Global Peace and Unity - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Global Peace and Unity event (often abbreviated to GPU) is an annual two-day conference held at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in Royal Victoria Dock

Royal Victoria Dock

The Royal Victoria Dock is the largest of three docks in the Royal Docks of east London, now part of the redeveloped Docklands.-History:...

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

and organized by the Islam Channel

Islam Channel

Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 97.3% of Muslims watched the channel...

. It is the largest Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

, interfaith

Interfaith dialog

The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...

and multicultural

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...

event of its kind in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, having attracted over 55,000 visitors from five continents during the 2006 event. There have been five conferences since its inception in the inaugural event held on 4 December 2005, with others in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. The conference includes an Islamic exhibition, an evening nasheed

Anasheed

Anasheed , is Islamic vocal music that is either sung a cappella or accompanied by percussion instruments such as the daff...

concert, as well as a series of talks, workshops, seminars and lectures from international speakers spanning the two days.

Purpose

According to the official website, the Global Peace and Unity event is designed to promote "global cohesion across all communities", as well as "break barriers and build bridges between the variety of cultures and groups that follow the Islamic faith." As well as giving Muslims the opportunity to enjoy themselves and provide a platform for them to learn more about their religion.The event aims bring together people from all spheres of the British society in order to inform and educate them about Islam and Muslims, and through this help to bridge the gaps between Muslims and non-Muslims and improve community relations.

According to Khurram Mujtaba, director of operations of Islam Channel, "the event is a means through which to promote dialogue." According to Mohamed Ali Harrath

Mohamed Ali Harrath

Mohamed Ali Harrath , is a Tunisian activist and businessman and the founder and CEO of the Islam Channel.-Biography:...

, chairman of the event and Islam Channel’s CEO, "the event offers a crucial platform for demanding change through peaceful interfaith dialogue, and positive exchange of ideas and interaction towards fostering mutual understanding between people from every culture, faith and background in a bid for greater community cohesion in a multicultural society."

Features

The event consists of three main parts. One is an exhibition which houses numerous stalls, selling Islamic gifts and serving cuisines emanating from a variety of cultures. Other stalls promote Islamic business, while yet others are reserved for the collection of charity

Charity (practice)

The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...

donations for organizations like Muslim Aid

Muslim Aid

Muslim Aid is a UK based international relief and development organisation working to alleviate poverty worldwide. The charity says it believes in sustainable, local and practical solutions to empower individuals and strengthen communities...

and Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief Worldwide is a Muslim international relief and development organization consisting of a family of 15 aid agencies that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world’s poorest people...

. The other two parts of the event are composed of an evening concert on the first day and series of talks and lectures by international speakers on the second. Throughout both days artists provide entertainment on-stage in the form of nasheed pieces or comedy sketches.

Speakers, artists and performers

Numerous individuals have spoken at the GPU event, including political figures and community leaders such as former (and then serving) London mayor Ken Livingstone

Ken Livingstone

Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...

, Respect MP

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

George Galloway

George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...

; former MCB

Muslim Council of Britain

The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...

Secretary-Generals Sir Iqbal Sacranie OBE

Iqbal Sacranie

Sir Iqbal Abdul Karim Mussain Sacranie, OBE served as General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain until June 2006. He arrived in UK in 1969. He was founding Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain , and served four further years as Secretary General from 2002 to 2004 and 2004 to...

and Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari MBE

Muhammad Abdul Bari

Muhammad Abdul Bari, MBE FRSA , is the Chairman of the East London Mosque, and was the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain from 2006 until 2010.-Life and career:...

; journalists Yvonne Ridley

Yvonne Ridley

Yvonne Ridley is a British journalist, war correspondent and Respect Party activist best known for her capture by the Taliban and subsequent conversion to Islam after release, her outspoken opposition to Zionism, and her criticism of Western media portrayals of the War on Terror...

and Sarah Joseph OBE

Sarah Joseph

Sarah Joseph is CEO and Editor of magazine emel and commentator on British Muslims. She is a writer and a broadcaster and lectures on Islam both within the UK and internationally...

; politicians such as Lord Nazir Ahmed

Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed

Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed is a member of the House of Lords, having become the United Kingdom's first Muslim life peer in 1998. Many of his political activities relate to the Islamic community both in the UK and abroad, and he has often attracted controversy...

, Lord Charles Falconer

Charles Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton

Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC is a British Labour politician, who became the Lord Chancellor and the first Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs in 2003...

, Salma Yaqoob

Salma Yaqoob

Salma Yaqoob is the leader, and former vice-chair, of the Respect Party and a former Birmingham City Councillor. She is also the head of the Birmingham Stop the War Coalition and a spokesperson for Birmingham Central Mosque....

, Simon Hughes MP

Simon Hughes

Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...

, Sadiq Khan MP

Sadiq Khan

Sadiq Aman Khan is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Tooting since 2005, succeeding Tom Cox as the Labour MP for the seat...

, Stephen Timms MP

Stephen Timms

Stephen Creswell Timms is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for East Ham since 1994. He is a former Cabinet Minister having served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2006 to 2007...

and Shahid Malik MP

Shahid Malik

Shahid Rafique Malik is a British Labour Party politician who became the Member of Parliament for Dewsbury in 2005 after defeating Conservative Sayeeda Warsi, now Conservative Chair Baroness Warsi and remained so till 2010 when Conservative candidate Simon Reevell won Dewsbury...

; political activist John Rees, academic Dr. Joel Hayward

Joel Hayward

Joel S.A. Hayward , is a New Zealand-born "noted scholar of war and strategy" who has worked in the United Kingdom since 2004.He is best known for his published books and articles on military matters, including the use of air power, his 2003 biography of Horatio Lord Nelson, and his writing and...

, entrepreneur James Caan

James Caan (entrepreneur)

James Caan is a British-Pakistani entrepreneur and television personality. Caan has been building and selling businesses since 1985, including Alexander Mann Group, Humana International, and the private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw.Caan initially achieved success in the recruitment industry,...

; ex-sportsmen Saeed Anwar

Saeed Anwar

Saeed Anwar is a former Pakistani opening batsman. A left-hander, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against India in Chennai in 1997, then the highest, and now the joint second highest individual score in a One Day International.-Personal life:...

and Imran Khan

Imran Khan

Imran Khan Niazi is a Pakistani politician and former Pakistani cricketer, playing international cricket for two decades in the late twentieth century. After retiring, he entered politics...

.

Islamic scholars including Dr. Zakir Naik

Zakir Naik

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik is an Indian public speaker on the subject of Islam and comparative religion. He is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation , a non-profit organization that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai, UAE. He is sometimes referred to as a televangelist...

, Yasir Qadhi, Yusuf Estes

Yusuf Estes

Yusuf Estes is an American Muslim preacher and teacher who converted to Islam in 1991. He was the National Muslim Chaplain for the United States Bureau of Prisons through the 1990s. He became the Muslim Delegate to the United Nations World Peace Conference for Religious Leaders held at the U.N....

, Dr. Jamal Badawi

Jamal Badawi

Jamal A. Badawi is an Egyptian born Muslim Canadian former professor in the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is a well-known author, preacher and speaker on Islam....

, Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad

Timothy Winter

Timothy John "Tim" Winter , also known as Abdal Hakim Murad, is a British Sufi Muslim researcher, writer and teacher. His profile and work have attracted media coverage both in the Muslim World and the West...

, Abdul Wahid Pedersen

Abdul Wahid Pedersen

Abdul Wahid Pedersen is a Danish Imam.-Background:Pedersen embraced Islam in 1982 after a long search through different world religions...

, Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri

Tahir-ul-Qadri

Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri is a Pakistani Sufi scholar and former professor of international constitutional law at the University of the Punjab....

, Muhammad al-Ya’qoubi and Prof. Tariq Ramadan

Tariq Ramadan

Tariq Ramadan is a Swiss academic, poet and writer. He is also a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University...

. Representatives from other faiths including Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss

Yisroel Dovid Weiss

Yisroel Dovid Weiss , a United States Haredi rabbi, is an activist and spokesman for a branch of Neturei Karta, an anti-Zionist grouping of Haredi Jews...

and Rev. Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal.

Muslim pop singers include Jermaine Jackson

Jermaine Jackson

Jermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director...

and Yusuf Islam. Nasheed artists to have performed include Zain Bhikha

Zain Bhikha

Zain Bhikha is an Indian South African singer-songwriter, who has achieved success as a performer of Islamic nasheed songs. Associated with prominent Muslim personalities, including Yusuf Islam and Dawud Wharnsby, Bhikha has collaborated on albums and also released several solo albums...

, Ahmed Bukhatir

Ahmed Bukhatir

Ahmed Abdur Rahman Bukhatir is an Emirati Nasheed singer. Ahmed started Islamic recitations at a very early age, however it was not until 2000 he released his first album Entasaf Al-Layl followed by six more albums, most recent being Moments with Allah which was released in August...

, Junaid Jamshed

Junaid Jamshed

Junaid Jamshed is a Pakistani recording artist who gained fame as the frontman of the pop group, Vital Signs in 1987 with the hit song, "Dil Dil Pakistan", and remained in demand throughout the 1990s...

, Najam Sheraz

Najam Sheraz

Najam Sheraz is a Pakistani pop singer, musician, composer and comedy actor. He is most prolific singer; indeed he is a household name in Pakistan. Many of his songs have become anthems all over the world. His latest album, eight in his career, "Najam" has been released recently both in India and...

, Dawud Wharnsby Ali, Idris Phillips

Idris Phillips

Idris Phillips is a musician, composer, songwriter, and music producer based in Nashville Tennessee, U.S..In recent years, he is best recognized for his work as a pianist, guitarist and producer for Canadian singer-songwriter Dawud Wharnsby, co-writing the songs "War", "Eight Years Old" and "Let...

, Native Deen

Native Deen

Native Deen is an Islamic musical group from the Washington, D.C. area. Native Deen's music combines a hip-hop style with lyrical themes grounded in Islam.The group uses percussion instruments and synthetic sounds...

and Outlandish

Outlandish

Outlandish is a multi-award–winning hip-hop group based in Denmark. Formed in 1997, it consists of Isam Bachiri , Waqas Ali Qadri , and Lenny Martinez . All three members are religious, with Isam and Waqas being Muslims and Lenny being Catholic...

. Other performers have included poet Brother Dash

Brother Dash

Brother Dash is an American Muslim spoken word artist, essayist and photographer.-Career:...

; comedians Preacher Moss

Preacher Moss

Preacher Moss is an American comedian and writer.-Background and education:Born Bryant Moss in Washington, D.C., United States. He began practicing comedy at the age of seven, when he earned the nickname "Preacher" for his imitations of the pastor at his family's church...

, Azhar Usman

Azhar Usman

Azhar Usman is a Indian American Muslim comedian and actor born in Chicago, Illinois, United States.He is a former lecturer, community activist and lawyer and is often referred to as the 'Ayatollah of Comedy' and 'Bin Laughin'.-Background and education:...

and Baba Ali

Baba Ali

Baba Ali is the co-founder of UmmahFilms, a Muslim film company that has produced a web series including the "Reminder" series and "Ask Baba Ali" series...

Affiliations

Sponsors of previous events have been; Awakening Records

Awakening Records

Awakening Records was created in 2000 to offer a wide range of products for a new modern Islamic market. Combining modern manufacturing and contemporary design, they have introduced many new recording artists to the Islamic nasheed and music market....

, Islamic Bank of Britain

Islamic Bank of Britain

The Islamic Bank of Britain plc is a commercial bank in the United Kingdom, established in August 2004 to offer Sharia compliant financial service products to British Muslims. The bank has seven branches in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leicester...

, Emirates, Western Union

Western Union

The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...

and HSBC Amanah.

Partners and associates include; Islam Channel

Islam Channel

, Lebara

Lebara Mobile

Lebara Mobile is a telecommunications company which operates services in many European countries using the mobile virtual network operator business model. The operator has presence in Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.Lebara currently uses the...

, emel, ARY News, ARY Digital Network

ARY Digital Network

ARY Digital Network is a subsidiary of the ARY Group. The ARY Group of companies is a Dubai-based holding company founded by a Pakistani businessman, Haji Abdul Razzak Yaqoob...

, Subway

Subway (restaurant)

Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...

, NHS Blood and Transplant

NHS Blood and Transplant

NHS Blood and Transplant is a special health authority of the English National Health Service .It was established on 1 October 2005 to take over the responsibilities of two separate NHS agencies: UK Transplant , founded by Dr. Geoffrey Tovey in 1972, and the National Blood Service...

, Channel S

Channel S

Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to...

, AlMaghrib Institute

AlMaghrib Institute

AlMaghrib Institute is a 501 nonprofit organization which focuses on teaching Islamic Sciences to Muslim communities within United States, Canada, United Kingdom and now Malaysia...

and Muxlim

Muxlim

Muxlim is primarily known as a social networking website for Muslims that is focused on lifestyle aspects of the community. Founded in 2006 by Mohamed El-Fatatry and Pietari Päivänen of Finland, the company was created as a Muslim lifestyle social media network with primary focus on Muslims in...

.

Associate charities are; Human Appeal International

Human Appeal International

Human Appeal International is a British international development and relief charity based in Manchester. It was established in 1984.According to the United Kingdom Charity Commission the charity's goals are:- Alleged Hamas Links :...

, Human Relief Foundation

Human Relief Foundation

Human Relief Foundation ' is a charity set up by the United Kingdom in 1991.Since the last war on Iraq , HRF paid attention for the training courses for doctors....

, Interpal

Interpal

Interpal is the working name for the British charity Palestinian Relief and Development Fund founded in 1994 which states that it is a non-political charity to alleviate problems faced by Palestinians, and focused solely on the provision of relief and development aid to the poor and needy...

, Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief

, Minhaj Welfare Foundation

Minhaj Welfare Foundation

Minhaj Welfare Foundation is a non-governmental international relief and welfare organisation and a branch of Minhaj-ul-Quran International...

, Muslim Aid

Muslim Aid

, Muslim Charity

Muslim Charity

Muslim Charity is an international relief and development non-governmental organization that aims to alleviate the suffering of the world's poorest people...

and Muslim Hands

Muslim Hands

Muslim Hands - United for the Needy is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty. The organisation was established in 1993 in Nottingham, UK...

.

The event has been supported by; Metropolitan Police Service

Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...

, Islamic Forum of Europe, Muslim Council of Britain

Muslim Council of Britain

and City of London Police

City of London Police

The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...

External links

Global Peace and Unity Event 2010 - Official Website
Global Peace and Unity Event 2008 - Official Website
Global Peace and Unity Event 2006 on Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
Global Peace and Unity Event 2005 on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
Global Peace and Unity group on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Global Peace and Unity page on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...

Speech given by Lord Falconer of Thoroton at the 2005 conference - Department for Constitutional Affairs
Department for Constitutional Affairs
The Department for Constitutional Affairs was a United Kingdom government department. Its creation was announced on 12 June 2003 with the intention of replacing the Lord Chancellor's Department...
"We want world peace" - Conference message from British Muslims At the Global Peace & Unity Conference in London - Islamic Cultural Centre
Islamic Cultural Centre
The Islamic Cultural Centre is a centre for Muslims located in London, England, opened in 1944. It is part of the London Central Mosque, having been annexed...

& London Central Mosque
London Central Mosque
The London Central Mosque is a mosque in North London, England. It was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, completed in 1978, and has a prominent golden dome. The main hall can hold over five thousand worshippers, with women praying on a balcony overlooking the hall...
Account of 2005 conference. Carol Gould. currentviewpoint.com. Wednesday 7th Dec 2005
Salma defends Global Peace & Unity event. Salma Yaqoob. Islamophobia Watch. Wednesday, 15 October, 2008

Talking 'Bout A Revolution. Sarah Joseph. emel. Issue 73, October 2010
Baroness Warsi told by David Cameron not to appear at Islamic conference. Mark Townsend. The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...

. Sunday 24 October 2010
'Protesting Global Peace and Unity.' that sounds a little bit wrong. Mohamed-Zain Dada. Times Series. Thursday 28th October 2010
ExCeL : Global Peace & Unity Foundation

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Purpose

Features

Speakers, artists and performers

Affiliations

See also

External links