By FEMYSO Advocacy Team
On September 22nd, in observance of the European Action Day Against Islamophobia (EADAI), the FEMYSO team convened its annual conference at the European Parliament. We were pleased to have the distinguished support of Brando Benifei MEP and Cecila Strada MEP, establishing from the outset that this was an urgent, cross-institutional effort to challenge the persistent failure of European institutions to uphold their foundational values. This gathering was far more than routine; it was a direct and necessary response to the escalating hostility and institutional repression targeting Muslim youth across the continent, confronting the policies and practices that undermine our rights and democratic freedoms.
We gathered, acutely aware of the historical weight of prejudice, noting the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. Yet, while we look back in mourning, the current political landscape is shadowed by the ongoing genocide in Gaza, enabled by continued European political and economic ties, and the local lethal consequence of unchecked hate – such as the brutal murder of Aboubakar Cisse in a French mosque. The failure of the establishment to act decisively on anti-Muslim racism is not just regrettable; it is indefensible.
Keynote Remarks: The Institutional Challenge
The conference immediately drew a powerful coalition of MEPs, policymakers, and civil society advocates, all of whom, we trust, left with an uncomfortable truth to take back to their desks. The proceedings began with vital Keynote Remarks that set the stage for our day of critical confrontation.
Our political supporter for the event, Brando Benifei, MEP (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament), who delivered a necessary challenge, stressing the need for European institutions to actively ely champion civil liberties, arguing that we have all been witnesses to their alarming decline. He noted that the topic of Islamophobia is tragically losing traction on a higher political level, fuelled by right-wing movements where previously unacceptable racist language has become normalised within institutions. To counter this, he stressed the need to strengthen alliances, create funding for combating discrimination, focus on equality legislation, and provide appropriate resources. He affirmed his commitment to continue assisting on this matter and graciously thanked FEMYSO for our work in building dialogue between institutions and member states, ensuring the day’s momentum would not be lost.
The message from Benedetta Scuderi, MEP, was exceptional, linking our struggle directly to the global fight for human dignity. Speaking live from a flotilla on its way to break the siege on Gaza, she highlighted the alarming lack of support for civil societies and the increased loss of civil rights, emphasising that racism is a structural issue that must be confronted. She insisted that we must continue to support grassroots organisations like FEMYSO, particularly at a time when misinformation is deliberately deployed to jeopardise the vital work of Muslim civil society. She argued that institutions must invest resources to support us, or else they are sending a clear message about their priorities. Her final powerful point was that defending civic spaces stands as the ultimate test of credibility for European ideology, as the ongoing genocide in Gaza has demonstrated how dehumanisation can lead to a blind eye being turned to horrific events.
A significant contribution came from Marion Lalisse, the European Commission’s Coordinator on combating anti-Muslim hatred. Cutting through the institutional fog, she stated plainly that ”anti-Muslim hatred is a reality in Europe.” Furthermore, she detailed the Commission’s work to uphold the UN charter, including collaborating with the international community, such as Australia and Canada, to monitor online hate – a crucial step in reducing the risk of anti-Muslim prejudice manifesting here in Europe.
Panel 1: Under Pressure: Youth, Islamophobia and Shrinking Civic Space
The first panel, expertly moderated by Mark Dempsey (EU Advocacy Lead at ARTICLE 19), tackled the notion that the European Parliament is a safe space – n issue that continues to raise concern among our youth advocates’. This discussion, featuring Danilo Della Valle MEP, Milosh Ristovski (European Youth Forum), Mila Paspalanova (OHCHR), and Nourhene Mahmoudi (European Network Against Racism representative and ), went to the heart of how fundamental freedoms – such as protesting, organising, and participating in public life -are increasingly under threat. We highlighted how Islamophobia is used to silence, sideline, and police Muslim presence (as seen during the 2025 European Youth Event), and stressed that civil society must build coalitions. The consensus was a ringing endorsement that this shared struggle must be transformed into collective power to safeguard democratic participation, including the in the anti-racism strategy, young people should not have to always feel that they have to advocate for themselves – they should be able to develop without fears of being being the scapegoat for political gain, variables, discrimination etc its alarming what has happened around Europe where we are seeing these shrinking of civic spaces, new police powers that mean peaceful protests can be targeted etc examples in the last year include..
Panel 2: Equality in Education: Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers and Opportunity Gaps
Beyond the high politics, we drilled down into the plumbing of the system in Equality in Education: Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers and Opportunity Gaps. Moderated by Sara Aljic, the President of the Muslim Students Association Netherlands, this panel focused on how higher education, supposedly the great leveller, still functions as a cleverly designed obstacle course for Muslim students. Speakers Marie-Amah Kouadio (European Anti-Poverty Network), Rui Teixeira (OBESSU), and Joana Azeiteiro (European Students Union) exposed the daily inequities: harassment on campus and the lack of basic accommodations for basic religious expression like wearing a headscarf. We contextualised this structural Islamophobia within the wider landscape of student struggles—from the crippling effect of financial pressures and unpaid internships to the resulting impact on mental health. The crucial takeaway was that these systemic inequalities are not benign; they disproportionately impact Muslim and other marginalised communities, making education a source of exclusion rather than empowerment.
Our Vision: Time to Prioritise Principle
The European Action Day Against Islamophobia is a perpetual call to action. FEMYSO leaves the Parliament with a mandate: to continue to advocate, to organise, and to empower European Muslim youth. The lessons of history and the crises of the present demand that European institutions—and every one of us—move beyond carefully worded platitudes. We have had the critical dialogue. Now, it is time for Brussels to prioritise principle and translate these discussions into tangible policies to secure dignity and justice for all.
