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The Oldest Progressive Muslim Organization in America |
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Don't take our work for granted! Donate! |
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Let Us Try
The end of the year is drawing closer, which means the Christmas season is upon. In that spirit, a few MPV chapters will be hosting our unique Very Muslimy Christmas parties in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. For details check out the respective city activities.
And there is no escaping, the end of the year is also when non-profit organizations make an appeal for donations. I hope you will consider giving to MPV generously. I’ve created a short video to tell you why donating is worthwhile. Please watch below!
On November 18-19 I had the privilege of attending the Istanbul Process in The Hague. There, I chaired a break-out session “Preventing negative stereotyping and discrimination,” a well-casted role for me, given that MPV is founded on inclusive and non-discriminatory, critical thinking and human rights. We discussed solutions from various participants made up of local-level actors, religious leaders, and government representatives.
The take-away for me from this panel was: there is no shortage of solutions and ideas out there, but we have a deficit of political and moral will. This was evident when a Dutch-Moroccan producer shared that it took her eight long years to get her TV series on national TV in The Netherlands. The funny and heart-warming TV series she produced was about five elderly Moroccan women experiencing “Dutch” activities for the first time, despite having lived there for decades, humanizing Muslim immigrants before Dutch audiences. Numerous reports, including those published from the U.N., conclude that the media plays an influential role in how groups of people are portrayed. Here is a classic example of the hurdles minority groups face.
 In the concluding plenary session, things got rather “un-diplomatic” when a Chinese diplomat responded to me with “you shouldn’t bother responding to on-line threats.” I rebutted strongly, saying “propaganda becomes truth when not refuted.” (You can draw your own conclusions as to what I was implying.) The room got heated when an OIC spokesman stated: “we the OIC represent all Muslims” to which a Muslim woman dismissed the remark with “no, OIC absolutely does not represent all Muslims” in a room made of mostly non-Muslim policymakers.
This is what happens when you give progressive Muslim women the microphone. We will tell you the truth. Thank you to the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for inviting the most diverse group of people to the Istanbul Process.
Most importantly, to take this conversation of hate speech, the implementation of the Istanbul Process to the community level, I am very happy to announce that the Alliance of Inclusive Muslims, a human rights umbrella organization, will be hosting a conference “Charting a course for freedom of religion and belief in Muslim societies” in March 2020.
Given all that we do for the good of humanity . . . don’t forget, donate!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Seasons Greetings and may your 2020 be blessed with health and happiness.
Onward and upward…
Ani Zonneveld
Founder, President
Muslims for Progressive Values
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- President's Letter
- U.N. Update
- National Update
- Chapter Updates
- MPV in the News
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U.N. Update
November 13: Ani Zonneveld had the privilege of performing a song, “Let Me Try” at the “4 Corners of Expression” event organized by the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, drawing attention to human rights and humanitarian issues in an artistic way. You can watch the music video here.
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National Update
At Celebration of Life in DC, we honored Bochra Bel Haj Hmdia of Tunisia, the chairwoman of the COLIBE commission, which recommended equal inheritance between women and men, decriminalization of homosexuality and abolishment of capital punishment. Fitting of such a vision for the Muslim world, we thanked Madame Bochra for her work by awarding the Fatima al-Fihri Visionary Award. During the evening, it was wonderful to play host to Tunisian Ambassador Faysal Gouia.
*Fatima al-Fihri was an Arab woman who is credited with founding the oldest existing, continually operating and first degree-awarding educational institution in the world, The University of Al Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco in 859 CE. Al-Fihri was born around 800 AD in the town of Kairouan, in present-day Tunisia.
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Chapter Updates
MPV-New York
November 15: MPV-NY partnered with Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) to present an interfaith worship, social, and scriptural study program. The sold-out event gave participants an opportunity to join members of MPV-NY, CBST, Metropolitan Community Church and Marble Collegiate Church in a Jum’a and Shabbat Service, Potluck Dinner and Roundtable Discussion. The Roundtable Discussion allowed for participants to review and reflect on three various verses on the topic of neighbors from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Quran.
December 6: MPV-NY is hosting “A Very Muslimy Christmas” which will be a fun and festive “Muslimy” evening! There will be food, interactive games and trivia, karaoke, Ugly Christmas Sweater competition, and raffles. MPV founder, Ani Zonneveld will be joining the NY community in all the revelry! Funds will be raised for MPV-NY community's next great journey! To register to attend, please sign up through the EventCombo registration page.
MPV-L.A.
December 3: “Hala” screening and reception. One of the privilege of being members of the MPV community is the many invitations to special entertainments screenings and receptions. “Hala” is written and directed by Minhal Baig and produced by Jada Pinkett Smith. "Hala" was an official selection of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Please register click here.
December 8: Movie screening: "A History of God." For details and to RSVP, click here
December 14: MPV’s "Very Muslimy Christmas Party at Ani's!" For details and to RSVP, click here.
December 15: Progressive Quran reading group hosted by Adnan Majid from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Quran is the central text of Muslim religious tradition, and is deeply poetic and beautiful. Yet it has been, and continues to be, used to justify oppression like misogyny and violence. Approaching the text can be difficult, but it's crucial for us, as progressive Muslims, to reclaim our heritage. Let's get together to struggle with, connect to, and grow from the Quran while exploring contextualist/progressive approaches to the text. For details and to RSVP, click here.
MPV-Boston
December 6: MPV-Boston will be holding a holiday party, “Muslims for Christmas,” welcoming of interfaith families and members of the Community Church of Boston. Participants will discuss the birth of Prophet Jesus and its importance from a progressive Islamic perspective, and will make "blessing bags" with socks, gloves and other warm items for people who are homeless this winter. RSVP here.
December 7: MPV-Boston will meet on Boston Common to give out coffee, muffins, smiles, and blessing bags to people who are living on the streets. RSVP here.
MPV-DC
November 22: MPV-DC hosted the Celebration of Life award dinner at the Human Rights Campaign to honor human rights defenders from around the world. The Fatima Al-Fihri Visionary Award recipient was Bochra Belhaj Hmida who has fought for equality for women and the LGBTQ community in Tunisia. Most recently, Bochra helped introduce legislation to equalize inheritance amongst men and women in Tunisia.
In December, MPV-DC will once again partner with other local organizations to partake in a Christmas visit to a local senior home. For details please visit our Meetup.com page.
MPV-San Francisco 
November 8: MPV-San Francisco had its monthly meeting and hosted counseling interns from a local college who were interested in cross cultural and interfaith therapy. There was extensive discussion on the intersection of culture, religious traditions and therapeutic practice.
December 13: MPV-San Francisco will have the Second Friday Jum’a and and planning meeting at 7:00 p.m. in downtown San Francisco. Address and RSVP here.
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MPV in the News
News item | November 28, 2019
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