STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

The Presidency of European Muslim League, the President Amb. Alfredo Maiolese, the Vice President Dr. Arben Ramkaj, the Secretary General Dr.Yvonne Ridley, together with all the members of EML, are glad to announce the nomination of a new Ambassador of Peace in Kyrgyzstan.

Congratulations to Prof.Zaiyrbek Ergeshov for this important role in his Country.

SAN PAOLO, BRAZIL

Our Coordinator of Ambassadors for Latin America Amb Dr. Kassem Mohammed Tayjan participated together with many EML Ambassadors of Peace in an important International Conference. Here in the photo at the opening of the meeting.

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

Addressing Radical Thinking and Violent Extremism"

Mr. Ahmeddahir Hussein OSMAN

Advisor on International Relations,

Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, Federal Republic of Somalia, Ambassador of Peace of EML, Ambassador International parliament for peace and safety, East Africa. 

The issues discussed here echo the challenges faced by the Somali authorities. During and after the Somalian civil war, which started in 1991, extremist movements claiming their belonging to Islam have proliferated. The most prominent one is Al-Shabab, linked with Al-Qaida, which remains very active, and who is fighting the Somali government but also foreign ones, such as Kenya. The Somalian government as well as the African Union are cooperating to eradicate the movement, both physically and ideologically. As such, the Somalian government has a long experience in the field of counter-terrorism. It has acquired a relevant knowledge of the tactics and strategies of the movement, for example in the way in which it radicalizes and recruits the youth. Of course, they take profit from the weak economy and target people living in a very precarious socio-economic situations and with mental disorder too. Al-Shabab mobilizes ideologies that clearly misinterpret Islam, and establish a dichotomy between them, who allegedly represent the righteous Islam, and the Somali authorities, depicted as infidels. They push their recruits to kill those working for the government, promising them a reward in heaven. This is why the Somali government is aware that a physical army is not sufficient to fight Al-Shabab and any extremist group. It must win the hearts and minds of the community. This is why it has started to focus on the teaching of the Quran in schools, to counter the ideology and the wrong teaching of the extremists. Actually, Al-Qaida and Al-Shabab have been able to spread their ideology in numerous Quranic schools. In government schools, shari’ah should be adequately explained, and awareness of the variety of interpretative methods and trends should be raised. 

Three months ago, Al Shabab released a video accusing the Somalian government, the European Union, and the US of being infidels and enemy of Islam. The Somalian authorities are actually elaborating an adequate reply to this video in a letter. Numerous Islamic scholars are currently working with the Ministries, providing answers to the points raised by Al Shabaab in the video. The Somalian community understands better the misuse of Islam by Al-Shabaab. 

However, the mobilization of Muslim scholars against Islamic extremism should be more intense and more structured in international networks of cooperation. Muslim scholars and imams all around the world should unite and highlight the fact that Al-Qaida or other such movements are absolutely not part of Islam. We should not even call them “Islamists”, but find another name or category to name them, to prevent anyone from thinking that they have any religious legitimacy, relevance or connection to Islam. It could be an adequate way to cut the roots of pseudo-religious extremism. 

Beyond the fight against such extremist movements, the Somalian authorities should also work further in protecting the rights of religious minorities, and demonstrate more support in their favor. There is indeed a small Christian community in Somalia which is quite vulnerable. We have to insist on the fact that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)has never encouraged anyone to kill or fight people out of situations of defense in aggression wars. The core concept and meaning of Islam are peace. We must remind that when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) went to Medina, his rule was based on peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Jews, and the Christians, which is the exact contrary of what is taught and practiced by Al-Shabab and Al-Qaida, which instead call for violent jihad against the alleged infidels. So, we need to go back to our genuine history and restore the knowledge of Islam, and to think about how people could live together peacefully.

BRUXELLES, BELGIUM

Yet another tragedy in the name of a God Clement and Mercy who clearly says it in the Holy Quran: "MY MERCY OVERCOMES MY WRATH." But then why these killings in the name of God? When a Muslim has to pray he has to purify himself by doing ablution. These people who kill have not the slightest notion of religion. We must ban the political and military use of religion. Whoever only mentions the name of Allah should wipe his mouth because he is not worthy to call him back and kill in His name. He does not have the right to call himself a Muslim. We must not judge words but actions, and these are not actions of a Muslim, who eventually has the right to defend himself from aggression but never using religion to get justice as in the free farwest.

ELBASAN, ALBANIA

Eml Vice President Dr. Arben Ramkaj is  honored together with the board of the Center, to welcomed Prof. Ambrogio Bongovanni from the Gregorian University in Rome.

His research and teaching area focuses on topics inherent in interfaith dialogue (in particular refering to Islam and Hinduism), to pedagogy of dialogue and to missiology.

He is also a visiting professor at the S. Luigi Southern Italian Faculty of Theology section in Naples

His current tasks are as follows:

Consultant of the Dicastery on Interreligious Dialogue (Vatican) (from September 2020)

Director of GMI Magazine - Magis Foundation

Co-director of the 'Missio Dei' series on interreligious and missiological studies from the publishing house Aracne (Rome)

Member of the Scientific Committee of the Art of Theology magazine (https://www.artiteologie.it/)

Member of the National Coordination of Religion for Peace (section of Italy)

Member and peer reviewer of the editorial board of the international magazine Dilatato Corde del DIM (Dialogo

Interfaith Monastery).

His participation in research groups are as follows:

a) "Abu Dhabi Document on Human Brotherhood" - Joint Research Group (Center for

Interfaith of the Gregorian University and the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies PISAI) (promoted

from PLURIEL- Platforme universitaire de recherche sur l'islam en Europe et au Liban)

b) "Mediterranean as a theological place" - Interdisciplinary and interuniversity directed research group

from the Theological Faculty of Southern Italy

A few years ago he undertook missiological and interreligious studies at the Gregorian and Urbanian University earning the doctor title with a dissertation on formation of interreligious dialogue.

For more than 30 years he is engaged in international cooperation and issues of interreligious dialogue, intercultural theology and the relationship between religions and society at the academic and civil level, collaborating with various institutions and participating as a speaker in conferences and multiple seminars.

He is a lecturer at the Institute of Studies on Religions and Cultures of the Gregorian University, as well as the head of

training programs and is responsible for these programes as a delegate of the Rectorate.

From 2008 to 2020, he taught courses on interreligious dialogue, dialogue pedagogy and

religious fundamentalisms at the Pontifical University Urbaniana, as assistant and appointed professor. 

From 2011 to 2014 he was a visiting professor at the Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies PISAI, and from 2013

until 2019 professor of Islam and Muslim Culture at the Pontifical College of Beda (Rome).

From 2012 to 2017 he collaborated in the Master in Intercultural and Interreligious Mediation of ASUS - Accdemia

of Humanities and Social Sciences (Rome)

From 2010-2012, he was a professor of the Master of Religions and Cultural Mediation at the Sapienza University of Rome.

SKOPJE, MACEDONIA

The Presidency of European Muslim League, the President Amb. Alfredo Maiolese, the Vice President Dr. Arben Ramkaj, the Secretary General Dr.Yvonne Ridley, together with all the members of EML, are glad to announce the nomination of a new Ambassador of Peace in Macedonia.

Congratulations to H.E. Hon. Dr. Kastriot Redjepi for this important role in his Country.