Islam Conference Holds Plenary Session in Berlin
For the seventh time the Interior ministry had invited state officials, representatives of Islamic organizations and experts to discuss how to better integrate the four million Muslims in Germany.
Giving his statement during the coffee break, Friedrich praised a joint declaration condemning domestic violence and said there was progress being made on better integrating Muslims in the job market. Kenan Kolat of the Turkish Community warned of nationalizing the conference as Friedrich faced the press alone.
Many also criticized the summit’s agenda for focusing on the wrong issues:
The conference itself was overshadowed by a controversy surrounding Salafists handing out free copies of the Koran last weekend in cities throughout Germany.
Despite being a small minority and their action being condemned by all major Muslim organizations, it changed the focus of the summit.
Members of the Young Islam Conference were outraged. Stereotypes were continuously being promoted by the government portraying Muslims as unintegrated, uneducated and violent. The opposition’s Ralf Jaeger of the Social Democrats thus called integration an issue of the majority. Germany needed a culture of willingness to include others.
In the end the German Islam Conference in its 6th year had little to show for. A joint declaration condemned domestic violence and forced marriages, with all acknowledging that this was not an Islamic issue. The minister said no other country was doing as much as Germany to integrate Muslims, observers though criticized him for a lack of commitment. Germany’s largest Muslim organizations remained absent.
Source: Press TV
Many also criticized the summit’s agenda for focusing on the wrong issues:
The conference itself was overshadowed by a controversy surrounding Salafists handing out free copies of the Koran last weekend in cities throughout Germany.
Despite being a small minority and their action being condemned by all major Muslim organizations, it changed the focus of the summit.
Members of the Young Islam Conference were outraged. Stereotypes were continuously being promoted by the government portraying Muslims as unintegrated, uneducated and violent. The opposition’s Ralf Jaeger of the Social Democrats thus called integration an issue of the majority. Germany needed a culture of willingness to include others.
In the end the German Islam Conference in its 6th year had little to show for. A joint declaration condemned domestic violence and forced marriages, with all acknowledging that this was not an Islamic issue. The minister said no other country was doing as much as Germany to integrate Muslims, observers though criticized him for a lack of commitment. Germany’s largest Muslim organizations remained absent.
Source: Press TV
