Government Islamophobia adviser tells Board of Deputies conference: ‘Our communities must stand together on hate’

Imam Qari Asim, the government’s adviser on a definition of Islamophobia,  has told a Board of Deputies of British Jews conference about the importance of the Jewish and Muslim communities standing together against hate.

Speaking on a panel chaired by Board of Deputies Vice-President Edwin Shuker, Imam Asim said:  “Islamophobia and antisemitism have been on the rise in recent years with increasing attacks on Muslims and Jews. This is why our communities must stand together against hate, and the Board of Deputies is right to empower more interfaith activists through events such as this conference.”

Other speakers at Sunday’s interfaith conference, entitled “Beyond Coexistence”, included Jemma Levene from Hope Not Hate, Revd Dr Jonathan Dean from the Methodist Church, Randeep Singh Lall, founder of Sikh charity SWAT, and Rabbi Helen Freeman from the West London Synagogue.

The participants, a mix of academics, activists and community members, engaged in sessions covering a range of interfaith topics, from tackling racism, to scriptural reasoning and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Edwin Shuker said: “The conference was designed to empower participants by widening their network of contacts and share successful interfaith projects and best practices. Feedback and evaluations were very encouraging.”

Photo: left to right:  Revd  Jonathan Dean, Imam Qari Asim and Edwin Shuker