“Europe and the Global South: A Reconvergence of Visions and Values”

In the same vein, we should not be held to ransom by the view that a reconvergence of visions and values between Europe and the Global South is an impossible dream. [...] The East encounters the West every day; Islam lives in the West, and a great many traditions and ideas from the West are thriving in Muslim communities. [...] The recognition by the Federal Government of anti- Muslim sentiments and the political pushbacks against the far-right are clearly indicative of a commitment to stem the tide of extremism and racism. [...] Nevertheless, the sins of the past cannot justify the transgressions of the present. [...] To clear the misunderstandings and misgivings concerning the precepts and faiths that we espouse, the political systems that we are partial to, and the cultural diversity that we hold dear, we must transcend narrow identities and embrace a wider humanity for the future.