Islamophobia-cover-manifestations.qxp 07.12.2006 11:00 Seite 1 EUMC Mission Statement The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) is a thinking, TK-75-06-429-EN-C acting and challenging network organisation, working in all sectors of society forfor equalityequality andand diversitydiversity,, andand againstagainst racismracism andand xenophobiaxenophobia inin thethe EuropeanEuropean UnionUnion -- as a network of knowledge, a bridge-builder and a service organisation. MUSLIMS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION DISCRIMINATION AND ISLAMOPHOBIA EUMC Rahlgasse 3, A-1060 Viennaienna Tel. (43-1) 580 30-0 Fax (43-1) 580 30-691 E-mail:
[email protected] Internet:Internet: http://eumc.europa.euhttp://eumc.europa.eu Muslims in the European Union Discrimination and Islamophobia EUMC 2006 Muslims in the European Union - Discrimination and Islamophobia Foreword The disadvantaged position of Muslim minorities, evidence of a rise in Islamophobia and concern over processes of alienation and radicalisation have triggered an intense debate in the European Union regarding the need for re-examining community cohesion and integration policies. A series of events such as the September 11 terrorist attacks against the US, the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands, the Madrid and London bombings and the debate on the Prophet Mohammed cartoons have given further prominence to the situation of Muslim communities. The central question is how to avoid stereotypical generalisations, how to reduce fear and how to strengthen cohesion in our diverse European societies while countering marginalisation and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion or belief. European Muslims are a highly diverse mix of ethnicities, religious affiliation, philosophical beliefs, political persuasion, secular tendencies, languages and cultural traditions, constituting the second largest religious group of Europe’s multi-faith society.