Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

Counter-terrorism and security legislation already in place, the British government recently published details of its controversial counter-extremism strategy. Vague enough to allow a wide range of interpretations, it was met with alarm by a number of interest groups. With the Paris attacks fresh in everyone’s minds, however, Cameron’s drive against Islamist ideology could well find increasing support among public and politicians alike. By Susannah TarbushMore

These days young Muslims are increasingly seeking answers to their everyday faith queries online rather than in the mosque. The Berlin association ufuq.de recently launched a project called ″Was postest Du? Politische Bildung mit jungen Musliminnen und Muslimen online″, aimed at stimulating debate among the younger generation and suggesting alternative means of social interaction. A report by Götz NordbruchMore

Showcasing a rich diversity of West African music traditions, ″Lost in Mali″ plunges the listener into a world apart. Incidental audio footage of street sounds and children playing enhances the ″on-location″ feel. Richard Marcus reviews the albumMore

While in the mass media, the war of images with and over Islamic State is making headlines, very little attention has been paid to the visual art being created in the region. To get an idea of the diversity of artistic production in the Arab world and the Middle East, head to this year′s international Venice Biennale. Felix Koltermann was in the city on the lagoon, and introduces the most exciting national contributions and artistic installations from the regionMore

The Islamic Declaration on Climate Change, endorsed in August by Islamic scholars from around the world, calls on countries to phase out greenhouse gas emissions and switch to 100% renewable energy. With 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, the collective statement sends a strong signal ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit later this month, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December. By Noor al-Hussein, Queen of JordanMore

Writers Rachid Boutayeb and Michael Roes demonstrate how inter-cultural dialogue can be conducted without relinquishing the claim to enlightenment. Their debate has been published in German and in book form by publishing company Alibri and is entitled "Der eifersuchtige Gott" (The Jealous God). Martin Bauer spoke to both authors about origins, foreignness and their shared interest in enlightenmentMore

The Virtual Dinner Guest Project is an international multimedia initiative that brings people across various cultures together at the dinner table. Breaking bread and barriers in one go, this platform launched the Virtual Iftar Project across Europe during the month of Ramadan, which has just ended. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to the project founder, Eric Maddox, about the project and about cultural tension between Muslims and non-MuslimsMore