RETHINKING, THINKING ABOUT ISLAM
Violent extremists have hijacked Islam for their destructive purposes. As a result, much understanding of Islam, in the Western world, has been shaped by the actions of terrorists, fear, distortion and ignorance – and the legacy of almost a thousand years of civilisational advancement, that Islam produced, has been buried and ignored. But it does not stop there. While Islam remains the familiar outsider in our midst, arguably, it too has become a stranger to many Muslims, who have become “orphans of modernity”.
Special envoy Aftab Malik challenges us to radically reframe how we think about Islam. In doing so, he will explore not only Islam’s critique of the Western world but also the resources it offers in support of Western civilisation.
Aftab Malik
Aftab Malik is Australia’s first-ever Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia and a UN Alliance of Civilisations expert on global Muslim affairs. He spent nearly a decade in the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, bridging academic insight and policy practice to address hate, misinformation and structural discrimination at a national level. He led Australia’s first government-backed conference on Islamophobia following the Christchurch attack in 2019, and has since addressed diplomats at the United Nations in New York. He has worked with senior global leaders and multilateral institutions in the aftermath of September 11, and his articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and ABC Religion & Ethics.
Simon Longstaff
Simon Longstaff began his working life on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory of Australia. He is proud of his kinship ties to the Anindilyakwa people. After a period studying law in Sydney and teaching in Tasmania, he pursued postgraduate studies as a Member of Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1991, Simon commenced his work as the first Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, a role he continues today. In 2013, he was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for “distinguished service to the community through the promotion of ethical standards in governance and business, to improving corporate responsibility, and to philosophy.” Simon is an Adjunct Professor of the Australian Graduate School of Management at UNSW Sydney, a Fellow of CPA Australia, the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Risk Policy Institute.
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation - the custodians of the country on which we meet - and acknowledge their Elders, past and present.
The views and opinions expressed by the Festival participants are not necessarily the views of The Ethics Centre and our partners.