Blair pays tribute to British Muslims
4 06 2007
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, spoke at a conference on, “Islam and Muslims in the World Today”, in London this morning. Delegates from more than 30 countries, including Shaykh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, and Mufti Mustafa Ceric, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, are attending the conference.
In his speech Blair paid tribute to British Muslim communities and the positive contribution they make to British society. He said it is wrong to equate interest in Islam and Muslim communities with anxiety about extremism. He said extremists who use violence and terror to try to achieve their ends today are no more representative of their faith than Christians or those of other religions centuries ago who used torture to force people to convert. He also urged politicians to listen harder to hear the calm voice of moderation and reason of most British Muslims and most Muslim communities around the world.
Speaking at Lancester House, Blair said,
“Muslims overwhelmingly want to play a full part in the complex and diverse societies in which they find themselves - both contributing and shaping those societies.”
“Others in societies in which Muslims are co-citizens must also evolve and adapt in how they respond to the changing nature of their societies…greater mutual understanding should be the aim of all of us.”
To read the speech, click here.
