Breaking Down Media Stereotypes of Muslims: My Fellow American and Little Mosque on the Prairie
We recently blogged about our discussion with the filmmakers of the documentary Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think. One of the important points raised in the film and the subsequent discussion was that media depictions of Muslims focus on militants, who represent a small fraction of the world’s 1.4 billion Muslims. This overrepresentation of a fringe minority contributes to the stereotype of all Muslims as violent fanatics diametrically opposed to Western cultures and values. This misunderstanding is counterproductive if we are to deal rationally with the challenges facing our world.
One effort that aims to break down these harmful stereotypes about Muslims is Unity Productions Foundation’s My Fellow American, a web-based project that asks non-Muslims to pledge and share a real-life story about a Muslim friend, neighbor or colleague whom they admire. Through the power of social media, the project aims to change the narrative—from Muslims as the other to Muslims as our fellow Americans. read more…
By Naava Mashiah
Prominent Israelis unveil their new peace initiative (justjournalism.com)
Geneva – “What Israel now needs is an uprising.” This is the comment I heard on the side-lines of the discussions at a conference called “Enriching the Economic Future of the Middle East VI” that took place in mid-May in Qatar.
Over 600 participants from 80 counties gathered to discuss the implications of the recent Arab uprising and the future economic prosperity of the Middle East and North Africa. Although talk of an Israeli uprising was not the main theme that emerged from the two-day conference, it had the ears of the handful of Israelis in attendance ringing.
When talking about an “uprising”, the speakers were not calling on Israel to transition to a democracy, since Israel is already considered a democracy by most of its citizens. The comments were referring, rather, to the absence of an Israeli voice of peace, or a perceived Israeli indifference towards solving the conflict. read more…
SFCG’s Partners in Humanity program recently worked with Unity Productions Foundation to screen parts of the film Inside Islam: What a billion Muslims really think. The film explores the expertly gathered opinions of Muslims around the globe as revealed by the world’s first major opinion poll on the subject, conducted by Gallup, the preeminent polling organization. Serving as an important tool to understand the “clash of civilizations”, the film counters the assumption that Muslim beliefs and values are radically different from those in Western societies. The data reveals that there is actually substantial agreement between Muslims and Westerners on issues such as gender equality, terrorism, and democracy. For example, large majorities in several Muslim countries stated that they believed women should have the right to pursue any career that they wish. This result stands in sharp contrast to the perception that all women in Muslim societies are oppressed. read more…
“We’re planting the seeds, Fadi Rabieh says. “It can take a second to cut a tree, but sometimes a lifetime to grow it.”
Fadi is the Project Manager for Search for Common Ground’s Palestinian-Israeli Emerging Leaders Program, a project that brings together Palestinians and Israeli’s from different sectors on expeditions of experiential peacebuilding. The Emerging Leaders program is a partnership between SFCG Jerusalem, our Leadership Wisdom Initiative (LWI) and the Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding.
Each cohort has 12 members, and as the program grows they provide opportunities to “connect to the hub,” as Fadi says, where each cohort gets the chance to meet each other. The program has thus far included 36 individuals, with previous groups of emerging political and civil society leaders. read more…
Rwanda's countryside is beautiful and increasingly divided (by Astrid Oksnavad)
By Elise Webb
As an American, it is, honestly, difficult to imagine a country where there just isn’t enough land. In many ways, Manifest Destiny (that oh so flawed theory that Americans had the right to all the land coast to coast) is nonetheless subconsciously instilled in me. Some residue of the ‘west ward ho!’ complex will permanently be in my mind. There’s always a parcel of land out there. Not that I have ever personally desired a parcel but, I know it could be possible one day to have one in the States. That’s not necessarily possible for everyone in Rwanda. Much of it depends on getting money to buy the land; with 77% living on less than $1.25 per day, money for real estate is scarce. Even if everyone could afford it, it’s a small country so there will never be quite enough land to go around. read more…
African Exchange: Student Parliamentarians Meet with Guinea Bissau’s President
The President of Guinea-Bissau’s National Infantile Parliament, Seco Sidibe (middle) meets with Guinea Bissau’s President Malam Bacai Sanhá (R)Iracema Do Rosario, the President of Guinea-Bissau's Institute of Women and Children (L).
For the past two years, Search for Common Ground has worked to foster a culture of democracy and civic engagement in Angola, starting with its youth—through the School Parliament Program. Angola’s most recent elections, in 2008 resulted in victory for the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola Labor Party (MPLA). The 2008 elections were the country’s first since 1992 and were long-delayed due to the outbreak of civil war. The 2008 elections were declared fair by a number of international and domestic observers and restored confidence the possibility of democratic processes. read more…
