Lessons of public work from the Federation of Islamic Organizations of Europe

A unique training seminar for “Alraid” members was organized last weekend (April 6 and 7, 2013) by “Alraid”, with support from the Federation of Islamic Organizations of Europe (FIOE). It was devoted to public work and efficiency in organizing and carrying out socially useful undertakings and actions of mutual assistance.

The seminar, held in the conference hall of the Kiev Islamic Cultural Center, was attended by more than 40 persons: “Alraid” leaders, department heads, leaders and members of organizations incorporated in “Alraid”.

Objective of the seminar is to enhance participants’ competencies in cultural and education work in view of the high requirements to a public activist, such as self education and self training capabilities, selflessness, sympathy and striving to mutual understanding with colleagues. 

According to a seminar lecturer, “first and foremost, a person intending to be a public worker must be demanding to him(her) self and his (her) morals, and treat others with warmth, sympathy and love. The whole range of public work is in the capacity of only the teams who could become a family with each one sticking with the companion”.

Keeping with Islamic commands helps in organizing public work

When doing public work, a Muslim activist must stick to the principle of moderateness commanded by Islam and remind it to his/her colleagues and pupils. The true Islamic tolerance helps to foster immunity to extremisms and radicalism in the young people; a person fostered in Islamic tolerance behaves in a way to exhibit the values and morals of our religion to broader public.

In our times when mass media tends to frighten followers of other faiths with “Islamic threat”, each Muslim is responsible for communicating true information about Islam to broader public. Our behavior, habits or actions will be far more convincing than lectures or passionate sermons.

Muslims of Ukraine: an integral part of the Ukrainian community

To have one’s neighbor immune to various kinds of Islamic phobia, it may be enough to greet him warmly, ask about his matters or health, or offer him sweets a couple of times on the occasion of Muslim festivals. 

Because Muslims of Ukraine is an integral part of the Ukrainian community, we should do our best to bring them the highest benefit. The seminar participants discussed several problems existing in Ukraine and their potential solutions, in order to have their ideas implemented in a clear plan of actions, which will be laid as the basis for future projects and undertakings of “Alraid”.

For them, European practices mean broadening the outlook, introduction to methods used by their brothers in faith in other European countries in finding solutions for similar problems and attempts to adapt some to the Ukrainian realities.