Islamophobia does not exist in a vacuum – it is not a single-issue fight, nor can it be tackled in isolation. It is the shadow cast by a web of interconnected injustices. This was the defining message of the 2024 European Action Against Islamophobia Conference, in which civil-society organisations, politicians, activists and academics came together to confront a stark reality: Islamophobia cannot be fought in silos. It thrives at the intersection of economic exploitation, the scapegoating of migrants, the normalisation of genocidal violence , and the hypersurveillance of minority communities – all rooted in Europe’s dark colonial past. These are not separate issues but interconnected fronts in the broader fight for a just, equal, and rights-based Europe.
In light of the EU-recognised European Action Day Against Islamophobia (EADAI) on the 21st of September, FEMYSO organises an annual conference at the European Parliament which serves as a crucial space to bring attention to the issue of anti-Muslim racism across Europe. Established through the advocacy efforts of FEMYSO and its partners, EADAI provides a space to share lived experiences, information and practical strategies to combat Islamophobia in Europe.
In 2024, amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the far-right surge during the European elections, and increasing use of technology to police and surveil Muslim communities, the urgency of EADAI’s mission has never been clearer. FEMYSO marked EADAI 2024 with a conference at the European Parliament in Brussels, and an afternoon Red-Teaming event, supported by Humane Intelligence. These events convened over 60 youth participants from across Europe, together with representatives from civil society groups and Members of the European Parliament, to reflect on the past year and engage in nuanced, critical discussions about the escalating levels of Islamophobia. By integrating the conference with the workshop, this year’s EADAI sought not only to foster dialogue but also to encourage practical engagement with the realities of discrimination, empowering participants to contribute to meaningful, real-world change.
The conference opened with a panel titled ‘Strategic Responses to Islamophobia in a Post-Elections Europe’, chaired by James Kanter, political commentator and host of the EUScreams podcast. The session sparked a dynamic discussion on Islamophobia, exploring both its contemporary manifestations and its structural roots. Attendees heard from journalists, human rights advocates, and politicians leading the fight against racism across Europe. Benedetta Scuderi, MEP for Greens/EFA, mapped out the rise of anti-migrant rhetoric and its intersection with Islamophobic discourse, whereby those in power wield their authority to dictate who belongs and who does not. Political commentator, Shada Islam, drew attention to the genocide in Gaza as the ultimate betrayal of Europe’s commitment to human rights and the rules-based international order. She highlighted the profound alienation and fundamentally altered sense of belonging felt by European Muslims in response to Europe’s indifference and complicity.
Aarti Narse, senior policy and advocacy officer at the European Civic Forum’s contributions highlighted the link between recent attacks on European civil space – through legislative restrictions on the right to protest, police brutality and the demonisation of the pro-Palestine movement in the media – and Europe’s unaddressed colonial past and long-standing treatment of minority groups. Here, Arab and Muslim dissent is presented as an expression of rage that cannot be examined, only condemned and violently opposed. Indeed, Julie Pascoet, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at the European Network Against Racism, emphasised the invisibility of Muslim voices within EU institutions, stressing the need for representation and diverse consultation to drive meaningful, anti-racist policies. The session was followed by several pertinent questions from the audience members, facilitating a rich and multifaceted discussion.
The second panel, ‘Understanding Islamophobia in AI’, delved into a critical and contemporary facet of institutionalized Islamophobia in Europe. Expertly moderated by Daris José, Legal and Policy Officer at Equinet, the discussion unpacked how AI systems can embed and amplify Islamophobic biases. Despite its technical nature, the panel offered a nuanced exploration of how technology is deeply intertwined with social structures and prejudices. Zeynep Engin, Founding Director of Data for Policy CIC, outlined how AI models, such as ChatGPT, inherit biases from training data, which ultimately reflect existing, structural socio-political biases. Mark Faddoul, the Director at Al Forensics, provided the example of AI-driven content moderation on social media platforms which disproportionately suppresses Muslim voices. This creates a harmful feedback loop, whereby Muslims are policed online under counter-terrorism policies, generating biased data that perpetuates the cycle. All panelists stressed the urgent need for greater transparency from AI platforms, with mechanisms for public accountability and independent audits. The discussion underscored the vital role of civic engagement and grassroots in holding these systems accountable and shaping a collective vision of fairness and inclusivity in AI – a mission that FEMYSO is determined to carry forward.
Following a delicious lunch, attendees shifted from discussion to action, participating in a hands-on Red Teaming exercise. We were honoured to be joined by Brando Benifei, MEP for the Democratic Party and AI Act Rapporteur, who outlined the importance of Red Teaming exercises in proactively identifying and addressing potential vulnerabilities in artificial intelligence systems. During the exercise, participants challenged AI models with prompts related to the Muslim identity, aiming to expose biases, discriminatory outputs, and potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors. FEMYSO is currently preparing a comprehensive report to document the findings of this exercise.
Indeed, this year’s EADAI has only further highlighted the critical importance of FEMYSO’s mission to empower and advocate for Muslim youth – now more than ever. We remain steadfast in our commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalised youth within European institutions, fostering spaces for meaningful engagement with decision-makers, and building a European-wide movement, with alliances across diverse civil society actors and EU stakeholders, to challenge Islamophobia and structural discrimination. As hundreds and thousands have taken to the street to advocate for peace and justice in Palestine, the pervasive impact of Islamophobic rhetoric has become increasingly clear: from media narratives that fuel hatred and demonisation, to legislative crackdowns on free speech, to the use of surveillance technologies targeting Muslims. Yet, amid these challenges, we have witnessed the transformative power of grassroots mobilisation and collective action in holding institutions accountable.
Muslim youth often find themselves at the cross-roads of the multifaceted forms in which Islamophobia manifests, facing barriers to education, employment and full participation in civic society. As FEMYSO we will continue our advocacy efforts to ensure that the perspective of Muslim youth and students is amplified and represented in decision-making processes that still lack diverse representation of all minorities in Europe.
