EFD Events in 2011

At EFD, we transform ideas into action by informing European policymakers and thought leaders about the critical security issues related to our mission. In 2011, EFD and our fellows participated in over 75 events throughout Europe where we advanced our policy goals.

January

• Lecture on “Ideological Genealogy of Islamism” at the International Institute for Education and Research on Antisemetism. Berlin, 4 January 2011, W Wahdat-Hagh
• Speech at a Seminar at the Swedish Parliament on honor crimes organized by the Stockholm-based organization, ‘Glöm Aldrig Pela och Fadime’ (‘Never forget Pela and Fadime’) chaired by Moderaterna Party MP Ulrike Karlsson. 20 January 2011 Stockholm, R Bonazzi, V Colombo
• Speeches at various events on honor crimes. Stockholm, Uppsala, Göteberg, Degerfors and Malmö, 20-21 January, R Bonazzi, J Duhig, V Colombo
• Briefing with Hannah Rosenthal, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. Paris, 20 January 2011 B Sambe
• Lunch briefing for EU diplomats on the prospects for democratic change in Tunisia. Speakers: Tunisian academics and political exiles Chérif Ferjani and Hichem Abdessamad. Brussels, 25 January 2011, R Bonazzi, V Colombo
• Briefing with German media on the current situation in Afghanistan with legal and policy experts from Afghanistan. Berlin, 27 January 2011, R Bonazzi, M Sells
• Public debate in co-operation with the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the current situation in Afghanistan. Berlin, 28 January 2011, R Bonazzi, M Sells
• Briefing with European media accredited to the EU on the current situation in Afghanistan with legal and policy experts from Afghanistan. Brussels, 31st January 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig
• Working Lunch at NATO with Senior military and civilian representatives. Brussels, 31 January 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig, K Dalili
• Screening of “Afghan Star: the Documentary” organised jointly with the European Commission Stagiaires Committee followed by a Q&A session. Brussels, 31 January 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig
• Briefing on the negative impact of al Aqsa TV and al Manar TV on Muslim youth in Germany and Europe with Member of the German Parliament Serkan Tören, FDP. Berlin, 20 January 2011, A Ritzmann

February

• Panel Discussion on Afghanistan co-hosted by EFD and the European Policy Centre entitled “Afghan women: an uphill struggle for legal rights”. Speakers included Afghan experts and a representative from the European External Action Service. Brussels, 1 February 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig, K Dalili
• European Parliament Lunch and Panel Discussion on EU’s role in Afghanistan co-hosted by EFD, the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Afghanistan and Geoffrey Van Orden MEP. Brussels, 1 February, R Bonazzi
• Seminar at the Faculty of Law, University of Namur on women rights in Afghanistan co-hosted by EFD and chaired by Prof. Nathalie Colette-Basecqz. Namur, 1 February 2011, R Bonazzi, A Xhixha
• Briefing with experts at the European Union Institute for Security Studies to discuss the EU’s military involvement in Afghanistan. Paris, 2 February 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig
• Seminar on the rule of law and access to justice in Afghanistan co-hosted by EFD and  the Université Panthéon-Assas – Paris II, Institute of Comparative Law and the LL.M Programme on Business Law of the Arab Countries and chaired Prof. Christian Lochon. Paris, 2 February 2011,  R Bonazzi
• Breakfast Briefing hosted by the Afghanistan Ambassador to France HE Omar Samad and Afghanistan’s Ambassador to UNESCO HE Mohammad Kacem Fazelly. Paris, 3 February,  R Bonazzi, J Duhig
• Briefing on foreign aid to Afghanistan with officials from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Paris, 3 February 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig
• Public event on Afghanistan at the French National Assembly organised jointly with the Institute of International and Strategic Relations and hosted by Member of Parliament Françoise Hostalier. Paris, 3 February 2011,  R Bonazzi, J Duhig
• Briefing with regional French media on the current situation in Afghanistan. Lyon, 4 February 2011,  R Bonazzi,  B Sambe
• Seminar on Afghanistan organised jointly with the Human Rights Institute of the Catholic University of Lyon. Lyon, 4 February 2011,  R Bonazzi,  B Sambe
• Conference on Afghanistan co-hosted by EFD and the International Centre for Transitional Democracy. Budapest, 7 February 2011
• Briefing with Italian media on the current situation in Afghanistan. Milan, 8 February 2011,  R Bonazzi, A Xhixha
• Conference on women rights in Afghanistan organised jointly with the Institute for International Politics Studies (ISPI) moderated by Dr. Elisa Giunchi, and Dr. Anna Vanzan, Professors at the University of Milan. Milan, 8 February,  R Bonazzi, A Xhixha
• Lecture on Afghanistan organised by EFD and the University of Rome - “Tor Vergata” chaired by Prof. Massimo Papa. Rome, 9 February 2011,  R Bonazzi, A Xhixha, K Dalili
• Briefing with the Senior Advisor on Afghanistan and International Crime to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Rome, 9 February 2011,  R Bonazzi, K Dalili, A Xhixha
• Briefing with Italian media on the current situation in Afghanistan. Rome, 10 February 2011, R Bonazzi, K Dalili, A Xhixha
• Speaker at Conference organised by the University of Chicago for the American students evacuated from Cairo following the Revolution of January 2011. Chicago, 11 February 2011,  B Sambe
• Briefing with State Secretary Dr. Max Stadler (FDP) on ongoing presence of incitement in channels such as al Aqsa TV and al Manar TV and threat of radicalization of Muslim youth in Germany. Berlin, 11 February 2011, A Ritzmann
• Speaker at a Conference organized by the University of Rennes 2 (France), on “Islamic militantism in the Sub-Saharian Africa”. Rennes, 11 February 2011,  B Sambe
• Follow-up briefing on the negative impact of al Aqsa TV and al Manar TV on Muslim youth in Germany and Europe with Member of the German Parliament and ranking member for Homeland Security Wolfgang Wieland (Green Party). Berlin, 16 February 2011, A Ritzmann

March

• Lecture and seminar moderation on “Iran: Influence in the Middle East and a Challenge for International Politics?“ hosted by Molinaristiftung and Vollmarakademie. Kochel am See (Germany), 28 March to 1 April 2011, W Wahdat-Hagh

April

• Panelist at round table discussion on “Religions, a barricade against  communitarism” organised by the Federation of the Francophone Liberal Judaism. Lyon, 1-3 April 2011,  B Sambe
• Presentation and discussion on the issue of “Radicalization vs. Integration” at the World Foresight Forum. The Hague, 14 April 2011, R Bonazzi

May

• Screening of “Afghan Star” documentary followed by panel discussion co-hosted by EFD and the Free University of Brussels (VUB - Vrije Universiteit Brussel) at the presence of Afghan guest speakers invited by EFD. Brussels, 2 May 2011, J Duhig, A Xhixha
• Panel discussion co-hosted by EFD and Lessius University College Antwerp with Afghan guest speakers. Antwerp, 2 May 2011, J Duhig,  M Seyrek
• Joint press conference with the LibForAll Foundation to present the book “The Illusion of an Islamic State” by scholar KH Achmad M Bisri and to discuss the issue of extremist transnational movements and their threat for European democracies. Brussels, 3 May 2011, R Bonazzi
• Presentation and panel discussion at the European Parliament organized jointly with the Chairman of the Afghanistan Delegation of the Parliament.  Brussels, 3 May 2011, J Duhig, R Bonazzi, A Xhixha
• Screening of “Afghan Star” documentary co-hosted by EFD and the Stagiaire Committee of the European Commission followed by Q&A with Afghan guest speakers. Brussels, 3 May 2011 J Duhig, M Sells
• Briefing with officials from the European Commission and the European External Action Service on the situation on the ground in Afghanistan. Brussels, 4 May 2011, J Duhig
• Lunch briefing with Afghanistan and Human Rights experts from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and Afghan guest speakers. Berlin, 5 May 2011, R Bonazzi, M Sells
• Public conference organised jointly with the Humboldt University and the German Council on Foreign Relations involving panel discussion and questions with Afghan guest speakers identified and invited by EFD. Berlin, 5 May 2011, R Bonazzi, A Ritzmann, M Sells
• Panel discussion at the University of Oxford, Wadham College, with Afghan guest speakers. Oxford, 9 May 2011, J Duhig
• Panel discussion at the House of Commons with MPs from the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Afghanistan and Afghan guest speakers.  London, 10 May 2011, J Duhig
• EFD partnered in organizing conference on “Afghanistan: 10 years of conflict” with French think tank IRIS (Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques). Paris, 11 May 2011, R Bonazzi
• Speaker at conference on “How Islam comes to Muslims” organised by “Islam & laïcité.org”. Paris, 13-14 May 2011, B Sambe
• Speaker on anti-Semitism in Iran at Conference organized by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung. Tutzingen (Germany), 18 May 2011, W Wahdat-Hagh
• Conference on the Muslim Brotherhood, organised by Samira Chabib, the Italian Network member, at which EFD Fellow Valentina Colombo and EFD Executive Director Roberta Bonazzi were panel members, in Verona, Italy; May 24

June

• Speaker at international symposium on “Perceptions of the Holocaust and contemporary Anti-Semitism” organised by the International Institute for Education and Research on Antisemitism. Berlin, 3-5 June 2011, W Wahdat-Hagh
• Speaker at conference on “The Arab Spring and Democracy” organised by the Mediatheque Jean Falala. Reims (France), 3 June 2011, B Sambe
• Organized and hosted vernissage of the photojournalism exhibition “Voices on the Rise: Afghan Women Making the News” jointly with the Embassy of Afghanistan to the EU and with the support and sponsorship of the European Commission. Keynote speech delivered by European Commission Vice-President Ms. Viviane Reding. Brussels, 14 June 2011, R Bonazzi, J Duhig, M Sells
• Photojournalism exhibition “Voices on the Rise: Afghan Women Making the News” open for public viewing at the Press Club from 14th June – 15th July.  The 50 photographs show Afghan women in politics, government, the media, civil society, the arts, sport etc.
• Media training for the Italian members of the Muslim Empowerment Network. Rome, 15 June 2011, R Bonazzi
• Organized public parliamentary hearing on the criminalization of forced marriage. European Parliament, Brussels, 29 June 2011,  R Bonazzi, J Duhig, M Sells
• Panel discussion with 5 Italian MPs in the Parliament, Rome, Italy; June 24, 2011
• Conference on Islam and Citizenship in the Italian Parliament, broadcast on satellite TV and streamed live on the internet, Rome, Italy; June 24, 2011

July

• Third Liberal Muslim Empowerment Workshop in Brussels to discuss future steps for the Network.  About 20 people from across Europe participated in the meeting. Brussels, 7-9 July 2011

August

• Speaker at the Berlin Initiative against the Al Quds Day on “Ideological background of Al-Quds Day”. Berlin, 18 August 2011, Wahied Wahdat-Hagh

September

• Lecture on “Legitimation, co-optation and repression in Iran or the third form of totalitarianism” during conference “Comparing Ideocracies. Interrelationships between legitimacy, co-optation and reporession” organised by Prof. Dr. Uwe Backes and Dr. Steffen Kailitz of the Hannah Arendt Institut of the University of Dresden, 20 September 2011, Wahied Wahdat-Hagh
• German Network workshops in four cities to discuss integration and related issues. These meeting also served as potential Network recruitment meetings. These took place in Mainz (3rd and 4th), Aachen (7th - 8th), Frankfurt (10th – 11th) and Berlin Germany (14th - 15th). Roberta Bonazzi

October

• Lecture on “Iran and the factor of Islam” during conference for the officers of the 261st Parachute Battalion of the Bundeswehr (German Army).  13 October 2011, Wahied Wahdat-Hagh
• EFD’s first European tour to publicize Irshad Manjis's recently published book, ‘Allah, Liberty and Love’, undertook 12 separate events in Scandinavia with a number of public events in Stockholm, Sweden. Irshad appeared on popular TV talk show, Skavlan.
• Additional activities included a press conference, interviews with four journalists, three one-to-one radio interviews, a debate with Swedish MPs and a public event with a Swedish journalist discussing certain aspects of her book with 65 participants. Irshad Manji, John Duhig
• Irshad undertook a series of public events in Oslo, Norway where she appeared at a public debate at a film festival and which screened her documentary, Faith Without Fear. She also spoke at the Film of the South Festival about her book and the broader Muslim reform issues that it addresses. 11-15 October 2011 - Irshad Manji, John Duhig, Carlo Marsilli

November

• Heroes awards ceremony in Berlin, Germany recognizing the work of teenage men and boys who have completed a year- training course to reject the use of the concept of 'honoUr' as a tool of subjugation. EFD brought Sara Mohammad, the Swedish Network member to the event as a guest speaker. VIPs included Green Party leader, Cem Özdemir MP and conservative MP, Bettina Frank. 4th November 2011, John Duhig
• Network Workshop in London organized by Maqsood Ahmed, UK member, with local government and other activists. Eight activists attended the workshop. 8th November 2011, John Duhig

December

• Second European tour to publicise Irshad Manji’s book ‘Allah, Love and liberty’ including a debate MP Tofik Dibi on reform of Islam at De Balie in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Other public events and debates will take place in Utrecht and Leiden University. 5th – 7th December 2011 - Roberta Bonazzi, Irshad Manji
• Media lunch in Brussels, Belgium, with a number of EU journalists. 8th December 2011 - Roberta Bonazzi, Emily Rees, John Duhig, Irshad Manji
• Seminar with a number of Brussels based local politicians and community activists to discuss integration issues to be hosted by EFD. 9th December 2011- Roberta Bonazzi, John Duhig, Irshad Manji
• Discussion at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin, Germany, at which Irsdhad Manji will debate with Sylke Tempel, Editor-in-Chief, Internationale Politik. 12th December 2011 – Roberta Bonazzi, Irshad Manji
• Debate at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Berlin with Johannes Kandel. 13th December 2011 –  Roberta Bonazzi, Emily Rees, Irshad Manji
• Discussion at the Einstein Forum, Potsdam, Germany. Irshad debate with Amr Bargisi from the Egyptian Union of Liberal Youth. 14th December 2011 – Roberta Bonazzi, Irshad Manji
• Network conference in Reims, France, organised in conjunction with the City of Reims, the Mayor of Reims and the Paris-based think tank, IRIS and three Network members, Fairada Belkacem, Nadir Ioulain and Toufik Bouarfa. French-Tunisian Islamic scholar, Chérif Ferjani will moderate at ‘Laïcité, pensée musulmane et pratique religieuse: rencontre avec des acteurs du quotidien’ (‘Secularism, Muslim thinking and religious practices: meeting with the daily practioners’).  14th December 2011 – Roberta Bonazzi, John Duhig
• Network workshop in London, UK for local government and grass roots activists organized by UK members Houriya Ahmed and Maqsood Ahmed. 15th December 2011 – John Duhig
• Strategy meeting in the Leeds, UK on EU proposals for criminalising forced marriages with the Vice President of the European Parliament, Diana Wallis MEP, hosted by UK member Jasvinder Sanghera. 16th December 2011– John Duhig

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