Festival Challenges Perceptions of Islam in Britain
"British Muslims are a broad range of people, they're not just interested in one thing,” Dilwar Hussain, one of the organizers of the Islamic Society of Britain event, told the Guardian.
“They have diverse interests and they shouldn't be stereotyped as extreme or non-extreme, passive or moderate.”
Hussain was talking at the Living Islam festival which began on Thursday at Lincolnshire Showground and continues over the weekend.
Run for the fifth time, the topics being covered ranges from sectarianism in the UK and tackling extremism to Saturday's opportunity to "have a frank and honest conversation about relationships" and Sunday's segment on how to "spice up your marriage".
Hussain said the topics reflect "Muslim table talk, what people ordinarily discuss in their homes," adding that the wide range of topics should not be a surprise.
"It's true to some extent that we don't publicly talk about these things and what we are saying is actually, these things should be talked about," he added.
Along with discussions, the festival included an entertainment tent, a Glastonbury-style big top, featured rapping, beatboxing and comedy on Thursday night.
Moreover, there are a huge range of activities, including supervised scout activities, bouncy castles and rock-climbing to distract the children while parents attend to more serious matters.
Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2.7 million.
The four-day festival has won the praise from a wide range of attendees who included Muslim leaders and non-Muslim speakers such as former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
Source: Guardian
