(To consider requests from a representative of the Belfast Islamic Community and of the Belfast Jewish Community to address the Council in relation to the motion on Inter-Faith being proposed by Councillor Armitage.)
Minutes:
The Chief Executive reported that requests had been received from Mrs. N. Green and Dr. S. Baillie seeking approval for representatives of the City’s Islamic and Jewish communities respectively, to address the Council in advance of the motion on Inter-Faith, which Councillor Armitage would be proposing later in the meeting.
The Council acceded to the request and Dr. Baillie, Mr. M. Black and Mr. N. Finch, representing the Jewish community, together with Mrs. Green, Mrs. P. Kashif and Mr. Z. Kashif, representing the Islamic community, were welcomed by the Lord Mayor.
Dr. Baillie informed the Council that there had been a Jewish presence in Northern Ireland since the 1860s and referred to a number of members of the Jewish community who had since then made a significant contribution to the arts, business, law, medicine and politics. She stated that the Jewish community respected the religion and beliefs of others and pointed out that the synagogue had hosted many inter-faith events and had an active council, comprised of both Christians and Jews. She added that the Jewish community was building good relations with their Muslim counterparts and that she and Mr. Black had visited the Belfast Islamic Centre and Dr. Wasif Naeem, the Chairman of the Centre, had participated in events to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
Dr. Baillie referred to a number of recent attacks against the Islamic and Jewish faiths, as alluded to by Councillor Armitage within his motion, and thanked those who had condemned those attacks and had offered their support. She provided a definition of the term anti-Semitism and concluded by emphasising that the Jewish community was committed to the values of tolerance and mutual understanding and wished to affirm its common humanity with those of other faiths.
The Lord Mayor thanked Dr. Baillie and invited Mr. Kashif to address the Council on behalf of the Islamic community.
Mr. Kashif provided information around the settlement of Muslims in Ireland throughout the years. He reported that there were now approximately 6,000 Muslims living in Northern Ireland and highlighted in particular the contribution which they had made and were making to the academic and medical sectors and the eminent awards which they had attained. In recent years, the local Muslim community had been joined by a number of asylum seekers and refugees, who had embraced the opportunity to rebuild their lives and were keen to make a meaningful contribution to the communities which had welcomed them.
Mr. Kashif drew the Council’s attention to the significant role which the Belfast Islamic Centre had played since its establishment in 1978 and confirmed that it was now used by Muslims from forty-two countries of origin. He highlighted the fact that local Muslims had been founder members of the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum and that they were now working with the Jewish community and with Clonard Peace and Reconciliation Mission to develop a Three-Faiths Forum, with the aim of counteracting hate and challenging misconceptions and creating a platform where people of different faiths could develop positive and meaningful relations, despite their differences. In terms of the future, it was hoped that the increasing diversity of the City would generate opportunities for innovation and creativity and lead to a fair and integrated society where the various communities could learn from and benefit each other.
The Lord Mayor thanked the deputations from the Islamic and Jewish communities for their contribution and they retired from the meeting.
The Council noted the information which had been provided.