Famous philosopher Tariq Ramadan and the leader of the European Greens Dany Cohn-Bendit will debate the role of the Islam in Europe on Wednesday evening, 29 March, in the European Parliament.

 

Ramadan is known for his straightforward interpretation of Islam but he also encourages European Muslim youth to adapt to Western society. Cohn-Bendit is an advocate of the emancipation of Muslim youth and regards strict compliance with Islamic teachings as an obstacle to this.

The debate is part of a two day conference on 29 and 30 March about Islam in Europe, organised by the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament. Leading experts, policy makers and politicians from countries with sizeable Muslim populations have been invited.

The goal of the conference, and the broader Green project on Islam in Europe, is to provide general recommendations for implementing best practices concerning the Islam in Europe. On 29 March, during the day, there will be debates on the themes of 'Muslim or European citizen?' and 'A separate Islam pillar in Europe?' The second day of the conference will be more practical, with workshops about stereotyping and identity-forming, and emancipation and institutionalisation. Topics like discrimination in the workplace will also be addressed during the second day.