Two Scots will be taking part in a key global forum consisting of 300 young Muslims from around the world.
Osama Saeed and Humza Yousaf from the Scottish-Islamic Foundation were selected from thousands of nominations to take part in the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow programme taking place later this month in Doha, Qatar.
In an historic time of change and diversity, young Muslim leaders from a broad range of countries are convening to push for change from within the global Muslim community. An Italian imam, a Saudi fashion designer, an Iranian rapper, a Pakistani madrasa reformer, an American blogger, and a Dutch lawyer are among the other participants attending the 2009 Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow conference.
This new generation of community-based, forward-thinking Muslim leaders will come together to share a wide range of strategies and leadership styles, to "make tomorrow a day when Muslims are known around the world as people of peace," in the words of one invitee.
These young Muslim leaders—from Senegal to Somalia, Indonesia to Iraq, Britain to Bahrain, and Kosovo to Kuwait —will propose innovative solutions to challenges facing Muslims globally such as crisis of religious authority, violent extremism, competing values, and strained relations with the West.
The Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow are answering a global call for change on behalf of the world’s Muslim community and will communicate their shared message of tolerance and progressive leadership by authoring a joint statement addressed to today’s global leadership.
Rushda Majeed of the organizers, the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA) said: "The weekend of Barack Obama’s inauguration in Washington, DC, a new generation of dynamic Muslim leaders spanning the spectrum of ethnicity, ideology and profession will gather to mobilize a global Muslim movement for peace, justice and the common good."
Osama Saeed of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation said: "The experience of Muslims in every country is different, and there are always new ideas and initiatives to learn from. At the same time though, people I meet at these kind of forums are usually struck at how we’re getting it right in Scotland in terms of community relations in comparison to most places. This is a story I always look forward to telling."
The 2009 Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow Doha Conference is organized by the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA), in collaboration with the Cordoba Initiative and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (AoC).