Dr. Konrad Pędziwiatr: Muslims Contribute in Shaping and Directing European Civilization
- 2020-Dec-13
Dr. Konrad Tomasz Pędziwiatr, senior researcher at the Center for Advanced Studies of Population and Religion and professor in the Department of International Affairs of the Cracow University of Economics, Poland, reviewed during the virtual lecture, organized by The World Muslim Communities Council, on Saturday 12 December 2020, under entitled "Islam and Muslim Citizenship in Europe", that Islamic presence in Europe and the stages of Muslims migration to the European continent, saying that Muslims have a great role in shaping European civilization and directing its culture.
Dr. Konrad explained that Muslims immigrations into Europe went through three stages after World War II. First in Sicily during the ninth century AD and extended for several centuries, with migrants made great contributions to irrigation systems, medicine and mathematics, and have demographic and societal influences not only in urban life and heritage.
He added, "Muslims have an ancient culture, language, and historical monuments that historians all over the world studied. They are an active part in Europe and good citizens in their communities and countries. Muslims have enjoyed their religious identity that carries personal characteristics ofbeing Muslims and citizens at the same time."
He said that Muslims have undergone dynamic change from the stage of Islam of immigrants to the Islam of citizens, and that the second and third generation have not abandoned their religion but use it in an innovative way. He is calling for strengthening the communication between religious leaders and actors in society.
It is noteworthy that the World Muslim Communities Council is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. It is considered a think tank to rationalize organizations and societies working in Muslim societies, renew their thinking and improve their performance in order to achieve one goal; The integration of Muslim societies in their countries, in a way that their members realize the perfection of citizenship and complete affiliation with the Islamic religion.
The council seeks, through holding dozens of virtual conferences, seminars and activities, to localize the concepts of religious, ethnic and cultural pluralism, in a manner that preserves human dignity and respect for his beliefs, and establishes the values of moderation, dialogue, tolerance and belonging to the homelands.
