Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Seminar on Islam in Australia


Kuala Lumpur - 9 Jun 2009 / 15 Jamadilakhir 1430 H - Mr. Jufitri Joha, GPTD Chairman attended Seminar on Islam in Australia at the Australian High Commission Malaysia. The presentor was Mr Waleed Aly, a young Muslim from Melbourne and well-known in Australia as an engaging commentator on Australia’s Muslim community.

Waleed Aly writes regularly for the mainstream press in Australia on topics ranging from politics and religion, to community and sport. He is the author of “People Like Us: How arrogance is dividing Islam and the West” (Picador, 2007), which has been shortlisted for several awards including the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and for Best Newcomer at the 2008 Australian Book Industry Awards.

Waleed also appears regularly on radio and TV in Australia and is a writer and host of SBS's Salam Café, a Muslim comedy panel and sketch show. He speaks on issues concerning Australia’s Muslim community and the relationship between Islam and western values. Waleed Aly’s views on Islam and Australian multiculturalism are well-respected, and he is tireless in his attempts to create a better understanding of Islam and Muslims in the Australian community.

In 2005, he was made a White Ribbon Day Ambassador for the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and was named one of The Bulletin magazine’s ‘Smart 100’ in 2007. He was also an invited participant to the Australian Prime Minister’s 2020 Summit in 2008.

Waleed Aly is a lecturer in politics at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Previously, he worked as a commercial lawyer, and he also has experience in human rights and family law. Waleed was a board member of the Islamic Council of Victoria for over four years, and is frequently invited by media outlets across Australia to comment on a broad range of issues relating to Islam and Western Muslims.