WAMY annual report 2015 by Omar Alhashemi

Think POSITVE Think ISLAM

World Assembly of Muslim Youth

www.wamy.org.au

Think POSITVE Think ISLAM

World Assembly of Muslim Youth

www.wamy.org.au WAMY Australia & South Pacific

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‫‪Think POSITVE Think ISLAM‬‬

‫بســم اللــه والحمــد للــه والصــاة والســام عــى ســيدنا رســول اللــه وعــى‬ ‫آلــه وصحبــه ومــن وااله أمــا بعــد ‪،‬‬ ‫فــإن النــدوة العامليــة للشــباب اإلســامي وهــي منظمــة دوليــة مقرهــا‬ ‫الريــاض يف اململكــة العربيــة الســعودية تعتنــي بالشــباب املســلم يف‬ ‫كل أنحــاء العــامل‪ ،‬وهــي منظمــة ذات أبعــاد شــبابية تهــدف إىل تنميــة‬ ‫اإليجابيــات لــدى الشــباب املســلم وتعليمهــم وتدريبهــم عــى التعايــش‬ ‫والســلم يف املجتمعــات التــي يعيشــون فيهــا بحيــث يكونــون مواطنــن‬ ‫عاملــن نافعــن ملجتمعاتهــم وأمتهــم‪ ،‬وتقيــم لذلــك الربامــج املتعــددة‬ ‫ومنهــا الــدورات واملخيّــات الشــبابية‪ ،‬وكذلــك الزيــارات لألكادمييــن‬ ‫واملدربــن املتخصصــن إضافــة إىل األعــال اإلنســانية للجاليــات املســلمة‬ ‫واملســلمني واإلنســانية يف كافــة أنحــاء العــامل‪ .‬واضافــة لــكل مــا ذكــر‪،‬‬ ‫ترعــى النــدوة العامليــة العديــد مــن األنشــطة يف املواســم واملناســبات‬ ‫الدينيــة والوطنيــة‪ ،‬ومــا بــن يديكــم هــو منــوذج لهــذه األنشــطة التــي‬ ‫تقيمهــا النــدوة العامليــة بــن الجاليــات املســلمة واملحليــة يف منطقــة‬ ‫اسـراليا وجنــوب الباســيفيك وهــو يهــدف إىل إطــاع املختصــن واملهتمــن‬ ‫بهــذه األنشــطة التــي هدفهــا بالدرجــة األوىل الســلم والســام والرحمــة‬ ‫للجميــع جــزى اللــه كل مــن شــارك يف ذلــك خ ـ ًرا‪.‬‬ ‫أ‪.‬د‪ .‬عبد العزيز بن إبراهيم ال ُعمري‬

‫رئيس لجنة اسرتاليا والباسيفيك‬ ‫الندوة العاملية للشباب االسالمي‬

Think POSITVE Think ISLAM

By the grace of Allah swt, and by all measures, 2015 was a successful year. World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) is an international, United Nations registered, Nongovernmental Organisation (NGO), based in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. WAMYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision for Muslim youth is to become model citizens in their societies. We endeavour to facilitate development opportunities for Muslim youth to become global ambassadors for peace. As we are moving steadily towards our vision, in 2015 we have delivered over 15 projects and initiatives, increased the number of our youth volunteers by over 100% and reached major milestones. However, we do recognise that our success is contingent on the relationship with our primary stakeholders and strategic partners, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of them. We specialise in leadership and personal development through holiday camps, capacity building workshops, community development initiatives and public outreach projects. WAMY Australia & South pacific expresses its commitment to the positive development of Muslim youth in the region. We pray that Australia and the South Pacific continue to be the example for multicultural co-existence and peace. Before you is a model that compiles the activities we organised in 2015. Happy Exploring Fuad Abdin Regional Director WAMY Australia & South Pacific

Introducing Islam Projects

Asian Cup Outreach Program The first major event for WAMY Australia & South Pacific in 2015 was the WAMY Asian Cup Outreach Program. The landmark event of the year, had two main objectives; Introducing Islam to the general public, and, capacity building of the Muslim youth. Two weeks prior to the event, volunteers undertook a training workshop aimed at building public relations skills. The workshop was presented by Dr Zachariah Mathews, who flew in from Sydney for the workshop. The Asian Cup kicked off on the 9th and ran till the 31st of January. Throughout this period, WAMY Australia & South Pacific set up information stalls in popular Melbourne CBD locations. Volunteers handed out souvenirs, gifts, water and pamphlets explaining misconceptions about Islam. The wider sentiment of the general public was very positive. Overall, the outreach project was successful.

Introducing Islam Projects

September Outreach Program Coming of the success of the WAMY Asian cup outreach project, WAMY was prompted to repeat the initiative in September 2015. Although, the sequel was at a smaller scale, the far reaching impacts echoed the same sentiments from the WAMY Asian Cup. Two information stalls were set up, and as in the Asian Cup program, souvenirs, gifts, water and pamphlets were distributed.

Introducing Islam Projects

National Mosque Open Day In early October 2015, WAMY Australia & South Pacific was invited by Werribee Islamic Centre to partake in the Annual National Mosque Open Day. The event was to be held on the 31st of October at Virgin Mary Mosque in Melbourne. On the day a stall was set up and volunteers set out distributing gifts and pamphlets. Free Henna art was also offered. Members of parliament and local police department officers, alongside other renowned community leaders attended the event.

Study Circles

Al Fajr Quran Institute

Al Fajr Quran institute is an Australian Institute that has been operating since 2008. It aims to teach Muslims the correct recitation of the Holy Quran. The institute has many classes and an ijaza course. There are currently over 300 students enrolled in the branches in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide of which WAMY supports & sponsors.

Study Circles

Islamic Knowledge Study Circles & Activities WAMY also runs and sponsors study circles that teach general Islamic knowledge as well as sports activities in various states and countries in the South Pacific region. These activities cater for men, women and youth and are held on an ongoing weekly basis.

Umrah Trip

Umrah Trip In April 7th 2015, WAMY Australia & South Pacific took the initiative of taking fifteen young men for Umrah to the Holy lands of Makkah and Madina. The trip was nine days, with Madina being the first stop. A total of five days were spent beside the Prophets Mosque. The Australian delegates were hosted by WAMY’s Madina branch. The stay in Madina was filled with educational excursions, visits to historical and holy sites and the world class state of the art Quran printing press. The group then headed towards the city of Makkah, where they performed the rituals of Umrah. There they spent four days. A visit to the factory in charge of manufacturing the Ka’ba’s suit, Zam Zam water bottling factory, historic and religious sites and WAMY’s branch in Makkah were all on the agenda.

Umrah Trip

Public Relations

Public Relations WAMY Australia & South Pacific representatives frequently engage Australian Muslim leaders and civic society stakeholders. WAMY acknowledges the role that our stakeholders play in achieving our objectives. Hence, we frequently engage with them on consultative and collaborative platforms. To achieve this goal, Br Fuad Abdin (Regional Director) completed a number of visits to many prominent leaders and

societies. Amongst our valued stakeholder visits, is a visit to Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr. Ibrahim Abu Mohamed. Br Fuad also visited the deputy ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Australia, Mr Hassan Al Ansari, in Canberra. There they talked about the work of WAMY in Australia and Internationally in the South Pacific.

Public Relations

Youth Holiday Camps and Day Trips

The National Unity youth Camp (Adelaide)

Annually, WAMY Australia & South Pacific organises a number of youth development camps nationwide. The Annual National Unity Youth Camp, organised by WAMY in cooperation with The Islamic Information Centre of South Australia (IICSA) and Islamic Society of South Australia (ISSA), was a major success. The camp was held over the course of three days in Adelaide, South Australia. Nationwide, over 60 participants, many of whom travelled by plane or car, made their way to the camp site on the 29th of September. The campâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme focused on unity and team building in the Australian context. Well-known guest speakers and experts conducted various workshops around the applications of team work and unity. Nonetheless, a range of physical games and challenges, with a leisure element, focused on how to work together under pressure.

Youth Holiday Camps and Day Trips

Famsy Sisters Recreational Camp The development of young Muslim women leadership is a priority at WAMY. In February WAMY sponsored the Annual Sisters Recreational Camp by Famsy. The camp was held in Lyrebird camp site in Victoria, Australia and ran for 2 days.

Youth Holiday Camps and Day Trips

Volunteers Trip to Anglesea WAMY events are only successful because of the volunteers who give up their time. As a token of appreciation to our volunteers, WAMY organised a day trip out to Anglesea. Kayaking, group games and beach soccer were amongst the array of activities on the day.

Fiji Programs

Fiji Camp From the 28th to 30th of August, WAMY, in collaboration with Fiji Muslim Youth Movement (FMYM), organised a camp catering for over 80 youth. The focus of the camp was on building leadership ethics and social responsibilities amongst Fiji Muslim youth. A host of professional development speakers and renowned trainers from both Australia and Fiji spent the weekend interacting and teaching the cohort of youth. The camp was a great sequel to last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual camp.

Fiji Programs

Imams Training Workshop (Fiji) On the 23rd of October to the 12th of December 2015 (six weeks), WAMY Australia & South Pacific in conjunction with The Fiji Muslim League (FML) organized an intensive Da’wah training course. The course was titled “Workshop Training of Imams from the Pacific Islands”. The training took place in Fiji at the Islamic Institute of The South Pacific. A total number of 11 participants, from seven pacific islands, undertook the training workshop. The subjects presented by the course ranged from Islamic History to Islamic ethics, social responsibility and theology. In addition, trainees were required to memorise a number of chapters from the Noble Quran. During their stay in Fiji, the group were taken on several excursions which included visits to mosque and institutes.

New Zealand Programs WAMY Australia & South Pacific supports Muslim youth in New Zealand through several projects and leadership camps. As a delivery strategy, WAMY collaborates with local organisations such as Almanar Trust and The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) amongst others. WAMYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim in New Zealand and Australia are identical. Where building bridges of peace and unity between Muslims and the general multicultural society is at the forefront of its objectives.

Islamic Book Distribution

Throughout 2015, WAMY Australia & South Pacific distributed hundreds of Islamic books and informational material. Major contributors to the far-reaching campaign have been Mosques, Islamic centres, universities, and public libraries nationwide. The materials distributed cover a wide range of topics such as jurisprudence, history and theology, alongside contemporary material that support the compatibility of Islam and the Australian values.

Leadership Programs

WAMY Media Seminar Youth Project The media is known as the fourth estate, because it has now become an entity unto its own and its influences are far-reaching. While the media have a fascination with Islam, Muslim youth are heavily impacted by the way Islam is perceived by the Australian public. It is imperative that the Muslim youth engage with the Media, understand how it works and look towards proactive ways to bring the balance back. For this reason WAMY Australia & South Pacific has organised a series seminars and workshops to teach Muslim youth how to deal with the media and how to respond to what has been happening around them. The first of these seminars was on Saturday 21st of November and was held in the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) and featured 3 experienced speakers. These were, Head of Four Corners (ABC), Sally Neighbour, Muslim activist and founder of Just Media Advocacy Dr Zachariah Matthews, and Head of ICV Media Unit and founder of the Forum on Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Islamic Relations, Kuranda Seyit

Leadership Programs

Building Muslim youthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity to participate, interact, and influence the Media WAMY Australia & South Pacific

www.wamy.org.au

Leadership Programs

BAILP Believe Achieve Inspire Leadership Program (BAILP), is a yearlong leadership program designed and delivered by Famsy. The program has been running for 6 years, with fortnightly sessions targeting university students. It features many well-known trainers and speakers from all around Australia. The group covers a range of subjects, such as Principles of Islamic Leadership, Islamic Decision Making, leadership lessons from the Muslim Historic perspective and Continuous Improvement. In 2015, WAMY Australia & South Pacific had a large role in running the program. One of the main objectives for the program participants was the organisation of a seminar in collaboration with WAMY.Â

Leadership Programs

Imams Program

Ramadan Program Annually, in the holy month of Ramadan, WAMY Australia & South Pacific sponsors a number of prominent imams from overseas to visit Australia & the Pacific Islands to lead prayers in the holy month. In 2015 seven imams were sponsored to lead prayers in various mosques. Many of the visiting Imams stayed for Eid. May Allah reward them for their efforts and time spent away from their families and countries in servitude of Islam and Muslims!

Imams Program

WAMY Lecture Tour & Workshop The Annual WAMY Lecture tour began on the 1st of January. This year the tour featured two International speakers from Imam Mohammad Bin Saud University in Saudi Arabia. The visiting speakers were specialists in Islamic Jurisprudence and Islamic Thought and Culture. They shared their experiences with the Muslim community through lectures given at multiple locations in both Sydney & Melbourne. Accompanied by Br Fuad Abdin, Regional Director of WAMY, the guests visited the Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad and members of the Australian National Imams Council.

Relief Projects

Pacific Islands Iftars WAMY is a leader in offering help and relief to those who need it. One of the two relief projects run by WAMY in 2015 was the organisation of iftars throughout the month of Ramadan for the poor in a number of South Pacific Islands such as Papa New Guinea, Tonga and the Solomon Islands.

Relief Projects

Qurbans WAMY Australia & South Pacific arranges an annual Qurban Project. Every year at Eid Al Adha WAMY in collaboration with Human Appeal International (HAI) sponsors a number of Qurbans to be distributed to families in the Pacific Islands. This year over 80 Qurbans were distributed which benefitted over 480 families. WAMY will continue to strive in the future to provide more for the needy in neighbouring countries.

Sponsoring Community Activities

Ramadan, the way to Jannah

Est. 1972 Member of the UN NGOs

Australian Islamic Mission

World Assembly of Muslim Youth

RAMADAN

the way to

WAMY sponsors a wide range of community activities. On the 14th of June 2015 WAMY in partnership with Australian Islamic Mission (AIM), hosted a welcoming Ramadan dinner. The event was an open invitation to all. Two parallel programs were run, one for children and one for adults. Each respective program was graced by guest speakers. Featured speakers included Australian Rules football player Bachar Houli, a well-known speaker Omar Marzouk, Muslim activist and leader Dr Zachariah Mathews and AIM Secretary Dr Seyed Sheriffdeen. A variety of topics were discussed such as how to plan for Ramadan, The Philosophy of Fasting and many more. The program concluded with nasheed by Sheikh Abdulrahman Malas.

JANNAH

Sunday • 14/6/2015 • 3-7 PM

Speakers: • Dr. Zachariah Matthews • Dr. Abdulmohaymen Kamardeen • Sh. Abdullah Hawari

• Sh. Abdulrahmaan Malas • Brother Bachar Houli • Brother Omar Marzouk

Topics:

- Planning for Ramadan - My prayer - Spiritual health in Ramadan - The philosophy of Fasting - Manners of Fasting

Address:

Parallel Session for Children Includes educational activities and entertainment Includes dinner and nasheed and a variety of fun activities

North melbourne community centre

RSVP Brother Ibrahim:

49-53 buncle st, north melbourne

$5 per person

0434 409 197