Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali has encouraged delegates at an International Symposium on the History and Legacy of Muslims in the Caribbean to not only reflect on history but also to devise a strategy for the future of the religion in the region.
The symposium is a collaborative effort between the Guyana government, the Research Center for Islamic History, Art, and Culture (IRCICA), and the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
A rich tapestry of contributions
The event aims to shed light on the contributions of Muslims to Caribbean history and culture.
By doing so, the symposium strives to deepen the collective understanding of shared heritage, while also promoting values such as unity, tolerance, and appreciation for religious diversity.
Moving beyond history
In his address to the opening ceremony, President Ali told the delegates “let us not only contemplate our effort on the history.
“It’s important because the context through which the conversation must develop is important, the context and that is why the intellectual power is designed behind the forum, because the intellectual power is to bring the history and context and then to build off that history and context and position us in the present day and then looking at challenges of the present day and the future and then to speak about the strategy forward,”President Ali said.
The multifaceted role of Islam in the Caribbean
One of the key talking points of the symposium is the role of Islam in the diverse cultural landscape of the Caribbean.
Ali noted that going back centuries to colonial times, Islam has been part of the region’s multicultural tapestry. The event aims to dispel myths that Islam is incompatible with a multicultural environment, instead showcasing how the religion has thrived in diverse settings.
President Ali pointed out that the Muslim experience in the Caribbean is one of resilience, resistance, and religious pluralism.
He cautioned against elevating Islamophobia to a systemic level, just as the world should avoid painting Islam with a broad brush of extremism.
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Cultural bridges and common ground
IRCICA director general, Dr. Mahmud Erol Kilic, highlighted the symposium as a multilateral initiative that informs about the cultural heritage of Muslims in the Caribbean.
IRCICA serves as the cultural subsidiary of OIC, tasked with studying and promoting the correct understanding of Muslim history and culture worldwide.
IRCICA special envoy, Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, revealed that the symposium has convened experts to generate new narratives for the region.
This includes looking at the impact of Muslim communities that came to the Caribbean before the arrival of Columbus, those who were part of the Atlantic slave trade, and more recent waves of immigrants.
From past to future: Documenting the Muslim experience
Quick shared that delegates will explore various periods of history, from the 19th-century indentured labor in nations like Suriname, Guyana, and Trinidad to the influence of Muslims in contemporary Caribbean society.
The goal is to document not just the Indian or Javanese experience but the multifaceted contributions of Muslims to the economy, sports, arts, and culture of the region.
By laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of Muslim history in the Caribbean, the symposium aims to set the stage for informed discussions on the religion’s future and its place in a rapidly changing world.
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