Leading Change Together with the Muslim Council of Britain

Over the weekend, we were delighted to attend the Muslim Council of Britain Annual Summer Conference which saw influential individuals from sectors ranging from charity to business come together to share ideas for the betterment of Britain’s Muslim communities, with the core theme being around leading change together. 

The day began with the Muslim Community of Britain’s very own Secretary-General, Zara Mohammed, setting the tone for the day by emphasising on the importance of unity among the Muslim population of Britain and of ‘leading change together’. Zara has been a greainspiration to many, not only is she the youngest woman to hold the prestigious position of Secretary-General for the Muslim Community of Britain, but she is also the first ever woman to do so, as well as the only Scott!  

We then heard a totally unique perspective from the incredible Sheikh Nuru Mohammed, the Chair of Citizens UK. We were captivated by his thoughts about what we as adults can learn from children in our endeavor to make for a more inclusive country. He focused on children’s natural inquisitiveness paired with their fearless personalities, traits we tend to lose as adults. His talk was thought-provoking and spiritually enriching, reminding uof the importance of never losing that child-like curiosity and approach to problem-solving.  

After lunch there was a series of panel discussions led by a dynamic group of professionals. We heard from Ian Elliott, Chief People Officer at PwC, a leading accounting and auditing firm, who spoke about the importance of working towards an inclusive workplace and how we as Muslims can achieve equality in opportunities within the workplace. He also highlighted the importance of making small changes to create a big difference, this, as you know, is our tag line and smost definitely resonated deeply with us.  

The discussion then moved towards how we can build strong relationships and communities within our towns and cities. Contributions from the highly respected Dr Hany El-Banna, Founder of Islamic Relief, revealed that the foundation of community must always start at family level, and further stressed the importance of mothers within the family unit. His insights addressed the issue of broken families, and how the strength of a family bond can translate into creating unity within our wider circles. Masood Ahmed, Assistant Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain added that there needs to be simplified, clear direction for the community to follow to achieve this. 

We heard discussions on the role of women in the conversation and how the empowerment of women must continue in shaping the future of our communities in Britain as well as how tackling Islamophobia goes hand in hand with resilience and community.  

The conference concluded with a powerful speech from Shahin Ashraf MBE, who is the 71st Mayor of Solihull and wife of Jehangir Malik OBE. Shahin spoke about the importance of influencing change at various levels, from local communities to national policy. Her words were a fitting end to a day filled with insightful discussions and shared commitments.  

Our very own Director of Marketing and Communications, Ahmad Bostan, got involved throughout the forum, his contributions includehighlighting the importance of being present in conversations regarding the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and how we are proud that Penny Appeal has in fact dominated the national news channels with appearances in efforts to shed light on the ongoincatastrophe and humanitarian need in Gaza. Ahmad also discussed the role of Muslims in addressing and responding to comments from politicians and public figures, and how much of this responsibility lies with the community and how much is beyond our control. This sparked a thoughtful discussion on achieving the best possible balance between proactive engagement and reactive measures. 

Overall, the Muslim Council of Britain Annual Summer Conference was a huge success. Not only did it highlight important matters within our community, but it was a visible testament to the power of unity, dialogue, and action in shaping a better future for Muslims nationwide. We look forward to continuing our work in the humanitarian sector and within the Muslim space in Britain overall. Together, we can implement these small changes to make a big difference in the lives of our community members – Insha'Allah.