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** Message from the Deputy Secretary General
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From Srebrenica to Solidarity – Memory, Responsibility and Hope

Asalaamu alaikum,

A few weeks ago, my wife and I travelled to Bosnia with a delegation of educationalists and community leaders. It was not simply a visit; it was an encounter with history, memory, and human resilience.

In Srebrenica, we came face to face with the consequences of unchecked hatred and the ugly side of politics. Meeting families of survivors, walking through memorials, and witnessing exhibitions that preserve the truth brought a sobering clarity. These were not distant events confined to textbooks—they were lived realities, in our midst, in Europe. The weight of those stories does not leave you; nor should it.

What struck me most was not only the brutality of the past, but also the determination to preserve knowledge and educate future generations. Across Bosnia, institutions dedicated to remembrance stand as a quiet but firm warning: societies that remember are societies that resist repeating their darkest chapters.

Returning to the UK, I moved straight into visits across the country. The contrast was stark, but the message was the same. On Holocaust Memorial Day, I visited the Holocaust Centre North in Huddersfield ([link removed]) and joined the Huddersfield Interfaith Group, alongside visits to mosques and community centres. Different histories—but a shared warning about division, dehumanisation, and the silence of those who could have acted.

We are living in a time when the rise of far-right narratives is no longer abstract. It is visible across Europe and increasingly present within our own discourse. In such a climate, remembrance must translate into responsibility.

With local elections approaching, we have been encouraging communities to register and vote. Civic participation is not merely a right; it is a safeguard. Disengagement creates space for others to shape the future without us.

Despite the sobering realities and prevailing sense of doom and gloom, there is also reason for optimism.

Across the country, I have witnessed remarkable acts of service—mosque-led initiatives serving all, community organisations, including women-led initiatives, uplifting those in need, and food banks supporting families facing rising living costs driven by global instability. These efforts reflect the very best of our shared values.

This is why the Muslim Council of Britain supports initiatives such as A Million Acts of Hope—because confronting injustice must go hand in hand with amplifying good.

Srebrenica. Holocaust Memorial Day. Atrocities across the globe. These are not just moments to remember—they are warnings we ignore at our peril.

The past does not define us—what we learn from it does.

…Don’t forget the vote! Vote wisely on the 7th May.

Sincerely,

Maswood Ahmed

Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain
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** Spotlight Project
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Make sure to vote! - Hungry for Change

Over the last 3 Months the Muslim council of Britain worked tirelessly on the HUNGRY FOR CHANGE campaign. Mobilising Muslims and communities across the country to register for voting and get out the vote.
* 210 Get out the Vote Champions joined from across the country
* More than 3000 people registered to Vote via the MCB link
* 100k Views were generated through our Social Media Campaign
* 50k people have been reached through our social media campaign

Register NOW ([link removed])


** Regional Work
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Deputy Secretary General visits Huddersfield Muslim communities

MCB Deputy Secretary-General Maswood Ahmed visited Muslim community groups in Huddersfield.

From Masjid Riza, to Jamia Masjid Noor, from interfaith groups to Rosebuds Sisters - there were many lively discussion.

MCB is committed to uniting, empowering and serving the grassroots of our community where they are and inshaAllah we will be coming to you soon.
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Deputy Secretary-General, Maswood Ahmed, and National Council Member, Sajeda Ahmed, continued their visits the following day and met members of the Sikh, Hindu, Jewish, Christian and Humanist communities as a part of the South Kirklees Interfaith and Belief Forum, to strengthen efforts towards cohesion, with some fantastic initiatives being discussed like community faith walks.

They were also met with incisive and intelligent questioning from students at Moor End Academy, discussing local issues. North Huddersfield Trust School students were impressively on the ball, curious and motivated to change their community for the better, inquiring about local elections. At the Jo Cox Centre, University of Huddersfield, the refurbished local religious education syllabus was shared, which is soon to be rolled out across schools in Kirklees. Revd Canon Rachel Firth and representatives from St Thomas’s Church also met them to discuss the importance of keeping doors open between the diverse communities in Huddersfield.

Through at a visit to Huddersfield Community First Foodhub, Maswood also heard harrowing stories of local families in poverty, the sincerity of the initiatives to uplift everyone regardless of their faith were heartening and an example for communities across the UK.


** Public Affairs
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Social media posts by a Reform candidate depicting Muslims being bombed in Makkah have caused deep upset.

“This is extremism. Calling for mass murder of any group is extremism, regardless of religion or background.”

– Dr Green, Assistent Secretary General
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Broad UK opposition to Iran war cuts across communities, challenging simplistic narratices writes Hassan Joudi in Middle East Eye.
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Dr Wajid Akhter, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain highlights in The Guardian how the Hungry for Change campaign increase in voter registration has been inspired by the grassroots mobilisation of Mamdani's campaign and how we must stay engaged in politics which affect our every day lives. MCB has encouraged over 3300 people to visit the government's register to vote.
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MCB has written to the Home Office regarding our deep concerns on double standards in how freedom of speech is applied when granting visas to divisive figures.

In the letter we have included an appendix of the last time Ms Gomez spoke at a Tommy Robinson rally. Thanks to the work of various Muslim organisations including MCB, the visa for Ms Gomez has been denied.
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The Muslim Council of Britain joined the Together Alliance march along with an estimated 50,000 supporters and more than 100 charities, campaign groups and trade unions today. As we marched to Trafalgar Square via Whitehall we saw the beauty in the diversity of British people and the unity against far-right politics, Islamophobia and anti-migrant rhetoric.


** Events and Opportunities
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Growth Lab Tickets Now On Sale!

A capacity-building roadshow is coming to 3 cities: London, Birmingham and Belfast.
If your organisation is ready to level up, connect with like-minded people and spark real growth, this is for you. Showcasing expertise from safeguarding to suicide prevention to securing funding, we have curated expert advice and are bringing to you.
:point_right::skin-tone-3: www.mcb.org.uk/growthlab
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Get your ticket ([link removed])

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The launch of the detailed analysis of the Census is now fully booked.

Don't worry if you cannot make it - the MCB Research and Documentation team is committed to ensuring that the information reaches the widest possible segment of the Muslim community.

We will be hosting webinars, regional roadshows and sharing templates for people to present in their own local area - along with a social media campaign. Watch this space!

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The biggest Muslim Mental Health Summit is here! - Get your Ticket

Under the theme of Mental Health the Muslim Council of Britain is delighted to invite to this years Annual General Meeting on the 18th July 2026 at the scenic Docklands Campus of the University of East London.

Join us for a day of not just discussing, but practically driving the improvement of Mental Health forward within the Muslim Community. We will be hosting practical Workshops and build a platform to share and experience how we can support and serve our communities better.

Get £20 off your ticket with the Code “MCB26Early” - for a limited Time only
Get your ticket ([link removed])

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Foster Friday - 15th and 22nd of May

The MCB is excited to announce our partnership with the Muslim Foster Network for Foster Friday as we encourage our Members and British Muslim communities to participate in this important act of raising awareness. Help raise the profile of fostering in the Muslim community by delivering a Friday Sermon on 15th or 22nd May 2026.
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What is YOUR opinion on Social Media?

The British Government has launched a consultation on the digital world and how it’s impacting young people - help us to get British Muslim voices heard!

In these times of uncertainty, many of us are chronically online looking for news updates or hope. But are these digital spaces safe for us or for Muslim children?

This is a unique opportunity to be part of national policy making that will shape online spaces for all users. Your input can create new rules that reduce harm and addictive design, while protecting the positive ways social media helps us build community, access beneficial knowledge, and stay informed about the world.

Complete and share the MCB survey with your networks!

With sweeping changes to social media on the table, from age bans to new verification and AI rules, this is a critical moment to shape the future of young people’s digital safety.

Your response helps ensure British Muslim experiences are not left out of this national debate.
Take part here ([link removed])

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Join us in A Million Acts of Hope

Watching the news or looking at your social media feed, it’s easy to believe that the UK is more divided than ever. The voices of those who seek to spread hate, harm our communities and separate us are loud.

But the reality is millions of people across the UK show up for each other, their neighbours and their communities every single day. From litter picking in parks to donating stuff to food banks, coaching our kids’ football teams to working together to make our streets safer - acts of hope and kindness happen all the time.

These stories are too often left untold.

That's why MCB is excited to announce that we’re an official partner of the A Million Acts of Hope campaign, working alongside our friends at Together for Refugees, Amnesty International, CAFOD, Hope Not Hate and many other community and faith groups. This campaign aims to celebrate and inspire A Million Acts of Hope across Britain. A week of action is planned for 13th - 20th May. MCB will be joining the campaign efforts to get us all doing an Act of Hope. Find out more here: [link removed]

We can’t do it alone. So please, will you join us as a partner, to help show the everyday acts of kindness that truly define Britain?
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** Support MCB
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Never miss the hour of Dua

The most blessed hour during the week is the hour before maghreb every Friday.

Set up your Friday giving now and ensure you don’t miss your opportunity to give, even on the busiest days.
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Call for Sponsors

From Islamophobia to the cost of living crisis, from divorce rates to the war in Gaza, Muslim mental health has been suffering.

In what will be the largest Muslim mental health summit, we are bringing together the largest gathering ever of Muslim mental health organisations and activists - not just to talk, but to strategise solutions. Held in the scenic waterside campus of UEL Docklands, the conference will provide the most consequential gathering of leading voices in the Muslim mental health space that has been planned to date. Attendees will gather to listen to keynote speakers and then take part in focussed workshops. They will be provided a hot lunch and refreshments throughout the day as well as curated resources to kickstart a more cohesive approach to mental health in the Muslim community.

Invest in uplifting Muslim communities

We invite your business, charity or organisation to support us in delivering the MCB Muslim Mental Health Summit. Not only will this event mark a milestone in uniting Muslims behind a shared agenda but will be a springboard to move the conversation forward in solving mental health issues for the benefit of our communities.
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** New Members
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Newham Muslim Forum was established in 2017 and is an umbrella body working with the mosques and Muslim community organisations in the London Borough of Newham.
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For questions, queries and requests for support, please don’t hesitate to reach out via [email protected] or join our WhatsApp channel below!
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** Grants and Funding
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Grassroots Grant - Up to £2,000 for small charities and community organisations.

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Supporting groups and organisations with creative and innovative ideas to help build climate resilience in London

Climate Connected Communities design process and pitch for £1,000 grants to build climate resilience in people’s communities!



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