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MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE
DONOR BROCHURE
The Muslim Jewish Conference is a global, volunteer-run, non-profit organization building mutual trust, respect and cooperation between Muslims and Jews. Every year since 2010, we have gathered approximately 100 young Jews and Muslims from around the globe for a week of intensive interfaith dialogue, grassroots coalition-building, and leadership development. We empower young Muslim and Jewish leaders to create their own collaborative projects so as to effectuate long-lasting social change in the areas of interreligious cooperation and cross-cultural understanding. Together we are achieving a feat that many once described as impossible: building a global movement of Muslims and Jews.
The Muslim Jewish Conference is a registered non-profit in Austria and receives fiscal sponsorship in the United States from Jewish Jumpstart, a 501(c)(3) organization.
THE MJC HAS BROUGHT OVER 400 YOUNG JEWISH AND MUSLIM LEADERS TOGETHER FOR DIALOGUE, GRASSROOTS COALITION BUILDING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CREATION OF LASTING FRIENDSHIPS 4
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SECRETARY-GENERAL Not long ago, my vision of bringing together hundreds of young Muslim and Jewish leaders from around the world was really just that: a vision. However, through the help of our generous supporters and our dynamic team of volunteers, I am proud to report that within just a few years this vision has become a reality. Since our first conference in 2010, we have gathered more than 400 young Jewish and Muslim leaders for dialogue, grassroots coalition building, and - most importantly - friendship. Our conferences bring together young people from all corners of the globe: from throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, North and South America, and North and Sub-Saharan Africa. Our participants have been at the forefront of issues in their communities and are active in various disciplines: they are directors of local and national NGOs; civil, human and women’s rights activists; academics; emerging business leaders; policymakers; humanitarian aid workers; spiritual leaders; journalists; community and university leaders. As the years have passed, we have expanded our focus and our operations to become a global network united for interfaith cooperation and understanding. We also have become a project incubator, working closely with our alumni to develop grassroots initiatives in their home communities on topics related to peace-building, improving interfaith relations, fighting racism and other issues of mutual concern. Our dual model as a dialogue platform and a project incubator has sparked transformative change that has impacted thousands of individuals all across the globe. As we continue to grow and look towards the future, we continue to identify new and innovative ways to expand and mobilize our participants to maximize their impact around the world. I hope you will join us in the next steps on our journey.
Thank you for your support, leadership and friendship.
Ilja Sichrovsky
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THE MJC HAS BEEN A TRULY LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. EVERYDAY OF THE CONFERENCE, I BECAME MORE CONVINCED THAT MUSLIMS AND JEWS HAVE COUNTLESS SIMILARTIES SHANZA, 24, LONDON
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FOR ME PERSONALLY, THE MJC IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSLIMS AND JEWS TO COME TOGETHER AND LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER ALEXANDER, 26, USA
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EVEN THOUGH I MAY DISAGREE WITH THE VIEWPOINTS OF OTHERS, I WILL DEFEND TO DEATH THEIR RIGHT TO EXPRESS IT. THIS IS WHY I DECIDED TO BE PART OF MJC MOHAMMED, 22, SOUTH AFRICA
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MJC IS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCES I‘VE HAD TO HELP IMPROVE MY PERCEPTION OF THE OTHER IN GENERAL AND THE MUSLIM IN PARTICULAR ANNE-SOPHIE, 23, FRANCE
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... A GLOBAL NETWORK OF YOUNG JEWS AND MUSLIMS UNITED FOR INTERRELIGIOUS COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING... 10
MORE THAN FIFTY COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED AT THE MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE Participants have tackled a host of topics at previous Muslim Jewish Conferences. These sessions include: • Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Cinema • Back to the Basics: Introduction to Judaism and Islam • Conflict Transformation • Countering the Politics of Hatred • Crossroads in the Future: The Route to Sustainable Dialogue • Education and the Effects of Historical Narratives • Gender and Religion • Hate Speech and Its Influence on Public Opinion • Muslims and Jews in the Arts • Muslims and Jews in Business • Role of the Media • Stories of Collective Memories and Comparative Identities 11
2011 VISIT TO BABI YAR KIEV, UKRAINE "As we walked down to the ravine, on the edge of which so many lost their lives, I questioned the humanity of those that could commit such atrocities. I could think of nothing to do but pray. I think we all felt a deep connection and this was only solidified in the prayer we held on return to the main memorial. We prayed in the tradition of Muslims when they visit the graves of their loved ones, we recited Surah Fatiha, the opening Chapter of the Quran, in remembrance of those that had been lost. I was again captured by the idea of how much we shared as a people: that we were brothers and sisters in faith and tradition and in many ways, in experience too. Here, we were held together in the emotion of loss, and personally I felt the need for change – to change our communities, open their eyes, and bring them together." LAMEES HAFEEZ, UNITED KINGDOM "Knowing that my grandmother’s family was likely among the 33,000 Jews murdered at Babi Yar, I had mixed feelings about visiting the site. I remember shaking and feeling sick to my stomach as we walked in silence down the narrow path by the ravine. Then spontaneously, it seemed, all of the Muslims in our group gathered in a circle, held out their hands before them, and began to pray. I was confused at first but soon realized that they were reciting the Muslim prayer for remembering the dead, Surah Fatiha. Watching our Muslim friends pray for the Jews who had died at Babi Yar, for my own family, meant so much to me and continues to bring tears to my eyes three years later." GEORGI J. VOGEL ROSEN, UNITED STATES
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BABI YAR IS THE SITE OF THE LARGEST SINGLE NAZI MASSACRE, WHERE OVER 33.000 JEWS WERE MURDERED ON SEPTEMBER 29 AND 30, 1941 13
MORE THAN 8,000 BOSNIAN MUSLIMS WERE MURDERED AT SREBRENICA, BOSNIA IN JULY 1995 THE MASSACRE IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE WORST CRIME TO OCCUR ON EUROPEAN SOIL SINCE THE HOLOCAUST
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2013 VISIT TO SREBRENICA, BOSNIA "The day we visited Srebrenica, one hundred Muslims and Jews from around the world acted as one to pay tribute to the victims of such an insane massacre. That day, this impressive delegation of young people tried to learn the lessons of this event made possible by hate, indifference and the complicity of the “international community”. That day, we represented the conscience of the world. That day, we took our part of responsibility, as human beings, and vowed that we will do everything in our power to not let this happen again." RAFAEL TSYZBLAT, FRANCE "The most overwhelming part of the visit to Srebrenica was listening to the testimonies of mothers and wives of the deceased men as they recounted the horrors of the massacre; some were still waiting to know what happened to their loved ones as mass graves in the area are still being found 18 years on. It is impossible to imagine the pain and fear of these brave women. At the cemetery, Muslims and Jews offered prayers for the lost lives, and in that moment our religious, cultural or political differences didn‘t matter. We were all just humans mourning our brothers." SHAYAN AHMED, PAKISTAN
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THE HONORABLE BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1993-2001, RECOGNIZES THE MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE FOR IT’S IMPACT IN THE FIELD OF MUSLIM-JEWISH RELATIONS 16
THE COMMITMENT OF YOUR VOLUNTEERS AND THE SUCCESS OF YOUR GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO ENDEAVOR FOR A POLITICS OF DIGNITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT. I COMMEND THE DEDICATION OF ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE
2010 VIENNA
2011 KIEV
2012 BRATISLAVA
2013 SARAJEVO 17
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THE WORK OF THE MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE HAS BEEN FEATURED IN A NUMBER OF MEDIA PUBLICATIONS MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE MEETS IN SARAJEVO TO COMBAT ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ANTI-SEMITISM HUFFINGTON POST AT A MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE, DIALOGUE AND HOPE JTA RAPID WORLDWIDE GROWTH FOR JEWISH-MUSLIM ALLIANCE THE TIMES OF ISRAEL INTERFAITH CONFERENCE TO BRING JEWS AND MUSLIMS TOGETHER IN UKRAINE THE JERUSALEM POST
AL JAZEERA – BALKANS JERUSALEM POST CNN BELIEF BLOG HUFFINGTON POST HAARETZ JTA NEWS JEWISH JOURNAL HAARETZ OSTERREICH JOURNAL ISLAM TODAY TIMES OF ISRAEL FORWARD TA3 (SLOVAKIA) DAGEN (SWEDEN) SACRAMENTO BEE (UNITED STATES) LAS VEGAS SUN (UNITED STATES) HABER (BOSNIA) STAR AFRICA BALKAN CHRONICLE DIE PRESSE
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ADVISORY BOARD ANDREY AZOULAY, Counselor to H.M. King Mohammed VI of Morocco DR. MUSTAFA CERIĆ, Former Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina JACOB FINCI, Former Bosnian and Herzegovinian Ambassador to Switzerland / Founder, La Benevolencija SALLY PAINTER, Former Senior Advisor to the United States Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton / Chief Operation Officer of Blue Star Strategies, LLC RABBI DAVID ROSEN, Former Chief Rabbi of Ireland / Director of the Heilbrunn Institutefor International Interreligious Understanding
HONORARY COMMITTEE
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RABBI ANDREW BAKER, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Combating Anti-Semitism JEREMIAH BARONBERG, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP MAG. DR. JAMELEDDINE BEN ABDELJELIL, Department of Near Eastern Studies, University of Vienna TIMNA BRAUER, Austrian-Yemeni singer-songwriter EDUARD DOLINSKY, Ukrainian Jewish Committee RAFI ELUL, Advisor to the President of Israel ALEKSANDR FELDMAN, Ukrainian Parliament / International Center for Tolerance DR. FRANZ FISCHLER, Eco-Social Forum / former European Union Commissioner RABBI EVELINE GOODMAN-THAU, Hermann Cohen Academy JOSEF HADER, Austrian comedian and actor AMBASSADOR NEDZAD S. HADZIMUSIC, former Bosnian ambassador to the European Union ADNAN HASIĆ, New Democracy Initiative MAYOR MICHAEL HÄUPL, Vienna, Austria ANDRÉ HELLER, Austrian artist, author, singer and actor IBRAHIM ISSA, Hope Flowers School, Bethlehem PATRICIA KAHANE, President of the Karl Kahane Foundation ABBAS KHIDER, Award-winning Iraqi-German writer SEBASTIAN KURZ, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Austria DR. ALOIS MOCK, Former Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria WOLFGANG PETRITSCH, European Union Special Envoy for Kosovo SUSANNE SCHOLL, Austrian journalist and writer DR. ZEYNEP TALUY-GROSSRUCK, United Nations Industrial Development Organization CITY COUNCILOR ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN, Vienna, Austria
PATRONAGE MJC 2010 & 2014 VIENNA
MJC 2013 SARAJEVO
DR. HEINZ FISCHER, PRESIDENT OF AUSTRIA
BAKIR IZETBEGOVIĆ, MEMBER OF THE PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
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REFLECTIONS The Muslim Jewish Conference in 2012 in Slovakia was definitely one of the most enriching and eye-opening experiences I have ever had and was really the first in depth encounter I had with young Jews outside of my academic studies. I have since been actively involved in interfaith initiatives in London, promoting dialogue between Muslim and Jewish women to ensure better working relationships between women of these faiths. I hope to continue working positively with the Jewish community through my work at Islamic Relief going forward. LOTIFA BEGUM, CAMPAIGNS AND EDUCATION COORDINATOR AT THE ISLAMIC RELIEF CHARITY, UNITED KINGDOM Attending the Muslim Jewish Conference in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina was a truly unique and unforgettable experience. The chance for young Jews and Muslims from around the world to engage positively with each other opened up a new world of understanding between individuals and their communities. I believe that it is only by celebrating our differences and building on our similarities, through initiatives like the MJC, that young people can come together to create a more tolerant, inclusive and peaceful future. ALANA BARANOV, FREELANCE JOURNALIST / SOCIAL OUTREACH AND MEDIA LIAISON AT DURBAN HOLOCAUST CENTRE, SOUTH AFRICA, 2013 MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE The Muslim Jewish Conference for me is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life -- spiritually, emotionally, personally and professionally. The seven days I spent at the conference really changed my life and my perspectives. It has given me the confidence and sense of responsibility to be a change agent in interfaith dialogue on a daily basis in my community and surroundings. MAHJABEEN BALOCH, PROJECT HEAD AND TRAINING COORDINATOR AT ASPIRING MINDS FOUNDATION, PAKISTAN Participating in the Muslim Jewish Conference has enriched my life in two ways. First, it has opened my mind and made me more tolerant. Second, it has given me an opportunity to meet remarkable individuals – some of whom are now my close friends. The Muslim Jewish Conference experience and community have had a significant personal impact on me. VIKTORYIA CHABATAROVA, GRADUATE STUDENT IN THE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM AT RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY, GERMANY
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THE MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE HAS A SKILLED AND DEDICATED VOLUNTEER STAFF FROM MORE THAN 15 COUNTRIES. OUR VOLUNTEERS BRING A BROAD RANGE OF EXPERTISE TO THE ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING IN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION, RELIGIOUS STUDIES, AND NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT.
AS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION, ALL OF OUR PROCEEDS GO TOWARD ADVANCING OUR MISSION DONATIONS CAN BE MADE BY VISITING HTTP://MJCONFERENCE.ORG/DONATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MUSLIM JEWISH CONFERENCE ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE IN THE UNITED STATES, THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS FISCAL SPONSORSHIP FROM JEWISH JUMPSTART.
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WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO OUR PARTNERS WHO EMBRACE OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING INTERRELIGIOUS UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS AND DESIGN, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AUSTRIAN AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BRATISLAVA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS, SLOVAKIA BRUNO KREISKY FORUM, VIENNA, AUSTRIA CAFE LEOPOLD HAWELKA, VIENNA, AUSTRIA CITY OF BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AUSTRIA GUERRARD-HERMES FOUNDATION FOR PEACE HOMMES DE PAROLE FOUNDATION, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND HUSEIN EF. KAVAZOVIĆ, GRAND MUFTI OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA IRVING AND DOROTHY ROM CHARITABLE FOUNDATION JEWISH COMMUNITY IN SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA JEWISH JUMPSTART KARL KAHANE FOUNDATION MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OECD) OST CLUB, VIENNA, AUSTRIA SINE LEGE FILM, VIENNA, AUSTRIA STANLEY & MARION BERGMAN FAMILY CHARITABLE FUND UKRANIAN JEWISH COMMITTEE UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS (UNAOC) UNAOC - DO ONE THING CAMPAIGN UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA 25
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