as follows:

• Subscribe to the definition of Islamophobia laid out by the APPG on British Muslims
• Introduce training and on Islamophobia and implicit bias into NUS training
• Ensure all student officers are properly held to account on any instances of Islamophobia

The NUS also passed a motion that the Union of Jewish Students is set to deliver training on Antisemitism to the executive body of the NUS. FEMYSO welcomes both motions which were put forward by Bristol student Sally Patterson.

FEMYSO would like to once again congratulate Zamzam and all elected Vice-Presidents (Erica Ramos, Claire Sosienski Smith, Juliana Mohamad-Noor, and Eva Crossan Jory) on their successful election campaigns and wish all the success in their roles in bringing real positive change to students across the UK.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

1. For further information, please contact: comms@femyso.org
2. FEMYSO was founded in 1996 in Sweden at a time when Muslim youth from across Europe felt the need to come together to create a united body, to share ideas and experiences, help develop the capacity of Muslim European youth and represent their concerns and views to the European institutions. Since then, FEMYSO has grown into a wide network of 34 student and youth organisations throughout Europe, all working to benefit their communities and societies. The FEMYSO vision for European Muslim youth is proactive youth participation and service to humanity. We have trained thousands of young Muslims, contributed to the emergence of a strong confident identity of young European Muslims, and built strong partnerships with organisations across Europe.
3. NUS National Conference 2019 started on April 09 and runs until April 11 in Glasgow. More information about the conference can be found at conference.nusconnect.org.uk.

The European Parliament today adopted for the first time a resolution on the Fundamental Rights of People of African Descent.

In the resolution, the European Parliament recognises that“Afrophobia”, “Afri-phobia” and “anti-black racism” is a specific form of racism, including any act of violence or discrimination, fueled by historical abuses and negative stereotyping, and leading to the exclusion and dehumanizationof People of African Descent.

The Parliament states that the phenomenon of “Afrophobia”, “Afri-phobia” and “anti-black racism” correlates to historically repressive structures of colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, as recognised by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. Furthermore, the European Parliament said the issues of enslavement, forced labour, racial apartheid, massacre, and genocides in the context of European colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade remain largely unrecognized and unaccounted at an institutional level in EU Member States.

Cecile Kyenge MEP, Co-President of ARDI: “I welcome the adoption of the resolution on the Fundamental Rights of People of African Descent. I have been fighting since the beginning of the mandate to have this resolution passed and it sends a very strong message ahead of the European elections that we will not accept racism and discrimination against People of African Descent.”

Malin Bork MEP, Member of ARDI: “I am pleased that the Parliament has adopted this resolution and also the call that we must address past injustices. We must always remember the role People of African Descent have played in building European society throughout history. It is our duty now to ensure that we put in place strong and specific policies to address structural racism including in employment, education, health, criminal justice, political participation and in migration policies and practices.”

Amel Yacef, Chair of the European Network Against Racism: “This vote is a historic watershed moment for the recognition of people of African descent in Europe. The European Parliament is leading the way and sending a signal to EU Member States to tackle structural racism that prevents Black people from being included in European society. The ball is now in their court: we need concrete action plans and specific measures now.”

Resolution: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2019-0212_EN.html

More information: alfiaz.vaiya@europarl.europa.eu

FEMYSO vehemently opposes the normalization of hate speech against Muslims and their dehumanization. The recent situation at the Austrian Parliament is an example of this increasing trend. While it has been less than a week since the terrorist attacks took place in Christchurch in New Zealand, the Austrian parliament yesterday allowed a so-called expert to express that she would use “a machete” to impose a Hijab ban.

During yesterday’s session at the Austrian Parliament, and in the presence of the Minister of Education Mr. Faßmann, the so-called Islam Expert Ms. Zana Ramadani was consulted on the matter of the ban of the hijab (headscarf) in elementary schools. Throughout her intervention, Ms. Ramadani has systematically used hate speech targeting Muslims in Austria. We noted her intervention after Minister Faßmann said: “I am not one who is fighting with the machete” as to which she responded, “to use the machete, that is [the reason that] I am here for.”[1]

We are appalled by the lack of reaction by the Austrian Government to take action against hate speech taking place in their parliament, and we appeal to Minister Faßmann to meet with academically credited experts in the field as well as members of Austrian civil society organisations to consult on the matter. It is noticeable that Ms. Ramadani’s language furthers hate speech against Muslim and reinforces the normalization of anti-Muslim hatred. The Fundamental Rights Agency findings in their European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey, as well as the concerns raised by policy makers and civil society organisations, show that there is an increase in the prevalence and frequency of hate crimes targeting Muslims in the European Union.

As a Member State of the European Union, the Austrian government ought to uphold the fundamental values of the EU, which include amongst many other the respect for human dignity, freedom of belief, and human rights for all people living in Austria, including people belonging to minority groups.

END

[1]”https://diepresse.com/home/bildung/schule/5598480/Die-Ausdehnung-des-Kopftuchverbots”

Our deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand after the horrific terrorist mass shooting attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. We condemn such hatred and violence, and extend our support and most heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families.

This is a reflection on the increased and normalised Islamophobic and hate speech by a number of political parties and media outlets.

FEMYSO calls on the European institutions and all governments to condemn these atrocious attacks and to review their policies on hate speech and specifically speech which incites to violence against Muslims.

We at FEMYSO will continue our efforts on advocating against Islamophobia and all forms of hate speech, and push for more effective policies that reflects the seriousness of the matter.

#NewZealandMosqueShooting #Christchurch

[END]

Notes

1. FEMYSO (est. 1996) is the umbrella organisation of Muslim youth and student organisations across Europe, representing them on European and international levels.

2. For more information please email hassiba.kechiche@femyso.org

Le Forum des Organisations Européennes Musulmanes de Jeunes et d’Étudiants (FEMYSO) est une organisation européenne non-gouvernementale à but non lucratif qui œuvre à promouvoir la participation à une citoyenneté active auprès de la jeunesse musulmane européenne depuis 1996. FEMYSO essuie des attaques répétées de la part de groupuscules d’extrême-droite et d’autres groupes l’accusant d’être liée aux Frères Musulmans. FEMYSO nie catégoriquement ces allégations calomnieuses qui n’ont pour volonté que miner notre organisation.

FEMYSO compte des membres dans 20 pays européens et est entièrement dirigé par de jeunes bénévoles qui partagent une identité européenne et musulmane commune. Depuis notre création en 1996, faisant suite à une conférence organisée par le gouvernement suédois, nous avons été un partenaire clé des institutions européennes, de nombreuses organisations de la société civile et avons travaillé d’arrache-pied pour encourager les contributions positives de la jeunesse musulmane au sein de nos sociétés. Ceci témoigne de notre engagement et de nos efforts visant à promouvoir la citoyenneté active, la coexistence et les valeurs européennes dans tous nos projets depuis nos 23 ans d’existence.

La transparence fait partie de nos principes clés, et ceci depuis notre création. Seuls les jeunes bénévoles et les organisations membres de FEMYSO sont responsables de la gestion de l’organisation, du respect de sa vision et de ses politiques, ainsi que de l’exécution de ses programmes. Toute la gestion se base sur les préoccupations, les priorités et les expériences de jeunes européens. Notre comité exécutif, élu de façon démocratique, répond aux besoins de nos organisations membres et a pour obligation de rendre des comptes lors d’assemblées générales annuelles. En tant qu’organisation internationale non-gouvernementale, nos archives financières et organisationnelles sont soumises, conformément à la loi, aux pouvoirs nécessaires ce qui comprend les autorités belges et le registre européen de transparence.

Nous avons pris la décision de publier cette clarification après de nombreuses attaques envers notre organisation, notre comité exécutif ainsi que nos bénévoles, de la part de membres d’organisations d’extrême-droite et de médias mal informés. Ces attaques ont pour objectif d’intimider et de faire taire les voix de celles et ceux qui travaillent pour promouvoir une société diverse et cohésive où chaque personne, quelle que soit son identité, puisse trouver sa place et avoir accès aux mêmes opportunités. Il est important de noter que ces attaques sont fréquentes, et cherchent à porter atteinte au travail de beaucoup d’organisations musulmanes et d’individus qui œuvrent à contribuer de façon positive à la société européenne, et à combattre l’islamophobie.

Le comité exécutif de FEMYSO a toujours été très clair et transparent sur la question : FEMYSO n’est pas un parti politique, n’est pas lié à un parti politique, et a prouvé au travers des années que son seul objectif est de contribuer à la construction d’une Europe diverse, cohésive et dynamique. Notre organisation se réserve le droit d’entreprendre des actions en justice contre toute organisation ou tout individu qui participe à ces allégations mensongères.

[FIN]

Notes

1. FEMYSO (fondé en 1996) est une organisation parapluie de 32 organisations musulmanes de jeunes et d’étudiants à travers 20 pays Européens, est la principale voix de la jeunesse européenne musulmane, en les développant et autonomisant, contribuant à la construction d’une Europe plus diverse, cohésive et dynamique.
2. Pour plus d’informations ou de demandes, s.v.p. contactez media@femyso.org.

The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), a European non-governmental organisation working to promote active citizenship and public participation among European Muslim youth since 1996, has faced repeated attacks by far-right and other groups accusing the organisation of having links with the Muslim Brotherhood. FEMYSO categorically denies these false and malicious allegations which are designed solely to undermine our organisation.  

FEMYSO, which has a broad membership in 20 European countries, is entirely run by young volunteers who are brought together by their shared European and Muslim identity. Since our founding in 1996 as an outcome of a conference hosted by the Swedish government, we have been a key partner for European institutions, numerous civil society organisations and have worked tirelessly to promote positive contributions by Muslim youth in all of our societies. This is testament to our commitment and efforts to promote active citizenship, coexistence and European values in all of our work throughout our 23 years of existence.  

Transparency has remained one of our key principles throughout the existence of our organisation. It is FEMYSO’s motivated young volunteers and member organisations who are solely responsible for managing the organisation, setting its vision and policies, and running its programs, based on their concerns, priorities, and experiences as European youth. Our democratically elected Executive Committee serves the needs of our membership and are held accountable at our yearly general assemblies. As an international non-governmental organisation, our financial and organisation records are submitted as required to the necessary authorities including the Belgian authorities and the European Transparency Register.  

We have decided to release this clarification after attacks on our organisation, its Executive Committee and volunteers by members of the far right and misinformed media organisations. These attacks are designed to intimidate and silence the voices of those who are working to promote a diverse and cohesive society which provides a place and opportunity for all regardless of background. It is worth noting that such attacks by the far right and others are a common means of seeking to undermine the work of many Muslim organisations and individuals who are working to make a positive contribution to their European societies and counter Islamophobia. 

FEMYSO’s Executive Committee has always been very clear and transparent on this issue – FEMYSO is not a political party, it is not linked to any political party and has proven throughout the years that our sole objective is to work for a diverse, cohesive and vibrant Europe. Our organisation reserves the right to take legal action against organisations and individuals making false allegations.  

Notes

1. FEMYSO (est. 1996) is a network organisation for 32 Muslim youth and student organisations across 20 European countries, and is the leading voice for European Muslim youth, developing and empowering them, and working to build a more diverse, cohesive and vibrant Europe.
2. For more information or requests please email media@femyso.org.