Workshop 1

Back to overview

MUSLIM MINORITIES IN EUROPE

by Umut B Onat and Vito Spinelli

Before the workshop, we were aiming at getting to know whether civic characteristics play more important role on being Europeanness rather than race or colour or birthplace. Thus, we started to discuss the topics in the light of this main aim. In the integrationprocess of Muslim immigrants in Europe, both sides have had many difficulties in getting used to each other. In one side, many European people worried that their national identities are at risk due to the increasing Muslim population in Europe. They believed that those immigrants had better give up their distinct cultures, native tongues, the strong cultures and traditions, which are obstacle in living in harmony, according to those. On the other side, the immigrants had feeling that the mainstream society didn't want them to integrate. A question actually provoked the workshop group: ’’Does being Europeanness depend only on civic characteristics that can be obtained, such asrespecting the country laws, speaking the country language, and having a Europeanness citizenship, as opposed to the fix characteristics, such as race, birthplace, colour etc.

The discussion flew in the light of this framework and continued with the point whether those minorities can participate to the European life with the support of the government and the mainstream societies. We discussed a bit the government policies some of which have to be reconsidered, such as giving them rights to be elected in the elections, facilitating to getvisa, to provide them language courses and supporting the young eneration to get a quality education.

To illustrate the how well the integration can be provided by both sides, the participants gave some examples from their countries. It is so apperent for us to understand that mutualrespect, accepting both cultures, providing the minorities the rights that they need so forth. Of course both sides must be aware of the factthat acting with some dark natioanlist sentiments have harmed to thesocieties a lot. In this context, there are many things that youth, which have to be pioner, must deal with.

In the last part, we argued on the solutions that both Europe and immigrants be hands in hands. That is to say that integration must involve both sides. Education for especially newgeneration play a very crucial role in the integration process. It was noted that the first generation migrated to Europe in 1960’s consisted of mostly uneducated people, most of whom had been dealing with agriculture in their homelands. For this reason, the education of their children remained limited . Thus, we can't avoid form the importance of the education for the future of the bright world. In addition to this, we have to bear in mind the importance of the NGO’s. NGO’s can take part in this hard situation.

We can easily conclude that youth is aware ofthe fact that the thing that we unit us is not our fixed characteristics, but the ones that make us feel the same, the one that make us believe the same values, the ones that make us remind that we are all equal with our lofty sides!

Written by Umut B Onat

Back to overview