MUSLIM achievements in Britain were lauded by ministers and political leaders at the annual ceremony for the latest The Muslim News Awards for Excellence held at Grosvenor House in central London on Tuesday, the 25th of March 2008. “These awards celebrate the achievements of British Muslims in all walks of life. They identify Muslim achievers and highlight the wonderful contribution that British Muslims make,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said. “Equally importantly, they challenge the stereotypes and negative portrayal of Muslims in many parts of the media. They provide us with role models we can all be proud of,” the Prime Minister said in a video message to the annual ceremony. The awards, the eighth, organized by The Muslim News, bring together, among others, politicians, religious leaders, journalists, community activists along with representatives from the world of sport, culture and academia, to celebrate the varied talents and achievements of Muslim community in such diverse areas as arts, sport, education, technology and business. “Britain simply wouldn't be the same without the achievements of Muslim entrepreneurs, doctors, teachers, writers, artists and sportsmen and women,” said Brown, who was the guest of honour at the event in 2005. He also said he was impressed by the professionalism of the awards that were organized entirely by volunteers, most of them under 30 and most of them women. In a keynote speech at the ceremony, British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, MP, said the annual event was a “showcase” of the key role that British Muslims play in their nation's life in a wide range of professions and fields. “By celebrating the many contributions of those that represent the best of Britain we can inspire others and also show that we are a nation in which British Muslims are an integral part of our society in politics, business and social life,” the guest of honour said. Conservative Leader, David Cameron, MP, sent his best wishes to everyone attending the annual awards. “These Awards have gone from strength to strength over the last eight years. This is testament both to The Muslim News and the organizers of the awards, and to the huge contribution which Muslim people make to British society,” he said. “These awards play a vital role in sending out the message that the Muslim community in Britain make a highly valuable contribution to public life in a range of areas,” the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg said. The event “serves an excellent role in providing Muslims across Britain with role models that can inspire them” and at the same time “demonstrates that in modern Britain Muslims can, and do, thrive in the widest possible spectrum of contemporary life,” he said in his message. Previous annual ceremonies have been attended by such high-profile figures as former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Prince of Wales since the awards were launched in 2000 to mark the 10th anniversary of the publication as Britain's leading Muslim newspaper. The paper's Editor, Ahmed J Versi, welcomed over 800 guests attending the event and especially all those who were nominated for the awards; to the 150,000 The Muslim News readers who took the time to nominate men, women and young people of excellence and the independent panel of judges in their painstaking task in shortlisting and selecting the winners. Before we were described as a, ‘problem community', we at The Muslim News have always believed that this British Muslim community, diverse in its composition, with so much promise, has got what it takes to make a significant and dynamic contribution to the United Kingdom,” Versi told the ceremony. He also spoke of his newspaper's 19 years of efforts aimed at balancing the news agenda, but warned that the contribution amounts to “no more than a few drops of hope in an ocean of cynicism.” The past 12 months, the editor said, was unfortunately “no different” to the disappointment he had expressed at the start of his previous speeches, when observing how the Muslim community has faced “yet another difficult year,” culminating in the “breathtaking over-reaction of the media to the Archbishop of Canterbury's thoughtful observations on the place of the Shari'ah in Britain today.” Nominations for awards are classified in 16 different categories of achievements, ranging from science and engineering to community development, young person and the arts. This year's shortlist of nominees ranged from the Leicester-based Muslim Youthwork Foundation (MYWF), which integrates Muslim and non-Muslim expertise in youth work –– ArtIslam, a young London-based venture that welcomes artists with an interest in abstract Islamic art to Alan Johnston BBC journalist, who was kidnapped in Gaza and held prisoner for 114 days. Among the winners were Sadiq Khan MP, Minister in the Government Whip's Office; Amir Khan, the IBF inter-continental and Commonwealth Lightweight Boxing Champion and BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, who was detained in Gaza for nearly four months last year. The awards are classified in 16 different categories of Muslim achievements, and the winners included actor Rizwan Ahmed, 12-year old Qur'an reciter Muhammad Ayyub Asif, and Islamic mobile downloader MyAdhan. Recognized for various achievements in the medical world were neuropathologist Dr. Afia B Ali, paediatrician, Professor Dr. Robert Booy, obstetrician Dr. Fatima Asma Husain and forensic psychologist Dr. Zainab Al-Attar. Winners also included scholar of Islamic jurisprudence and traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Mohammed Akram Nadwi; chair of Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony, Imam Abduljalil Sajid; University governor Jafar Mirza and community lecturer in community engagement Yaser Mir. Other winners included the National Union of Students Black Students' Officer, Ruqayyah Collector, halal-certified skin care range Saaf Pure Skincare. The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2008 recognizes the achievements of unsung heroes and heroines. These awards are to honour those who make this country a beacon for others to emulate, Versi said. The Muslim News monthly launched its first awards ceremony in 2000. The awards fall into 15 categories of Muslim achievements, ranging from science and engineering to community development and the arts. Nominations from Britain's 1.8 million-strong Muslim community are made by members of the public and the shortlist as well as the winners are decided by an independent panel of seven distinguished judges. __
