The New York Public Library & EUNIC present on Jun 9-11

ISLAM IN EUROPE
INSULT: Fractured States?


LIVE from the NYPL, in collaboration with the European Union National Institutes for Culture presents this series of debates, discussions, and conversations gathering prominent, multidisciplinary speakers from around the world to explore how the power of insult ignites, engages, and launches both positive and negative action that shapes society.

The Romanian Cultural Institute in New York is proudly participating in Islam in Europe, a three-evening symposium of debate and discussion at the New York Public Library, June 9- 11, 2009. The program is co-hosted by the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC) and Live at the NYPL, the New York Public Library's public programs series. 'Islam in Europe' is part of the festival, Muslim Voices: Arts and Ideas, co-hosted by Asia Society, BAM and NYU Center for Dialogues.

The program will gather prominent, cross-sector speakers from across disciplines, and across Europe, the United States and elsewhere across the Muslim diaspora, to share country-specific perspectives on Muslim communities’ integration in European society, addressing related topical issues for citizens of a multi-cultural, increasingly globalized world.

An active member of EUNIC New York, RCINY is supporting the presence within the symposium of the specific experience of the Balkans, and is pleased to be bringing Ziyah Gafic, an award winning photographer based in Sarajevo, who will appear as a panelist for "Youth: The Future" on WED, June 10 at 7:30 pm. His most recent exhibition, recently presented Beacon, NY, is "Troubled Islam: Short stories from Troubled Societies". It is a series of photo essays on the aftermath of war and violence in the daily life of people living from Bosnia to Kosovo, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Iran or Iraq.


PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Tuesday, June 9

7:00 p.m., Opening Event: How did we get here?
This opening panel, introduced by Mustapha Tlili (Founder of the Center for Dialogues at New York University), sets the historical framework for the entire symposium and explores how Europe’s socio-economic and political history led to contemporary, post-colonial immigration and integration issues.

Moderator: David Brancaccio, Host of PBS newsmagazine NOW

Special guest panelists include Benjamin Barber (author of Jihad vs. McWorld), poet and writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, and Imam Abduljalil Sajid (Chairman of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony U.K.).

Wednesday, June 10

6:00 p.m., Migration Policy, Response and Reaction: The Status Quo
This session will explore whether assimilation or integration are the only options for Muslim immigrants and their children. How have rising tensions at the global level impacted polarization of Muslims within European societies?

Moderator: Paul Berman, Contributing Editor of The New Republic

Special guest panelists for this session include Ambassador Ingmar Karlsson (former diplomat, Sweden), Pastor Anne Grung (Oslo University, Norway), Ahmet Kuru (Columbia University, Turkey), Hasni Abidi (Study and Research Center for the Arab and Mediterranean World, Switzerland) and Luz Gómez-García (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain).

7.30 p.m., Youth: The Future This debate investigates how young people, as Western citizens who are fully confident in their Muslim identities, tackle thorny societal issues and challenge old paradigms, and discuss how young can people play an integral role in creating a better, socially coherent future.

Moderator: Moustafa Bayoumi, City University of New York

Special guests panelists include Nanna Westh (filmmaker, Denmark), Farid Hafez (University of Vienna, Austria), Ziyah Gafic (Photographer, Bosnia-Herzegovina) and respondents, Nebojsa Seric Shoba (visual artist, Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Krzysztof Czyzewski (Borderland Foundation, Poland).

Thursday, June 11

5:00 p.m., Media: A Catalyst for Change
(in collaboration with the Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund)
Popular media images or negative stereotypes that insult or humiliate Muslim groups have been shown to be related to the polarization between Muslim and Western societies. As rapid technological advances expand media’s capacity to shape our views of the world as well as each other, this panel seeks to investigate what role entertainment media (film, TV and new media) can play in improving cross-cultural understanding.

Moderator: Shamil Idriss, Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund

Special guest panelists include H.M. Queen Noor (King Hussein Foundation), Emanuele Castano (The New School for Social Research, Italy/US), Mohamed El-Fatatry (muxlim.com, Finland), Andrea ter Avest Dahm (dramatist, Netherlands).

7:00 p.m., Conclusions: Where Do We Go From Here?

Paul Holdengräber (Director of LIVE from the NYPL) will close the symposium in a conversation with Benjamin Barber, Jocelyn Cesari (Harvard University, France), Khaled Fouad Allam (University of Trieste, Italy), Bas Heijne (author, Netherlands), and Imam Abduljalil Sajid (Chairman of the Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony U.K.).

All events take place in the South Court Auditorium of The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman building located on Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street. The program is subject to change; latest details will be published on the New York Public Library’s web site: www.nypl.org/live. Tickets are $25 general admission and $15 for library donors, seniors and students with valid identification. Tickets may be purchased through http://www.smarttix.com/ or by calling 212.868.4444. DISCOUNT CODE for RCINY friends: EUNIC for $15 tickets.

Islam in Europe gratefully acknowledges the support of the Austrian Cultural Forum, British Council, Consulate General of Denmark, Consulate General of Finland, Finnish Cultural Institute, Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Goethe-Institut, Onassis Foundation, Italian Cultural Institute, Consulate General of the Netherlands, Consulate General of Norway, Polish Cultural Institute, Romanian Cultural Institute, Consulate General of Slovenia, Instituto Cervantes, Consulate General of Sweden, Consulate General of Switzerland, Turkish Cultural Center, Delegation of the European Commission.

Please join us for this fascinating exploration of the changing face of Europe.