The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) proudly hosted its inaugural leadership conference on Sunday, 2nd June 2024, at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.
‘MCBx Leading Change Together: What’s Next for British Muslims? ’the conference aimed to unite ideas, hearts, and minds to highlight the work and significance of the MCB, while promoting positive relationships within wider society.
The event featured over 23 guest speakers, over 300 attendees, 15+ stalls, and 4 workshops. Participants from across the country included representatives from 9 university Islamic Societies (ISOCs) and various community groups from diverse backgrounds. Special guests included British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and the Men’s Shed group, who shared insights on tackling mental health.
The MCB launched 7 community pledges for change, which can be accessed here.
MCB Secretary General, Zara Mohammed, stated:
“This conference was inspired by the need to share leading ideas for change and foster greater partnerships during challenging times for British Muslims. I am delighted with the positivity and collaboration that took place, including excellent panel discussions and workshops on women in leadership. We heard inspiring stories from young people and even hosted a Dragon’s Den event.
An important outcome of the conference is the launch of our 7 pledges for change, which we will focus on in the next 6 months. I want to thank everyone who made this day significant for British Muslims. We saw significant traction for our voter registration campaign and received considerable admiration for the beautiful cricket grounds.”
MyLahore, an award-winning British brand, provided the catering for the day.
Keynote speeches were delivered by Edgbaston CEO Stuart Cain, who emphasised the importance of sports and inclusion, and award-winning scholar Sheikh Nuru Mohammed, who spoke on the significance of collective effort.
The conference hosted a series of insightful panel discussions, each focusing on critical issues for the British Muslim community. Our esteemed panel for the “Striving for Success – What Next for Social Mobility?” addressed barriers to social mobility and featured Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General of the MCB; Ian Elliott, Chief People Officer at PwC UK; and Dr. Sohail Hanif, CEO of the National Zakat Foundation.
Another key panel, “Building Communities for the Future,” explored community leadership, institutional development, and enhancing inclusion and access. This panel included Rahma Suleiman, Yasmin Surti, Kamran Hussain, Dr. Riyaz Timol, and Professor Adeela Shafi, who shared their expertise and experiences.
The “What Next for British Muslim Representations?” panel highlighted the importance of representation, examining the impact of negative stereotypes and discussing strategies for achieving fairer representation in the media. Panellists included Aaqil Ahmed, Zara Mohammed and Hasan Patel, who provided valuable insights into these pressing issues.
The conference also featured a series of MCBx Workshops designed to inspire and empower attendees. The “Inspiring Stories for Change” workshop showcased incredible changemakers such as Haroon Mota from the Active Inclusion Network, Faizza Rumani from the World Hijab Day Campaign for Muslims in Rail, and Shinaz Navas, Co-founder and CEO of Niyyah.
The “What Next for Women & Resilience?” workshop focused on unlocking the secrets to networking success, featuring Farah Hussain, a Networking Strategist, and Ash Ahmad, a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant from Changing Mindsets.
Community leadership was the focus of the “What Next for Making Change in Community Leadership?” workshop, which included insights from Khafayah Abdulsalam, a Counsellor; Omar Ahmad, a Strategy Consultant; and Dr. Hany El-Banna, President of The Humanitarian Forum.
Future entrepreneurs had the opportunity to learn about pathways for economic empowerment in the “What Next for Future Entrepreneurs?” workshop. Guest speakers included successful entrepreneurs Farzana Rahman, Inzar Haq.
The MCB is committed to transforming communities and looks forward to the continued support and engagement from all stakeholders in achieving these goals.
The proceeding of the event was hosted by Naeem Badiuzzaman a communications professional who also volunteers with MCB affiliate StriveUK.
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