Release : Immediate
Date : 11th June 2009
Ethiopia to host continent’s Bio-energy Conference, 16th-18th June
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy is hosting the second Africa Bio-fuels Conference and Expo with BIOFUEL CONFERENCES, a world leader who has organised bio-energy conferences and promoted bio-fuels in Latin America, Asia and Europe for six years.
The conference is scheduled to take place next week, from 16th to 18th June at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference Centre in Addis Ababa.
The conference will be officially opened by H.E. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
This will be the continent’s largest conference on bio-fuels, bio-energy and opportunities for development of the sector.
About 60 speakers and more than 300 participants are expected from across Europe, Africa, the USA and Brazil, from policymakers to technology providers and project developers.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy said the conference and expo will help to introduce the international community to bio-fuel development and utilization in Ethiopia and will draw together relevant experience from other countries.
Joint organisers the International Biofuel Organisation, has announced that more than 30 research papers are expected to be presented at the conference.
There will be a pre-conference visit to bio-fuel sites on 15th June.
ENDS
For further information about the conference see the website at : http://www.africabiofuels.com/pagedetail.cfm?iConferencesConferencesNavigationID=65
Keeping our hands dirty in Newham
PRESS RELEASE THE ISLAMIC HOTLINE: UK SEES LAUNCH OF FIRST ISLAMIC ADVICE LINE RUN BY CLERICS FROM AL AZHAR UNIVERSITY – SUNNI ISLAM’S MOST PRESTIGOUS SEAT OF LEARNING
One of the world’s largest Islamic advice lines has commenced its UK service today (June 9th), following an earlier launch event in London on June 2nd. Keynote speakers for the launch included the Grand Mufti of Damascus, a Professor of Jurisprudence at Al Azhar University and Advisor to the leader of the Liberal Democrats on interfaith issues. The Islamic Hotline will enable callers to ask questions about Islam in English, Arabic and Urdu to scholars trained at Al Azhar, the most respected University in the Sunni Islamic world and described by President Obama in his recent Cairo speech as ‘a beacon of learning’. Callers will call back to hear their recorded response after 48 hours. The service will also accept questions by email at www.islamichotline.co.uk. The Hotline service is an English and Urdu expansion of the Cairo-based 'Islamic Telephone' (www.elhatef.com) service which has provided advisory services to the public since 2000. Since then, it has answered over two million questions. Like the Hotline, El Hatef provides a pro bono service designed to give guidance and answers to questions concerning Islam as a religion, its practice and its propagation. It has maintained its independence by successfully funding itself through the proceeds of call charges and the loans of shareholders. The June 2nd launch event at the Dorchester Hotel saw a 100 strong audience and included the UK’s major Muslim bodies, including; The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), the Muslim College, the Islamic Society of Britain, British Muslim Forum, Muslim Youth Helpline, Islam Channel, Alt Muslim, Radical Middle Way, the Islamic Shariah Council. The Islamic Hotline’s spokesperson - Abeer Almudaris addressed the audience on why El Hatef was founded; “to rejuvenate the name of Al Azhar and to act as both a deterrent and an antidote to radical, harsh and singular interpretations of Islam which tend to polarize young Muslims and lead them to believe they cannot lead normal lives”. The service has, since its inception, she said: ‘made access to the renowned Scholars of Al Azhar University no longer the privilege of the few, but of the masses from amongst all social classes and backgrounds.’ Almudaris added the service does not answer political questions. Instead it deals with the many issues affecting the UK’s Muslim communities on a daily basis; from ‘marital advice to theological issues of concern to family relationships’. The grand Mufti of Damascus, Sheikh Abdel Fattah El Bezem, commended the service for portraying a true image of Islam and acting as a counterweight to more negative and distorted perceptions. He added the notion of ‘centrist Islam’ (a balanced and moderate interpretation of Islamic scripture) that El Hatef promotes has not been influenced by the West (or East), but is a fundamental tenet of Islam. He also said the service will contribute to a more reliable understanding of Islam for Muslims and Non Muslims alike in Western countries. Professor of Jurisprudence at Al Azhar, Dr Rafaat Osman addressed the audience about the need Muslim communities have for access to specialist Islamic advice. He went to say the El Hatef service has made such access a reality. Fiyaz Mughal of ‘Faith Matters’ and advisor to Nick Clegg MP on interfaith issues, spoke of how the service is well placed to provide credible and moderate Islamic advice to disaffected and isolated Muslim youth, often searching for an ‘authentic’ form of Islam to instill a sense of identity. He added that the service will work to pre-empt and counter the influence that radical religious ideology can have. The UK service will guarantee anonymity to callers. In Egypt this has enabled callers to request information on sensitive topics like sex, drugs and mental health issues. Video endorsements of the UK service followed from Mufti Baraktullah of the Islamic Shariah Council, Mohammad Imran of the Muslim Youth Helpline, Parvin Ali of Fatima Women’s Network and British Imam -Sohaib Hassan. The contact number for the UK service is 0905 076 0 076 and calls cost 69p. Please find launch event images attached. --------------------------------- Pre Launch articles on the Islamic Hotline include BBC News Article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8078344.stm) and Sky News Article (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Islamic-Hotline-Launches-For-British-Muslims-Phone-Service-Aims-To-Help-Tackle-Religious-Extremism/Article/200906115293806)
One of the world’s largest Islamic advice lines has commenced its UK service today (June 9th), following an earlier launch event in London on June 2nd. Keynote speakers for the launch included the Grand Mufti of Damascus, a Professor of Jurisprudence at Al Azhar University and Advisor to the leader of the Liberal Democrats on interfaith issues. The Islamic Hotline will enable callers to ask questions about Islam in English, Arabic and Urdu to scholars trained at Al Azhar, the most respected University in the Sunni Islamic world and described by President Obama in his recent Cairo speech as ‘a beacon of learning’. Callers will call back to hear their recorded response after 48 hours. The service will also accept questions by email at www.islamichotline.co.uk. The Hotline service is an English and Urdu expansion of the Cairo-based 'Islamic Telephone' (www.elhatef.com) service which has provided advisory services to the public since 2000. Since then, it has answered over two million questions. Like the Hotline, El Hatef provides a pro bono service designed to give guidance and answers to questions concerning Islam as a religion, its practice and its propagation. It has maintained its independence by successfully funding itself through the proceeds of call charges and the loans of shareholders. The June 2nd launch event at the Dorchester Hotel saw a 100 strong audience and included the UK’s major Muslim bodies, including; The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), the Muslim College, the Islamic Society of Britain, British Muslim Forum, Muslim Youth Helpline, Islam Channel, Alt Muslim, Radical Middle Way, the Islamic Shariah Council. The Islamic Hotline’s spokesperson - Abeer Almudaris addressed the audience on why El Hatef was founded; “to rejuvenate the name of Al Azhar and to act as both a deterrent and an antidote to radical, harsh and singular interpretations of Islam which tend to polarize young Muslims and lead them to believe they cannot lead normal lives”. The service has, since its inception, she said: ‘made access to the renowned Scholars of Al Azhar University no longer the privilege of the few, but of the masses from amongst all social classes and backgrounds.’ Almudaris added the service does not answer political questions. Instead it deals with the many issues affecting the UK’s Muslim communities on a daily basis; from ‘marital advice to theological issues of concern to family relationships’. The grand Mufti of Damascus, Sheikh Abdel Fattah El Bezem, commended the service for portraying a true image of Islam and acting as a counterweight to more negative and distorted perceptions. He added the notion of ‘centrist Islam’ (a balanced and moderate interpretation of Islamic scripture) that El Hatef promotes has not been influenced by the West (or East), but is a fundamental tenet of Islam. He also said the service will contribute to a more reliable understanding of Islam for Muslims and Non Muslims alike in Western countries. Professor of Jurisprudence at Al Azhar, Dr Rafaat Osman addressed the audience about the need Muslim communities have for access to specialist Islamic advice. He went to say the El Hatef service has made such access a reality. Fiyaz Mughal of ‘Faith Matters’ and advisor to Nick Clegg MP on interfaith issues, spoke of how the service is well placed to provide credible and moderate Islamic advice to disaffected and isolated Muslim youth, often searching for an ‘authentic’ form of Islam to instill a sense of identity. He added that the service will work to pre-empt and counter the influence that radical religious ideology can have. The UK service will guarantee anonymity to callers. In Egypt this has enabled callers to request information on sensitive topics like sex, drugs and mental health issues. Video endorsements of the UK service followed from Mufti Baraktullah of the Islamic Shariah Council, Mohammad Imran of the Muslim Youth Helpline, Parvin Ali of Fatima Women’s Network and British Imam -Sohaib Hassan. The contact number for the UK service is 0905 076 0 076 and calls cost 69p. Please find launch event images attached. --------------------------------- Pre Launch articles on the Islamic Hotline include BBC News Article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8078344.stm) and Sky News Article (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Islamic-Hotline-Launches-For-British-Muslims-Phone-Service-Aims-To-Help-Tackle-Religious-Extremism/Article/200906115293806)
