26 Jun
Chronicles, European Projects, Islam is not the enemy

Sharing experiences – Santiago Campos

During our week in Malaga at the training ‘Islam is not the Enemy’ I’ve acquired, through the clever application of the Erasmus + structure, the means to critically approach a topic as delicate as islamic radicalization. Not only that but we dealt with the prejudices surrounding Islam that have developed because of the application of the Sharia law, i.e. the more aggressive and violent use of the religion, making Sharia law not islam itself but an alternative application independently responsible for the crimes some tend to associate with Islam.
Islam as such, transcends the religion. It’s not only people but a culture. One that was pervaded all other cultures. Hindsight, Mexican gastronomy is heavily inspired by food developed within the Islamic culture.

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25 Jun
European Projects, Islam is not the enemy

[Project Approved] Islam is not the enemy

According to European islamophobia report (EIR) 2017, there is an evolution of Islamophobic developments and incidents in European countries. Although most European countries deny the existence of Islamophobia, anti-Islam and anti-Muslim sentiment, the report demonstrates that racism and hate crimes against Muslims became widespread and began to normalize throughout Europe. In 2017, some 546 anti-Muslim attacks took place in Spain. Hate crimes against Muslims and attacks on mosques almost doubled in London. In Poland alone 664 hate crimes were committed from January to October 2017. Fourteen percent of all Muslims in Norway were subjected to verbal or physical attacks and 25% of all Muslims living in Malta were harassed. Just in Germany, the largest and most important European county, almost 1,000 attacks were committed against Muslims and there were more than 100 attacks on mosques. 60% of Muslim teachers think that they are subjected to discrimination.

At increasing Islamophobia in Europe contributed massively the latest years’ terrorist attacks and the current migration context in Europe. As are stigmatising and racist discourses, representing Muslims as the “enemy from within” who needs to be controlled and policed, and as threats to “European values” and the “European way of life”, which in practice actually only mean that diversity is not welcome in Europe. Instigating fear, prejudice and suspicion in the European population’s hearts and minds will only lead to further insecurity and violence, instead of creating resilient and trustful communities that can work together for a better future for all. 

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