Australia: Mending Relations With Muslims

In the wake of 9/11 attacks in the USA, the relations between the “Christian West” and the “Muslim World” took a nose-dive. Australia is among the few countries who made a concerted effort to win over the hearts and minds of the Muslims in their own country and elsewhere.

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, now on a visit to India, announced in New Delhi that the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding, located at the University of South Australia, will step up its cooperation with Indian partners.

Professor Pal Ahluwalia, University of South Australia’s Pro Vice Chancellor, who accompanied Ms Gillard to India, said the new Centre’s research agenda goes far beyond religious differences. (Last year this distinguished scholar was appointed a UNESCO Chair in Transnational Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies.) (See inset photo)

Professor Ahluwalia added: “We also want to build the Centre as a place of engagement, so that the work we do is accessible to governments and societies. This supports a guiding principle of the research Centre – to analyse effective rapprochement between Muslim and non-Muslim communities informed by principles of social justice and reconciliation.”

The Centre has already attracted $(Aus) 10 million in funding support from the Australian Government and the South Australian State Government. The Centre would offer 10 international PhD scholarships, worth more than $(Aus) 26, 000 each, plus relocation expenses.

He said: “I am hoping to welcome strong applications from India that can build long lasting bilateral research relationships between Australia and India in this vital area.”

Ms Julia Gillard said “faith and culture have been paramount in the development of India; one of the world’s largest and most linguistically and culturally diverse democracies. Holding the international launch of the Centre here in Delhi is appropriate because India is a nation that lives with difference on a grand scale and thrives.”

She added: “There is expertise here and in many countries across the Asian region that we can learn from. The goal is to build a worldwide community of outstanding scholars with a commitment to understanding and exploring the cultural and sociological factors that influence Muslim and non-Muslim relationships.

“The Centre would emphasise international engagement, with an international Advisory Board and a Council of Distinguished Scholars (including Indian representatives).” Former Australian PM Bob Hawke is an ex-officio member of the board.

The visit of Ms Gillard and Professor Ahluwalia is reiteration of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s policy of promoting multiculturalism and prioritizing partnership, in economic, cultural and other matters, with Asia-Pacific countries, especially India and China.

(Photo above, courtesy Graham Crouch, shows Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard with Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi (standing on the right), Secretary General, All India Imam Organisation in New Delhi on 2 September.)

Please click here to read my post written two years ago on a similar subject…