Speaking across the Sectarian Divide
Karsten's Conference Centre, 123 Queen Street, Melbourne
The project entailed work with the youth from the Alawi, Alevi and Sunni sects of Islam to cultivate an understanding of and a capacity to positively work on inter-sectarian tensions by directly addressing these issues in a way that respects reverence, difference and diversity. It also aimed to work with community leaders and other stakeholders to assist young men and women to take leadership on resolving current sectarian tensions and articulate a vision of Muslim sectarian co-existence that is respectful and appropriate to the Australian context.
The project aimed to address the following issues:
- violent extremism
- radicalisation
- factors that contribute to susceptibility to radicalisation.
Professor Camilleri was a member of the project's Advisory Board.
He facilitated a Community Leaders Forum which brought together leaders from different sects to discuss inter-sectarian tensions as well as issues around peak Muslim organisations’ failure to include minority Muslim sects. The Forum resulted in:
- peak Muslim organisations agreeing to further discussions around the inclusion of Muslim minorities;
- a commitment from inter-sectarian community leaders to come together in the form of a working group to pursue collaborative future work.
