cover-amsterdam-100928-levil-65mm:Layout 1 9/28/2010 2:47 PM Page 1 AT HOME IN EUROPE ★ Muslims in A T H O M E I Amsterdam N E U R O P E : M U S L I M S I Whether citizens or migrants, native born or newly-arrived, Muslims are a growing and N varied population that presents Europe with challenges and opportunities. The crucial A M tests facing Europe’s commitment to open society will be how it treats minorities such as S Muslims and ensures equal rights for all in a climate of rapidly expanding diversity. TE R D The Open Society Foundations’ At Home in Europe project is working to address these A M issues through monitoring and advocacy activities that examine the position of Muslims and other minorities in Europe. One of the project’s key efforts is this series of reports on Muslim communities in the 11 EU cities of Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Leicester, London, Marseille, Paris, Rotterdam, and Stockholm. The reports aim to increase understanding of the needs and aspirations of diverse Muslim communities by examining how public policies in selected cities have helped or hindered the political, social, and economic participation of Muslims. By fostering new dialogue and policy initiatives between Muslim communities, local officials, and international policymakers, the At Home in Europe project seeks to improve the participation and inclusion of Muslims in the wider society while enabling them to preserve the cultural, linguistic, and religious practices that are important to their identities. muslim-amsterdam-incover-publish-100922-OSF:publish.qxd 9/22/2010 8:50 PM Page 1 Muslims in Amsterdam At Home in Europe Project muslim-amsterdam-incover-publish-100922-OSF:publish.qxd 9/22/2010 8:50 PM Page 2 © 2010 Open Society Foundations All rights reserved ISBN: 978-1-936133-03-1 Published by OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS 400 West 59th Street New York, NY 10019 USA For more information contact; AT HOME IN EUROPE PROJECT OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION 100 Cambridge Grove W6 0LE London UK Website www.soros.org/initiatives/home Cover Photograph by © Nikolaj Lund for the Open Society Foundations Cover design by Ahlgrim Design Group Layout by Q.E.D. Publishing Printed in Hungary Printed on CyclusOffset paper produced from 100% recycled fibres. TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................. 5 Preface ..................................................................................... 7 Muslims in Amsterdam ............................................................ 9 List of Abbreviations ....................................................... 14 Definitions and Terminology ...................................... 16 Executive Summary ..................................................... 19 1. Introduction ............................................................... 23 2. Population and Demographics .................................... 28 3. City Policy .................................................................. 35 4. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Identity, Belonging and Interaction ........................................... 42 5. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Education ........ 55 6. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Employment .... 67 7. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Housing .......... 75 8. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Health ............. 80 9. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Policing and Security ................................................................ 87 10. Experiences of Muslim Communities: Participation and Citizenship ........................................................... 96 11. Experiences of Muslim Communities: The Role of the Media ................................................................. 109 12. Addressing the Needs and Concerns of Muslims ....... 116 13. Conclusion ............................................................... 120 14. Recommendations .................................................... 122 Annex 1. Bibliography .......................................................... 127 Annex 2. List of Stakeholders Interviewed ............................ 131 Annex 3. List of Relevant Organisations and Individuals ...... 132 AT HOME IN EUROPE PROJECT 3 Open Society Foundations Mission Statement The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Working with local communities in more than 70 countries, the Open Society Foundations support justice and human rights, freedom of expression, and access to public health and education. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Acknowledgements This city report was prepared as part of a series of monitoring reports titled ‘Muslims in EU cities’. The series focuses on eleven cities in the European Union (EU) with significant Muslim populations. Each report focuses on the following neighbourhoods within each city: Slotervaart, Amsterdam; Borgerhout, Antwerp; Kreuzberg, Berlin; Nørrebro, Copenhagen; Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg; Evington, Spinney Hills, Stoneygate, Leicester; 3rd Arrondissement, Marseille; 18th Arrondissement, Paris; Feijenoord, Rotterdam; Järvafältet, Stockholm; the London Borough of Waltham Forest, London. The reports have been prepared by the At Home in Europe Project of the Open Society Foundations in cooperation with local/national based experts. The At Home in Europe Project would like to acknowledge and thank the following individuals who have been engaged with the research since 2007. This report was written by Mayke Kaag: Researchers Mayke Kaag Researcher. African Studies Centre, Leiden University Farid Tabarki Interview and Focus Group Coordinator, Founder/Director of Studio Zeitgeist Under the supervision of the Interview and Focus Group Coordinator, the interviews and focus groups were conducted by a team based in Amsterdam. The team is comprised of the following: Shane Pulmano, Tim de Gier, Rik-Jan Brinkman, Kim Dankoor, Hanna Bouaicha, Tanja Bubic, Vivian Slotman, Anne van Leeuwen and Eric Cillessen. Professor Jan Rath, Director of the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (IMES), University of Amsterdam, reviewed the draft versions of this report for which we are appreciative. In June 2009, the Open Society Foundations held a closed roundtable meeting in Amsterdam inviting expert critique and commentary on the draft report. We are grateful to the many participants who generously offered their time and expertise. These included representatives of Amsterdam City Council, minority groups, civil society organizations and relevant experts. We would also like to thank the team at the Anne Frank Foundation for organising and hosting the roundtable meeting. Particular thanks are offered to Marija Davidovic and Peter Rodrigues. The following people and institutions are acknowledged and thanked for their contribution to the reports by being available for interviews, providing information or AT HOME IN EUROPE PROJECT 5 MUSLIMS IN AMSTERDAM research, or reviewing and critiquing drafts of the report: Piet Guijt (Islamtisch College), Meriem Ameziane (24 karaat), Khalil Aitblal (Refresh Entertainment), Fatima Sabah (Stichting Nisa voor Nisa), Nejma Elmaach (Dienst Maatschappelijke Ontwikkeling Amsterdam). A number of other individuals also agreed to be interviewed by the Open Society Foundations Office of Communications team to whom we offer thanks. The At Home in Europe Project has final responsibility for the content of the report including any errors or misrepresentations. Open Society Foundations Team Nazia Hussain (At Home in Europe Project) Director Tufyal Choudhury (At Home in Europe Project) Senior Policy Advisor Klaus Dik Nielsen (At Home in Europe Project) Advocacy Officer Helene Irving (At Home in Europe Project) Programme Assistant Andrea Gurubi Watterson (At Home in Europe Project) Programme Officer Csilla Tóth (At Home in Europe Project) Programme Assistant Katy Negrin Consultant Editor 6 OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS 2010 PREFACE Preface A central belief of the Open Society Foundations (Foundations) is that all people in an open society count equally and should enjoy equal opportunities. The Foundations works to mitigate discrimination, in particular harm done to minorities through discriminatory treatment, and to ensure that access to equal opportunities for all is an integral part of social inclusion policies of governments. The At Home in Europe project of the Open Society Foundations focuses on monitoring and advocacy activities that examine the position of minorities in a changing Europe. Through its research and engagement with policymakers and communities, the project explores issues involving the political, social, and economic participation of Muslims and other marginalized groups at the local, national, and European levels. Whether citizens or migrants, native born or newly arrived, Muslims are a growing and varied population that presents Europe with one of its greatest challenges: how to ensure equal rights in an environment of rapidly expanding diversity. Europe is no longer – if it ever was – a mono-cultural and mono-faith continent; its emerging minority groups and their identities as Europeans are an essential part of the political agenda and discourse. Through its reports on Muslims in EU cities, the At Home in Europe project examines city and municipal policies that have actively sought to understand Muslim communities and their specific needs. Furthermore, the project aims to capture the type and degree of engagement policymakers have initiated with their Muslim and minority constituents by highlighting best practices in select western European cities. An underlying theme is how Muslim communities have themselves actively participated in tackling discrimination and whether the needs of specific groups warrant individual policy approaches in order to overcome barriers to equal opportunities. The city reports build upon Foundations’ earlier work on minority protection, in particular the EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program reports on the situation of Muslims in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. All of these studies make it clear that further research is needed. The limited data currently available on Europe’s Muslim populations are extrapolated from ethnic and country of origin background. This lack of precise data limits the possibilities for creating nuanced, specific polices on the most relevant issues for Muslims, and developing sensitive and integrated social inclusion policies. The At Home in Europe report series includes an overview and individual reports on 11 cities in seven European countries. The project selected the cities on the basis of literature reviews conducted in 2006, taking into account population size, diversity, and the local political context. All 11 city reports were prepared by teams of local experts on the basis of the same methodology to allow for comparative analysis. AT HOME IN EUROPE PROJECT 7 MUSLIMS IN AMSTERDAM Each city report includes detailed recommendations for improving the opportunities for full participation and inclusion of Muslims in wider society while enabling them to preserve cultural, linguistic, religious, and other community characteristics important to their identities. These recommendations, directed primarily at specific local actors, will form the basis for the Foundations advocacy activities. 8 OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS 2010 Muslims in Amsterdam