Protect Hijab Thanks All Those Who Supported the Written Declaration on Religious Rights and Freedoms.

A while back a group of us actually sent MEP all over the European Union asking them to support Religious Rights and Freedoms again France for banning Hijab in France... This is the report of how it turned out to be:

Saturday May 21st marks the end of the 3 month period during which the Protect Hijab campaign has been working tirelessly to gain the support of MEPs across Europe for the Written Declaration on Religious Rights and Freedoms (“WD”), which was tabled before the European Parliament on 21st February 2005.

The WD received 70 signatories in total, which is a success relative to the other 8 declarations which have been tabled so far this year, with only 2 others gaining more MEP signatures.

Proposing the WD has allowed Protect Hijab to demonstrate to the political establishment in Europe how fundamental the issue of Hijab is to many women in Europe, and to present the argument for religious tolerance and freedom in the corridors of power. In the past 3 months, Protect Hijab has contacted every MEP in Europe and has mobilised Muslim women around Europe to lobby for change.

Protect Hijab would like to thank all the MEPs who supported and signed the WD, and who take the rights of religious expression seriously. Protect Hijab is particularly grateful to MEPs Caroline Lucas (Green Party), Sarah Ludford (Liberal Democrats), Claude Moraes (Labour), Philip Bushill-Matthews (Conservative) and Alain Lipietz for proposing and supporting this declaration.

To mark the end of this campaign, Muslim women will meet in London on Saturday 21st May to celebrate the achievement and renew their commitment to continue campaigning to end the ban.

Nabila Ferhat, Protect Hijab head of media commented: “Our work will continue beyond the 21st May 2005. We have many other projects planned, and our campaign will have a much greater focus on the media, with forthcoming events in September for International Hijab Solidarity Day, details of which will follow.”

For further information write to wd@prohijab.net
Or visit www.prohijab.net
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