100 QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM
Washington; New York; Columbia, MO (August 2, 2011) – A new video series launched today provides commentary and insight on current perceptions of Islam and Muslim cultures and the challenges faced in fostering cross-cultural dialogue between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The series consists of video interviews with scholars, journalists and policy makers on the major social, foreign policy, and historical questions behind these issues. 100 Questions About Islam aims, above all, at being a digital video resource for the general public. It is a joint endeavour by the British Council’s Our Shared Future project; the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations’s Media Program; the University of Missouri School of Journalism; and Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
The videos, which average two minutes in length, address common misconceptions about Islam and the role of Muslims in contemporary society in the US, the UK and other parts of the world. Participating commentators expertly draw parallels between Muslims and other minority groups in Western countries, such as American Jews. They also examine majority- and minority-Muslim communities within a historical context. They consider the role of women in Islam, the place of democratic principles in theocratic governments, and complex concepts such as Sharia law and the veil. A selection of clips also features the findings of a recent poll by Gallup of a billion Muslims around the world, the largest such survey ever undertaken.
The product of a unique partnership, the series features eighteen members of the Our Shared Future Opinion Leaders Network and the UNAOC’s Global Experts Network who represent views from multiple countries and a range of professional and personal experiences. Students from the University of Missouri School of Journalism filmed the video interviews at Georgetown University during the May symposium, “Deconstructing the ‘Clash of Civilizations’: Towards a New Paradigm.”
Dr. John Esposito of Georgetown University, a member of the Our Shared Future Opinion Leaders Network and participant in the project, observed, “This is a terrific resource on a range of timely issues about Islam and Muslims. From the Arab Spring, to the burqa bans, to Sharia law and Islamophobia, the experts in 100 Questions About Islam cover an incredible breadth of important topics in a way that is both accessible and intelligent, offering succinct analysis without sacrificing nuance or precision. A truly rich collection of insights - a think tank for the digital age.”
Emmanuel Kattan, Project Manager of Our Shared Future, British Council, said, “For anyone who has questions about Islam and Muslims, this resource provides independent, accurate and authoritative comments by a diverse group of scholars who articulate in plain language issues that are often complex and multifaceted.”
Marc Scheuer, Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, commented, “With the Arab Spring, people’s views on Muslims and Arabs are evolving in unprecedented ways, and this video project taps into a lot of unanswered questions.”
The entire collection of videos can be found at the following sites:
http://vimeo.com/groups/100questionsaboutislam
http://www.youtube.com/100qsaboutislam
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Contact:
British Council:
Alexandra Dimsdale
Head of Press and Communications (USA)
T: 202-588-7837
E: alexandra.dimsdale@britishcouncil.org
Kara Hadge
Head of Digital Media (USA)
T: 202-588-7869
E: kara.hadge@britishcouncil.org
UN Alliance of Civilizations:
Stephanie Durand
Media Development Manager
T: 212.457.1851
E: stephanied@unops.org
About the British Council: The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international non-profit organization for cultural relations and education opportunities. Working in over 100 countries, we build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide. In the US, we cultivate long-term links between the UK and US, re-energizing the strategic transatlantic relationship through the arts, education and young leadership networks. To learn more, please visit http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa. Follow our blog, subscribe to our mailing list, or follow us on Twitter.
For more information about Our Shared Future, please visit http://www.oursharedfuture.org and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
About the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC): The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is an initiative of the UN Secretary-General which aims to improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions. It also helps to counter the forces that fuel polarization and extremism. The UNAOC was established in 2005, at the initiative of Spain and Turkey, under the auspices of the United Nations and under the leadership of Jorge Sampaio, former President of Portugal, as High Representative for the UNAOC.
For more information about Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, please visit http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/.
For more information about the University of Missouri School of Journalism, please visit http://journalism.missouri.edu/.
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