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Activities and Announcements (Muslim Heritage Newsletter, Issue 4 - Vol. 1)
 | Discover the Scientific and Technological Muslim Heritage in Our World | A Quarterly Publication issued by the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation (FSTC), Manchester, UK Issue 4 - Vol. 1 * Dhu'l-Hijja 1429 / December 2008 | | Activities and Announcements | | 1. Multi-Faith Scientists in Islamic Civilisation |  | In 12-13 November 2008, the United Nations organised in New York a high-level meeting of the General Assembly to promote inter-faith dialogue. The meeting was marked by the active participation of the heads of state and senior officials of more than 75 Member States who came together to support mutual tolerance, respect and understanding. At the end of the high-level meeting, the General Assembly of the UN adopted a general declaration praising the values of tolerance and mutual respect between faiths and cultures. On the occasion of this high-level meeting in New York, The Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation organised at the UN in New York a display on "Multi-Faith Scientists in Islamic Civilisation" and a conference on the "Strategic importance of Muslim Heritage in our World and its impact on Diplomatic, Educational and Socio-economic Developments". Read more here: FSTC's Contribution to the Intercultural Dialogue at the General Assembly of the United Nations and see photos here: Album. | | 2. Two events at the UK Houses of Parliament in London events |  | Between 13 and 17 October 2008, the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation (FSTC) organised two major events in London: a scaled down version of the "1001 Inventions Exhibition" at the Houses of Parliament (13-17 October) and a conference on "Muslim Heritage in our World: Social Cohesion" at Hoare Memorial Hall, Church House, Westminster (15 October 2008). On this occasion, 1001 Inventions have been given the privilege of exhibiting at the Houses of Parliament, from 13th-17th October 2008. This taster exhibition showcased Al-Jazari's Elephant Clock and Scribe Clock as well as his famous water pump raising machine. The exhibition also covered pioneering projects of FSTC such as the Curriculum Enrichment Programme (CEP) and Cultural Understanding in Science Project (CUSP). The exhibition, which was exclusively for Ministers and Members of Parliament, was opened by Jim Knight MP, UK Minister for Schools and Learning, on the 15th October 2008. Read more here: Muslim Heritage in our World: Social Cohesion (1001 Inventions in UK Parliament) and 1001 Inventions at UK Houses of Parliament. FSTC published two press releases: Press Release 1 - Press Release 2.
Read the announcements of the exhibit 1001 Inventions Exhibition at the House of Parliament and the conference Muslim Heritage in our World: Social Cohesion
Albums of photos of both activities were published on Picasaweb: Album 1 – Album 2.
For a list of personalities who attended the conference, visit: 1001 Inventions' Houses of Parliament Experience.
Media coverage:
| | 3. Muslim Heritage in Our Homes |  | In support of the initiative of HM Queen Rania of Jordan championing international cross cultural dialogue, which was inaugurated by launching a scheme of video-sharing through YouTube to help prevent Muslims and Arabs from being stereotyped, FSTC produced a video clip that highlights some of the everyday items in our homes that came to us through a shared heritage with Muslim Civilisation. WATCH: Muslim Heritage in Our Homes:
Her Majesty Queen Rania: Discover Muslim Heritage in Our Homes
http://www.YouTube.com/QueenRania
http://www.MuslimHeritage.com/videos This clip is the first in a three part series specially produced by FSTC to support Her Majesty's YouTube Project. It was presented by Bettany Hughes. The videos produced by FSTC were sponsored by Abdul Lateef Jameel Group. | | 4. Brussels conference |  | Arab and European politics and culture came together under the European Parliament's roof in Brussels during the "Arab week" organized between 3-7 November 2008 in a series of seminars exhibitions and artistic performances. The events took place as part of the European year of intercultural dialogue. During this "Arab week", Professor Salim Al-Hassani and Ian Fenn made a presentation to The Education and Culture Committee of the EU Parliament in Brussels on the 5th November 2008. The presentation was in two parts. The first is an introduction to the 1000 years of amnesia, the so called "Dark Ages", and its impact on education and culture. The second is a review of the progress made in the ground breaking education project, entitled Cultural Understanding in Science (CUSP) jointly carried by the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation (FSTC), Qualification and Curriculum Agency (QCA) and the Association of Science Education (ASE). Finally a list of concluding remarks and strategic recommendations are given. Read more here: Muslim Heritage and Education. | | 5. Representing Islam: Comparative Perspectives |  | In 5-6 September 2008 the Universities of Manchester and Surrey organised in Manchester an international conference "Representing Islam: Comparative Perspectives". The meeting attracted over 100 eminent national and international speakers and a large audience. The conference was primarily concerned with the representations of Islam and Muslims in our modern world and the relationship of this representation/mis-representation with current social and political issues. In this conference, Professor Salim Al-Hassani represented FSTC and made a keynote lecture on: 1001 Inventions verses 1001 Nights: Shifting Public Perception of a 1000 years Amnesia. Read a short report about some of the most important debates discussed in the conference here: Representing Islam and Muslims in the Media: An Academic Debate. | | 6. Arab Scientific Contributions in the Islamic Ages: Effects and Influence |  | The Institute for the History of Arabic Science in the University of Aleppo (in cooperation with the University of Damascus, and in celebration of Damascus as the capital of Islamic culture) organised the Ninth International Symposium for the History of Arabic Science. It is entitled: "Arab Scientific Contributions in the Islamic Ages: Effects and Influence." This symposium was held in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Damascus, 28-30 October 2008 (click here to read the announcement of the conference in "Events" section on www.MuslimHeritage.com). The conference was attended by delegates from FSTC who presented lectures on various aspects of the ongoing activities of the Foundation and the areas of research of its researchers:
Professor Salim Al-Hassani: "Development of Historical Timelines for the Enrichment of Science and Technology Curriculum of Education"
Dr. Salim Ayduz: "Astronomical Studies and Related Institutions within the Ottoman Administration"
Dr. Munim M. Al-Rawi: "Ibn Sina Discovery of Geologic Time, and its Impact on the Development of Earth Sciences"
Engineer Lutfallah Gari: "Heritage Books in Chemical Industry"
Dr. Rim Turkmani: "17th Century England and Arabic Science"
Dr Okasha El Daly: "The Role of Muslim Scholars in the Study of the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation". | | 7. Lecture by Dr. Salim Ayduz on "Ottoman Contributions to Modern Civilisation" |  | On 10 December 2008, Dr. Salim Ayduz, Senior Research Fellow at FSTC and a visitor scholar at Manchester University, gave a lecture on "Ottoman Contributions to Modern Civilisation" at the University of Manchester. The conference was organized by the University of Manchester Turkish Society and Mercy Educational Society. In his lecture, Dr Ayduz, a specialist of Ottoman science and technology, outlined the achievements of Ottoman scholars and focussed on their significant contributions in science and technology during several centuries, since the foundation of the first madrasa in Iznik in 1331. During 600 years, the Ottomans established so many scientific institutions such as observatories, libraries, madrasas, hospitals, and contributed with new scientific and technological innovations to the progress of scientific knowledge. | | 8. Lecture of Dr Subhi Al-Azzawi in the International Symposium on Baghdad's Role in Islamic Civilization |  | Dr Subhi Al-Azzawi, member of FSTC and senior architect (Kent, UK), presented a lecture at the international symposium on "Baghdad (Madinat al-Salam) in the Islamic Civilization" organized in Istanbul by the University of Marmara (the Faculty of Divinity and the Department of Islamic History and Arts), Umraniye Municipality, and the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture of the Islamic Conference (IRCICA). Baghdad, founded in the 8th century as the capital of the Abbasid caliphate, soon became a vibrant city crowded by people from different races, colours, and creeds. Soon after its founding, it became a major centre of not only commercial activities but also scholarship, culture, and civilization. The city produced countless scholars in many areas of knowledge, thinkers of all sorts, poets, artists, and diverse models of piety through many of its educational and pious institutions, booksellers, and libraries, in which groundbreaking literary and scholarly studies were carried out. The Nizamiya and Mustansiriyya madrasas pioneered the madrasa system in the Islamic world in both program and architectural style, thus playing a fundamental role in the history of culture and science in the Islamic world. Baghdad was the centre of the Hanafi and Hanbali schools of jurisprudence, and Sufi and philosophical thoughts. It also contributed greatly to broader human culture and knowledge as the centre of the transmission (and expansion) of ancient sciences and scholarship east and west into Arabic, much of which would be later translated into Hebrew and Latin. After its destruction by the Mongol conquests, Baghdad regained much of its previous vitality and importance under successive dynasties, including the Ottomans. Numerous celebrated thinkers in the field of philosophy, jurisprudence, historiography, and literature flocked to Baghdad for patronage. The symposium dealt various topics dealing with politics, economy, science and education, religious movements, social and religious life, non-Muslims, architecture, art, and literature in Baghdad during the following periods:
- Baghdad from its establishment to the Mongol conquests,
- From the Mongol conquests to the Ottoman Period,
- Baghdad during the Ottoman Period,
- Baghdad after the Ottoman Period.
| | 9. Award for 'Medieval Islamic Medicine' by Emilie Savage-Smith and Peter Pormann |  | Our colleague and FSTC key associate member Professor Emilie Savage-Smith, together with her co-author Dr. Peter Pormann, was awarded the 2008 British-Kuwait Friendship Society Book Prize for their joint book: Medieval Islamic Medicine (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press [New Edinburgh Islamic Survey Series], 2007; published simultaneously by Georgetown University Press and The American University in Cairo Press). Read our announcement of the award: Award for Medieval Islamic Medicine and click here to read the press release of the award. Visit the review of the book published on www.MuslimHeritage.com: A New Book on Islamic Medicine: Medieval Islamic Medicine by Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith, and read other articles of Emilie Savage-Smith on our web portal: Seeking Seamless Scientific Wonders: Review of Emilie Savage-Smith's Work. |
by: FSTC Limited, Mon 22 December, 2008
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