Press Release 06 September 2006
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON
ISLAMIC CIVILISATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
1-3 September 2006, University of
Johannesburg, South Africa.
______________________________________________________________________
New opportunities
in promoting Islamic Culture and Civilisation in Southern Africa
will be a direct benefit of a 3-day symposium that has concluded
in Johannesburg, South Africa.
More than 500
delegates coming from the SADC region participated in the
proceedings held at the University of Johannesburg. The
International Symposium on Islamic Civilisation in Southern
Africa was jointly hosted by the IRCICA, the research, history,
and cultural arm of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC),
which comprises of 57 Muslim countries, the National Awqaf
Foundation of South Africa (AWQAF SA) and the University of
Johannesburg.
Ironically this
year’s symposium was held at a previously all-white and
all-Afrikaner university which was strongly Christian-dominated
during the notorious apartheid era. The university’s first-ever
black Rector, Dr. Ihron Rensburg, who was inducted last week
weekend has wholly endorsed the event as necessary and important
in furthering the discourse on the contributions made by Islam
and Muslims in the region. He also lauded the
community-university partnership as part of his vision for the
university.
The proceedings
were officially opened with a Presidential Gala Dinner on 31
August 2006 and was attended by the OIC Secretary-General HE
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Minister Essop Pahad,
(representing President Thabo Mbeki due to his illness), Premier
Ebrahim Rasool, deputy ministers, over 22 ambassadors from
Africa, and around 1600 members of the community – including
business and religious leaders from all faiths and backgrounds.
Premier Ebrahim
Rasool received a standing ovation for his talk on the future
perspectives of Muslims in the region and indicated that “what
we come to celebrate is precisely how much of our forbears’
blood, sweat and tears went into the making of this region. We
are not free passengers. We earned our keep and we have earned
it by making - at very important moments – the right choices.”
The recently
concluded symposium enabled delegates to have an ideal platform
for academic discussion and debate issues that had not
previously existed. More than 50 papers were read at the
symposium on wide-ranging topics such as Education, Politics,
Gender issues, Banking, Identity, and the contribution of
Muslims to Socio-economic development.
The tangible
outcomes of the Symposium include: a continuation of the
Symposia in southern Africa every three years - the next one
being held in 2009; scholarships for students intending higher
studies in Islamic Civilisation; academic and scholar networks;
the publication of articles in journals; and the continuous
promotion of the study of Islamic Civilisation in the region.
Ends…
Awqaf SA Media
Liaison Contact Details:
Mickaeel Collier
(Cape Town) 0822164269 Rashid Chopdat (Jhb) 0842510623.
Zeinoul Abedien
Cajee (Jhb) (National Coordinator: 0828768027)
info@awqafsa.org.za
www.awqafsa.org.za
