As the New Year begins, I’m writing to thank you for your generosity with your time, cash, in-kind donations and patience. We are very, very pleased to welcome Br. Moinuddin who will be our new treasurer and Madiha Haroon who will handle our food vouchers.Madiha came by way of Talat Aalia, so inshallah every good that Madiha does, Aalia inshallah will get a share of the reward. Ameen. Farzana has been a great help as Treasurer, and also came by way of Aalia. She will be in touch with RAP, though not in a formal capacity. Jazak Allah Farzana for everything. Sarah Husain who has managed our website so far is due to have her baby any day now. I am looking forward to hearing whether it’s a girl or a boy. Please keep Sarah in your duas.

In the 19 November 2011 issue of The Economist, the cover story, called “The magic of diasporas” outlines the benefits of mass immigration, particularly to the West. However the changing demographics in major metropolises can also be a highly destabilising force.

This is especially true in the United States in cities where immigration is high and demographics can change significantly in less than a generation. In some places this has resulted in an increase in hate crimes and communal tensions. Yet some cities handle racial and ethnic diversity better than others and provide valuable lessons for other communities.

One example of this is Queens, one of the lesser known boroughs of New York City. Queens is the most diverse county in America; US Census Bureau statistics suggest that 138 languages are spoken there. Is it a hotbed of racial and ethnic tension? Crime reports suggest surprisingly that it’s not. So how does Queens handle all of this diversity?

In 2010, the state reported only 51 hate crimes in Queens, or .02 incidents per 1,000 people, which is slightly less than the national average. While Queens may be extreme with regards to its diversity and its success at managing diversity, it is not the only such example. London, Kampala, Sydney and Singapore all have strikingly similar stories.

So what keeps these cities from meeting the same fate as our world’s racially or ethnically divided communities? I propose that a lack of an obvious racial or ethnic majority and a loss of communal insularity contribute to functional multiethnic communities.

The neighbourhood of Astoria in Queens, for example, is often associated with its Greek roots; however, the encroachment of other nationalities – Egyptians, Brazilians, Italians, Dominicans, Moroccans, Indians, Colombians, Turks and Chinese – has dissolved any clear majority. What is striking about this diversity is that while Greeks still have a home in Astoria, even in “their” neighbourhood, they cannot avoid interacting with others – bosses, co-workers and friends – from different ethnic communities.

In a place where you cannot eat or work without reaching outside your racial or ethnic community – where community insularity is impossible – the opportunity to isolate yourself and dehumanise another ethnic or racial community becomes difficult. Residents instead have to find constructive ways to interact with one another.

If one way to prevent racial and ethnic tension is increased interaction among groups and the lack of a clear majority, how can cities actively create those types of communities?

While immigration trends and real estate prices play a role in determining where diverse groups choose to live, local government can still play a role in improving racial and ethnic integration.

Schools offer a key opportunity. Schools with multiple ethnic and linguistic groups generate more tolerant youth. A US Commission on Civil Rights report entitled “The Benefits of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Elementary and Secondary Education” observed that black and white students who attended desegregated schools were “more likely to function in diverse settings later in life.” This can be put into practice simply. Rather than bussing students, simply redistricting school zones can lead to more integrated communities.

However, the responsibility for racial and ethnic integration does not rest solely with the government. Another way to create more interaction among racially and ethnically diverse groups is for businesses to offer products and services that cater to those beyond their own community. In another example from Astoria, one bank employs tellers from different ethnic groups, so that at any moment, they have at least one Spanish, Chinese, Greek and Arabic speaker working. Similarly, the Mexican taco truck on my block that carries a traditional Greek dish is not only widening its clientele but building a more cohesive community. Simply put, people are not only exchanging goods, services and money, but the constant engagement among co-workers, patrons and small business owners across racial and ethnic lines produces relationships, partnerships and humanisation.

Too often, when faced with challenges regarding racial cohesion in metropolises, we focus on communities that illustrate what is going wrong. When we focus on communities that are more cohesive, there are a lot of positive lessons we can learn.

This article was re-posted from Common Ground News: http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=30854&lan=en&sp=0

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year! This chapter had a great start to the new year, and we hope you all do as well!

The Summit aims for delegates:

1) to develop leadership ability and an aspiration to be an agent of change
2) to develop understanding of key global issues and inspire positive thinking to address them

A critical part of the leadership programme follows the Summit, where participants are supported in their leadership journey by Mosaic. Participants report back on their development and community work every 3 months for a year following the Summit and take an active part in Mosaic’s international network.

The Summit was held from November 14 to 24, 2011 in Doha, Qatar. The workshops, activities and lectures that took place in the first week covered issues such as environmental sustainability, global poverty, inter-cultural relations and leadership skills. The second week was then spent on local projects in which participants had the chance to visit projects of the Qatar Foundation, British Council, Qatar Shell, Aspire Zone, etc and their contributions in the community development initiative at local and regional levels.

When President Obama first announced the White House Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge in March 2011, I was unbelievably excited.

At the time, I was a freshman at Georgetown enthusiastic about finding my niche in college, as well as exploring my religious identity and how that intersected with my American nationality. As a sophomore, I am now strongly committed to this Challenge because interfaith cooperation is extremely important to me on a personal level.

I have come to realize that interfaith cooperation is an exemplary reflection of my core values, both as an American and as a Muslim.  READ MORE

I know that effective blog posts require some kind of news hook to get people interested, so, take your pick:

Nearly two weeks ago, 24 Copts died in Egypt.
The most common word association with Mitt Romney is “Mormon,”.
In Iran, a Christian leader was sentenced to death for apostasy.
Tensions among Israelis and Palestinians remain high.

My point? Religious tension is real and the need for cooperation across religious, spiritual, and philosophical lines is more important now than ever. READ MORE

WFI provided roughly 2,400 meals over the course of 10 days to those impacted by the fire. The chapter, largely made up of Sikhs and Hindus, served people like the two pictured below (who are Muslim), making it possible for them to celebrate Eid with food, utensils, and bedding.

On Tuesday, November 15th at 7:00 p.m., join the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard, Park51, and the Center for Inquiry-New York City for a discussion, led by Greg Epstein and Chris Stedman, on communities for the nonreligious and the role of atheists in interfaith work.

Hosted by Park51 and Center for Inquiry NYC, in partnership with a wide swath of NYC-based organizations, this event is open to the public.

Co-sponsors: Harvard Humanist Alumni, GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), New York Society for Ethical Culture, HUUmanists, The Humanist Institute, Ethical Humanist Chaplaincy at Columbia University, Reasonable New York, Faith House Manhattan, World Faith, Groundswell, Auburn Seminary, Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, Bronx Community College Secular Humanist Club.

RSVP HERE. Donations to support the programs are welcome.